Greyhound racing betting is still hugely popular in the UK. There are currently 21 tracks in operation, with races happening almost every day of the year. Greyhound racing has its competitive origins back in the 1800s, and carries on strong today, with legal gambling available – here’s a look at how to analyse racing stats for betting.
Betting on the Dogs
The bulk of greyhound racing is done in physical betting shops and trackside as it doesn’t get the coverage that horse racing does. Horse racing is broadcast on terrestrial TV and has many high-quality in-depth sites dedicated to the sport along with news, insights and tips.
Greyhound racing is far more of a niche. But greyhound betting sites in the UK have daily markets available. The racecards on betting sites typically have basic form alongside the odds.
Types of Greyhound Racing Bets
The most popular greyhound racing bet is the Win single, which is picking one dog from the card to win the race. Other similar options are the Place and the Show. The Place option is for a dog to finish first or second, with the Show option for the dog to place 1st, 2nd or 3rd.
What to Look Out For
The differences between the main greyhound bets involve three factors. First is the probability of winning. Here the Show bet is the best option, as with three finishing places covered, it mitigates risk compared to the Show and Win bets and is therefore, a good option for less experienced bettors.
Risk tolerance is the next factor and will be down to the individual. Those who are more experienced and comfortable with greyhound racing may look for the higher-risk straight Win option because of the third factor – potential payout. The highest-risk bet, the Win, has the top payout of the three types of bets, while the Place bet beats the Show for odds.
Exotic Betting
Exotic bets can be formed for Greyhound betting, building on the staple of the Win, Place and Show options. An Exacta (or a Forecast) is the prediction of the first two finishers in the race, in the exact order.
A Trifecta (Tricast) pushes this to the first three finishers in the exact order, while the Superfecta (Quadcast) includes the fourth place finish as well.
There’s also the option of building multiple bets, like a fourfold accumulator, such as selecting the winners of four races from the same meeting. All legs within an accumulator have to win for the bet to be successful.
Studying Form
None of the above should happen without understanding how to read greyhound racing form. Getting familiar with a race card is a great start, as at first glance they can be confusing. The meat of the race card is in the densely packed letters and numbers listed against each runner.
Along with the pedigree of each dog, there will be recent results listed, indicating finishing time, the kind of track and the grade of the race. You’ll also see the opening betting line – the introductory odds before the money from bets starts to come in. The race card will also state what types of bets are available for the race.
Key elements to consider for the race include the box draw, the stall from which a dog starts. Ones near the rail often get to the first turn quicker. Early speed, which is the acceleration from the box, is a great indicator, coupled with stamina on longer races.
Different dogs have different styles of running and a preference for a certain style of race. Also consider Grade, as a dog going up in a grade of race could find the going tougher, while one dropping in class could put up an improved performance against weaker runners.
The Big Events
A good place to start with greyhound racing is looking for the big events, as these get more attention and coverage, so it may be easier to find greyhound racing tips and insights.
The English Greyhound Derby, usually held in June or July is one of the biggest, with the Scottish Greyhound Derby in April and the Irish Greyhound Derby usually held in September, also worth keeping an eye out for.
Another popular event is the East Anglian Cup at Yarmouth Stadium, while the annual Select Stakes from Nottingham is one of the highlights of the greyhound racing year. You can also look further afield, with Australia’s Melbourne Cup and Sandown Cup being big international greyhound racing features.
