Online Greyhound Racing Betting
Introduction to Greyhound Racing Betting - Greyhound racing has been around for many, many years. In many countries across the world it has long been a substantial component of gambling culture, while in others greyhound racing is strictly amateur and for enjoyment purposes only.
In the United Kingdom and the United States particularly, greyhound dog racing is still a very popular form of betting. The same is true to an extent in Australia, Ireland and China. Although it is fair to say the sport is in decline, and experiences nowhere near the levels of popularity of its horse racing counterpart, there are still a large number of tracks across the world that host regular races and enjoy steady attendances.
Greyhound racing is a very simple sport and involves a number of greyhounds – usually six or eight –chasing a lure – commonly a mechanical hare – around the track. The first dog over the line wins the race. Racing greyhounds is primarily about the betting as it is this aspect of the sport that tends to attract and retain the fans. For more information visit our guide to choosing greyhound racing betting sites to signup and deposit at.
Forms of Greyhound Dog Races
There isn’t much in the way of different forms of greyhound racing really. There are different classes of race, to separate the best dogs from those less able, but the actual racing follows a fairly uniform format. Most countries where greyhound racing is popular have their own association that governs the sport in that country. The Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) for example, is responsible for regulating greyhound racing in the UK, while the Australian Greyhound Racing Association (AGRA) fulfils the same role in Australia.
There are some events in greyhound racing that are considered fairly major sporting events – such as the English Derby, the Greyhound Night of Stars in the USA and the Irish Derby.
Types of Greyhound Racing Bets And Wagers
Like the sport itself, betting on greyhound racing is pretty simple. There aren’t really many options when placing a bet – the most common types of bet are listed below.
- Win Bet - A simple bet on which dog will win the race. An online bookmaker will offer odds for each dog in a race and if your selection wins you will be paid out at the corresponding odds.
- Place Bet/Show Bet - This is a bet on a dog that you think will finish somewhere in the top two or three or places, depending on the number of dogs running. The odds for backing a dog to place are significantly lower than to win.
- Straight Forecast - A more difficult bet to get right, but one that pays out higher odds. A straight forecast involves picking the two dogs you believe will finish first and second, in the right order.
- Reverse Forecast - Similar to the straight forecast above, but the two dogs you select can finish in any order.
Online Greyhound Racing Betting Strategy
Strategy for betting on greyhounds is pretty simplistic really. The races often see closely matched dogs taking part so it is not easy to pick a clear winner. The best approach is to understand and follow the form guide as best you can. It is worth trying to get an idea of each dogs’ favoured conditions before backing a particular section. For example, the length of the race and the trap it is drawn in will often affect a dog’s chances of winning a race.
Making money is possible in greyhound racing, but for serious sports bettors it is worth considering other sports too. If you are betting on the dogs, then make sure you use a reputable online bookmaker and apply good money management skills.
