Betting on Dogs: Our Greyhound Racing Betting Online Guide & Top Sites

Like many who are new to betting, I would stick to the simple bets. Some of the terms and words used in greyhound betting can be a bit confusing but don’t worry as I will explain in detail and give examples to help you bet like a pro in no time. Once you are comfortable with the basics and looking for a bit more advanced information and detail, I recommend going into detail on this excellent greyhound racing betting site.

The Best 3 Greyhound Betting Sites

What are the top online greyhound betting sites? Stop and look no further. Below, you will find the ultimate list of three operators that provide everything you need at a bookie for the dogs. They are great examples of what you need.

With these top greyhound bookmakers, you can find daily events, lots of different betting types and even live streaming. They offer the complete package for you to be really successful when betting on dogs.

How to Bet on Dogs: Types of Greyhound Racing Bets Explained

You will probably already be aware of a “to win” bet and the chances are you have heard of the expression “each-way bet”, these are just two of the more straightforward bets when learning how to bet on dogs. There are lots more out there which will be explained in this greyhound betting guide.

Difference Between Early Prices and Starting Prices

In an effort to get you to bet with them, many online sports bookmakers will offer enhanced odds if you bet early. In the early days of betting, if you took an early price and then the price for the dog drifted, that was just hard luck!

However, bookies are a lot more forgiving now and many offer “best price” or “best odds guaranteed” deals which means that if the starting price is better than the odds you took, they will honour the higher price. It is worth comparing the early prices for different bookies as value can be found there.

Betting to Win Online

When it comes to greyhound betting explained, there is nothing easier! This is a straightforward bet on your chosen dog to win the race outright in first place.

Example: You bet £20 on Dog A at 5-1. If it wins, you receive £120 i.e. 5 x your £20 stake plus your stake returned.

Betting Each Way On Dogs

An each-way bet is in reality, two bets on the same dog. Half of your total stake is bet on the dog to win and half on it to be placed (the place requirement is dependent on the number of runners). If your selection wins, you win on both parts of the bet. The place part of the bet is paid out at a fraction of the win odds and will be shown in the betting slip.

The fraction of the odds on the place bet does vary and depends on the type of race and the number of runners. You need a minimum of five dogs to race to be able to bet each-way:

You bet £100 each-way (£200) on “Tracy’s Delight” at 10-1 with 8 dogs in the race.

If the dog wins the race you would receive £1100 for the win aspect (£100 x 10 & stake) and you would receive £200 due to the place part of the bet (odds of 10/1 ÷ 5 (due to the number of dogs) = 2/1 odds * stake (£100)) = £200.

Online Betting Strategy for Win and Each-Way

As a rule of thumb it is only worth betting each-way if the dog’s odds are long enough to justify it. If you took a dog at 4/1, the place part of the bet would be 1/1 (evens) and would produce no gain at all and just cover the bet if the dog finished 2^nd.

Some bookmakers offer “place only betting”, this can be a useful tactic if you think a dog has a great chance at 2^nd (or 3^rd if there are more than 8 dogs in the race) but has very little chance of winning the race.  It is difficult to recommend it as a tactic to use all the time as you do run the risk of backing a winner but only getting paid out at ¼ of the odds, which will be pretty frustrating if your dog finishes first.

Each-way betting is a common and very useful strategy for outsiders, rather than fancied dogs. I’ve had some great winners, backing rank outsiders in the past and for me the thrill of the occasional big odds win more than makes up for the infrequency of these wins.

Forecast Betting in Greyhound Racing

When it comes to greyhound betting online, you may come across the term ‘forecast’, what does that mean exactly? Well, in the table below, you can find out what all the different associated terms mean. I have highlighted all the most popular ones.

As you can see, these dog racing betting terms are very similar to what you would find on the horses. This is no coincidence, as the races are very similar, thus so are the bets. Once you get a hand of all these betting types, you can really utliise them effectively.

The Top Greyhound Betting Systems

Multiple bets are potentially your path to riches! You can make a life-changing amount of money for a relatively small stake. Here are a couple of examples of previous big winners using thus greyhound betting system;

In 2008, Fredd Craggs who lives in Yorkshire had a 50p bet on an eight leg accumulator, many of the horses he backed were outsiders and with names such as “Isn’t That Lucky”, “Racer Forever” and “A Dream Come True”, I suspect that he picked the selections from the heart rather than the head but his win at odds of 2 million to 1 shows that sometimes we need to listen to intuition.

Although this was done on the horses it is also one of the more popular greyhound betting systems. We will go into the various ones below.

In 1996, Darren Yeats of Morecambe in Lancashire was a huge Frankie Dettori fan and placed a £59 bet on Frankie’s 7 races that day, when the near impossible happened and all 7 rides resulted in victory, Darren picked up a staggering £550,000.

Switching the focus back to the best greyhound betting systems, here are some of the multiple bets you can make;

Double – 2 dogs combined, both have to win for you to receive a return on your wager.

Treble – 3 dogs combined, all three must be successful.

Trixie – 3 dogs in combined in 3 doubles and 1 treble, 4 bets in total. With the Trixie bet you only need 2 dogs to win to get a return. Remember as it is 4 bets, your stake will be x4.

If 2 dogs winning sounds like a stretch to you then you can place a “Patent” which also includes 3 single win bets so you only need 1 winner to claim a return. A patent is 7 bets so your stake will be x7 (for example a £1 stake patent will cost £7), this is an essential part of dog betting systems.

Yankee – this is a trusted bet with 11 bets which include 6 doubles, 4 trebles and 1 accumulator. Only 2 winners are needed for a return. Again, if you prefer 1 winner to pay a dividend then you could try “Lucky 15”, this has 15 bets but with it also covering 4 singles, only 1 winner is needed.

For example, when placing a Lucky 15 on four dogs that are all likely to start at short prices, the advantage of the Lucky 15 is that you get a return on one winner, yet you are staking four extra points than you would for a Yankee. Therefore, you need odds of at least 3-1 just to cover your extra stake. Likewise, you need 4-1 for a Lucky 31 and 5-1 for a Lucky 63.

Super Yankee – 5 selections and covering 26 bets, the super yankee has 10 doubles, 10 trebles, 5 four-way accumulators and 1 five-way accumulator. This is a Channel 4 racing special for us here!

The Super Yankee needs 2 winners to pay, if need an enhanced version of this bet then the “Lucky 31” is the one for you, 31 bets which include 5 singles means you only need 1 winner to be quids in.

You would think the Heinz 57 bet would have some reference to baked beans but it’s in fact the 57 variety aspect of Heinz that the bet is centred around, you get 6 selections and your bet includes: 15 doubles, 20 trebles, 15 four-folds, 6 five-folds and 1 accumulator. You need 2 selections to win.

The “Lucky 63” is the same as Heinz bet but with 6 singles added.

If you want to select 7 dogs then take a look at the Super Heinz bet, this involves every multiple combination and consists of 120 bets, this is broken down into 21 doubles, 35 trebles, 35 four-folds, 21 five-folds, 7 six-folds and 1 accumulator. A minimum of 2 of your selections must win to get a return.

One of the biggest and best multiple selection bets is the aptly named “Goliath”, you pick 8 selections and a goliath bet includes 28 doubles, 56 trebles, 70 four-folds, 56 five-folds, 28 six-folds, 8 seven-folds and an accumulator. 2 winners are all that is required to see a return, with 247 bets being placed, most punters use a small stake for these types of bets (for example 20p x 247 = £49.40).

Ante-Post Betting for Greyhound Racing

Ante-post betting can be a profitable market but it’s not without risks! The idea of ante-post betting is that bookmakers will offer highly enhanced odds for a race in the future. The biggest danger is that the dog you have backed may not even run in the race, if this happens your bet is settled as a loss. Ante post bets are accepted “all in” which means the stake will not be refunded whether the greyhound runs or not.

This is where research can help you greatly, seek confirmation from publications such as the Racing Post, online blogs or even the trainer’s own website.

There is always a danger that a dog may get injured nearer the time of the race, this would result in the loss of your stake. You will often see dogs listed for a race when in fact the owners have no intention of their dog being in the race. For example, the Irish Greyhound Derby 2016 at the time of writing this has over 80 dogs listed for this race, so the chances are that very few of these listed dogs will actually race.

Just for information, in the UK the number of dogs that can run in a race is 6, Towcester course is an exception as they have introduced races with 8 and Shawfield Stadium near Glasgow has 5 dog races. All other UK tracks have 6 dog races.

Special Bets on Greyhound Racing Betting

Online sports bookmakers offer promotions that change all the time, unfortunately as greyhound fanatics, we don’t get as many great offers as other sports such as football and horses but there are some interesting campaigns out there. Many bookies offer enhanced prices for certain trainers to win meetings and you can even bet on the total number of favourites that win at a meeting. Many of the televised greyhound races are incentivised with free bets and the best odds guaranteed is available on almost all sites that feature greyhound racing.

Tattersalls Rule of Racing

All bets are subject to the Tattersalls Rule of Racing (also called Rule 4 deductions) this governs what happens if a dog is withdrawn from a race. Let’s see an example to show how it works;

• You have bet on “Merseycried” @5/1 in the 14:47 at Hove. There are three scheduled dogs in that race. Before the race “Ivanapugh” withdraws due to injury.
• The race is now a two dog race betting and as a result the chances of you winning has now increased. It would therefore be unrealistic for you to expect the 5/1 you received.
• Tattersalls Rule of Racing involves deducting an amount from any winnings. This deduction is determined by the price of the non-runner at the time the dog was withdrawn. Let’s imagine the dog that withdrew was priced at 7/4, looking at the table below a deduction of 35p in every £1 would apply.

Live Greyhound Betting

An exciting and popular development within the online sports betting arena is the ability to bet “in-running” or “in-play”, or so-called live greyhound betting. Previously when a race started the book closed. Now however, when a race starts, you can see the odds changing in real-time to reflect the action at the greyhound course.

Another great thing about live dog betting is that you don’t need to be sat behind a computer to do it! Just about any modern mobile phone or tablet enables you to watch the action and place a bet even if you are out and about! If you have not tried it then give it a go, it’s great fun.

Free Bets on the Dogs

When you first join an online sports betting site you will usually receive an incentive such as free bets, enhanced odds or a matched deposit. If you don’t have accounts with many online bookies then I would recommend you sign up for a couple. You get a chance to try until you find one that is a perfect fit for your needs.

The only word of caution is to check if a bookie has a “wagering requirement”, this is a total amount that you have to bet before your bonus is shown as available to withdraw. Some bookmakers don’t have any wagering requirements at all and these are the best value ones.

So to put this into context, if you have a £100 bonus that you received and the offer has a 5x wagering requirement, you will need to stake a total of £500 for your bonus winnings to be transferred to your Cash Balance. If the wagering requirement is 10x, you would need to bet a total of £1000.

The bonus amounts vary quite considerably between bookmakers but are usually in the £10 to £200 range. Don’t expect free cash though! Most online bookies will require you to make an initial deposit and then they will match the amount you deposit.

Our Top Ten Dog Racing Tips for Beginners

1. Know what the conditions are like – One of the best greyhound betting tips I can give is bet on the inside traps if the weather conditions indicate rain. Dogs on the inside traps are less likely to be affected by wet weather conditions.
2. Best odds guarantee – As we mentioned earlier in this guide, if you take a price on a dog and the starting price later turns out to be better, if a bookmaker offers best odds guarantee then you will be paid out at the better price.
3. Compare prices at sites – Another one of the good dog betting tips is to have more than one online sports betting account. This way you can see any differential in the odds being offered, taking advantage of even slight differences can add up over a period of time.
4. Check the gender – There are subtle differences between dogs and bitches that can affect how they perform. Dogs overall are considered to be more reliable and tend to do better in short to mid- range races. Bitches tend to be harder to train and due to them going into season (when a bitch goes into season the rules state that a bitch must be removed from all race activity for at least 21 days) it can mean a gap from racing for about 10 weeks in a year.
5. Study the form – It is quite normal for both dogs and bitches to have cycles of being “in-form” or subsequently “out-of-form”, finding these winning and losing indicators can often be the difference on how to win at the dogs.
6. Know your totals – It is important that you keep a track of your betting activity, doing this will give you a clear picture of what markets, courses, trainers or dogs have boosted your bankroll and which events have not been so successful for you.
7. Keep up-to-date – With every stat you could think of being just a Google away, it is so easy to get up-to-date with the latest greyhound related news. Many online bookmakers have blogs in which well respected trainers and experts share their hints and tips as well as predictions.
8. Age does matter – The working life of a greyhound is pretty short and despite a lifespan of about 13 years, most greyhounds will be approaching retirement at the age of 4 years. Younger dogs are more likely to show swings on performance where as more experienced dogs tend to be pretty consistent with their performances.
9. Racing Lines – In the formlines for previous races you will see comments on which line the dog took. You will see these as abbreviations, vw = very wide, w = wide, mid-w = middle to wide, mid = middle, mid-rls = middle to rails, rls-mid = rails to middle and rls = rails.

The line can have both advantages and disadvantages. Rails – a dog who runs on the rails has the shortest distance to cover but due to the sharpest of corners they may be unable to achieve top speed. Middle – the dog will reach top speed but also allows other dogs to pass easy. Wide – a dog running wide will have an advantage in wet conditions and also will avoid collisions but the distance is further than railing. Very wide – these dogs tend to avoid trouble but they are running quite a few more lengths than a dog that prefers a tight line. The skill here is matching the racing conditions, the competition and the course to predict who is likely to succeed.

10. Never bet more than you can afford – It is the easiest thing in the world to feel frustration when your bets don’t quite go to plan, however, betting in anger is never a smart move! Walk away, reflect and then try again another day. If this doesn’t make you feel better or if you do feel like you may have a problem with gambling, then please seek help.

A great site that has information for anyone who feels they may have an issue with gambling is Gambleaware is, it is a free, impartial service and has a wealth of information and non-judgemental support.

Best Way to Bet on Greyhounds: Greyhound Betting Strategy

The best way to find how win at dog racing is an amalgamation of study and hard work. Of course, you will need luck too, but the more effort you put in on your end the more chance you have at success. See some top advice below.

In the table above, you can see the very best greyhound betting strategy. It’s clear that there are a number of different things that can be combined to make you a winner. Follow these strategies and you will be on the path to success.

Most Popular Greyhound Races and Odds

When it comes to greyhound betting, there are a number of popular events. In the table below, we have highlighted the top races for you to bet on. I have also provided greyhound racing odds too for you to compare.

As you will notice, there is not much difference in greyhound odds, nevertheless, there is still lots of intrigue to be found. Placing the right bet can really make you a big profit. These races are just the beginning and there is a lot more out there.

Greyhound Bet App

To really enjoy your experience, you need to make sure you have a greyhound bet app. In doing so, you will be able to enjoy everything you can on a desktop right at your fingertips. Place bets quickly, and easily. A top download is listed below.

Boylesports has the best mobile app by far. You can watch streams and place the same kind of bets you would find on the desktop. They even have a greyhound bet app Android capable, so you can be sure all types of phones will be accepted.

The app has a smooth interface and demonstrates what is capable when a team of experts come together to develop something. It really is an enjoyable experience.

Overall, greyhound betting is best enjoyed on your phone. It provides you with the ultimate flexibility. You can watch and bet at the same time, or you simply don’t have to be tied to a chair. It has really changed the landscape of the gambling world.

Virtual Greyhound Racing

Another fascinating thing to look out for is virtual greyhound racing. This provides you with the opportunity to always find an available race no matter the time of day. In this day and age with rapid technological advancements, you may be forgiven for thinking you are watching the real thing!

There is a virtual greyhound racing strategy you can employ. Back the favourite! Of course, this won’t work all the time, but over a period of time, it will more than likely payout. Naturally, there are other ones you can pursue too, but we won’t cover them here.

FAQ

Now I have come to the end of this greyhound betting review, there should be no stone left unturned. Nevertheless, I have collected some of the most frequently asked questions below. Check them out now.