Let’s face it – every bettor needs a bit of change every once in a while. While you’re probably a seasoned vet when it comes to most team and individual sports, it’s always the same old same old. Match winner, first-half result, total goals/points, etc. — you get the idea. Well, if you really want to dive into something new, then greyhounds betting sites are your destination.
In recent years, we noticed that dog racing has been slowly making a comeback. That’s why we felt compelled to accelerate that comeback and prepare you for every situation imaginable. Not only did we make a list of some of the best greyhound racing betting sites, but we’ve also covered the markets and sprinkled all of that with some juicy but still useful tips.
If you want to learn how to make right tips with your speedy four-legged friends, then bear with us. NostraBet will point you in the right direction. With that being said, let’s dive in and start from the basics…
Greyhound Races Betting Explained
What separates greyhound racing from other sports is its straightforward nature. Let’s stop for a second and ponder. Even though you’re used to watching and betting on football, have you ever thought about how complicated the rules are? To a layman, things like offsides, indirect free kicks, the away goal rule, and many other aspects really require time and dedication if you want to master them.
But you won’t have to deal with any of that at online greyhound betting sites. It’s just six dogs, a mechanical hare, and an oval-shaped track about half a mile long. The dog that reaches the finish line first is crowned the winner. And that’s all there is to it, really!
However, just because the sport itself is simple, that doesn’t mean you can just waltz in and start placing bets with your eyes closed. No, silly, you first have to find a proper environment to hone your skills and extract as much value as possible. It just so happens that we have some fine suggestions. To learn more about dog races, we recommend to check out our greyhounds betting guide with a lot of useful info about this kind of sport.
Best 5 Greyhounds Betting Websites
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- Generous Bonus Offers
- Mobile App is Available
Safety should be your top priority at all times. Never place bets anywhere except at verified online bookmakers. A site might seem enticing, and they might offer mouth-watering odds, but that’s no guarantee that they don’t have vulnerabilities. Look for any information about what security systems they use. Things such as SSL encryption and HTTPS are a must, but a license is needed, too. Don’t forget about reputation, too.
One thing NostraBet likes to see at leading betting websites is a wide variety of markets. Although it might be exciting to just bank on a dog to win, doing the same thing over and over again is very monotonous, right? Of course. That’s why the very best bookmakers for greyhound racing have to give you enough room to have fun and experiment. Bonuses are a part of that equation, too.
With these factors in mind, we tested 100+ sites and eliminated them one by one until we got to the cream of the crop. So, these are the trusted bookies we recommend. See what they have to offer, take your pick, and let the games begin!
- Pros
- Good odds for people who punt on greyhounds
- There are racecards, which will help you choose the event you want to wager on
- You may find special promotions for betting on greyhounds
- Cons
- In some cases, you won’t find that many open markets
- Pros
- Betway makes betting on greyhounds easy
- People interested in Greyhound races have the option to use different features
- There is a how-to bet on greyhounds guide
- Cons
- Betway does not offer that many races to punt on
- Pros
- The greyhounds’ section is one of the best in the industry
- William Hill offers betting guides for this sport
- Most races allow you to watch them live
- Cons
- You won’t find offers for greyhounds
- Pros
- Bet365 has a live streaming feature
- You can find a wide range of greyhound races to punt on
- The betting platform has several promotions for users interested in greyhounds
- Cons
- Punters may experience difficulties when trying to access the platform to bet on greyhounds
- Pros
- One of the largest selection of betting options for greyhounds
- Most races offer a wide range of markets
- 22bet provides among the highest odds for greyhounds
- Cons
- Despite the numerous offers, 22bet does not have any greyhound promotion
What Betting Markets Are Available?
Now that you know the best places to bet on greyhound races, it’s time to focus on the actual bets themselves. There are tons of options around, but our team believes these are the most common and the most important ones. Try them all out and see which one proves to be a good fit. Our advice would also be to create a custom system that includes them all in some shape or form. Without further ado, here they are:
Outright
The simplest bet of them all, it allows you to pick who will win the race. Despite its non-complex nature, the outright market can prove to be a headache because it takes one mistake for you to lose. Also, it’s relatively useless in some cases, especially when there is a big favourite. So, when should you use it? We believe the best way to approach it is to pick a race with a few evenly-matched dogs. It gives you the best risk-to-reward ratio. You don’t want to risk money for measly winnings, right?
Forecast
Compared to the outright, the forecast gives you a bit more breathing room while still retaining great odds. It involves picking which dog will win and which dog will finish second, in the correct order. That’s what we call a straight forecast. There’s also the reverse forecast, which allows you to pick the top-2 and top-3 dogs, but without a predetermined order. It’s a great choice for beginners, as it lets you understand races and leaves quite a lot of room for error.
Tricast
Quite possibly the hardest bet to win, the tricast requires you to pick the top-3 finishers in the race. While it’s realistic to gauge which dogs will end up in the top half, there’s no feasible way to know the exact order. That’s why tricast greyhound bets have the highest odds. How do you approach them if they’re so difficult? One strategy that works is to follow the performances of all the dogs, several races up to the big event. If they all vie for the top spot consistently, you can include them in your trifecta. Still, it’s a risky business.
Exacta
Just like the straight forecast, the exacta lets you pick the 1-2 punch in exact order. However, it also has a high minimum bet requirement at some sites and can even depend on the total bet pool.
Trifecta
It’s basically the same as the exacta. The requirements remain unchanged, but you have to choose the top 3 in exact order, instead of just the top 2.
Place only
If there are 6 or more dogs, you can use this ambiguous market to your advantage. Instead of picking the outright winner.
Combination bets
Combo markets let you cover 2-4 hounds with a single bet. You can place a forecast combo within the combo and hope that one or two pups finish in the top 2 or 3. The wager might be expensive, but the combo bet lets you cover more ground with less effort.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Greyhounds Betting
- Pros of grehounds betting
- Easy sport to bet on
- Easy to learn rules
- Races last a short time
- Cons of grehounds betting
- You need to prepare for the bets and races
- It is good to know info about every dog in the race
As we’ve already said a million times, Greyhounds betting is probably the easiest sport to get into. There are no gimmicky rules and things you have to think about when placing your bets. It also doesn’t take up a lot of your time, as races last a very short time. Once it’s done, you can take a break and prepare for the next big event, such as the Irish Greyhound Cup.
However, those same advantages can be perceived as disadvantages, too. Some bettors might find the fact that you have to invest hours of preparation into a 30-second race a bit unappealing. Also, some of you might prefer a more steep learning curve, along with more variables. With greyhound racing, these things are almost always purely subjective.
Greyhounds Betting Tips and Things to Consider
Congrats! Now you know where to bet, how to bet, and what to watch for at greyhounds betting sites. To round your prep up, there are some additional things you need to watch out for. Thankfully, the simplicity of the sport means that there aren’t too many variables, so it’s just these five things that can affect your bottom line:
If a dog had a bad race or two, it’s not really a reason to sound the alarm. However, if that streak is longer, then the hound might be getting old or is suffering from an injury of some sort. Also, the same goes for streaks of wins. Don’t overreact over a single 1st place finish. Upsets happen.
You can tell a lot about the dog by the way it runs. Every pup prefers a different part of the track, which may or may not be good, depending on the shape of the track and the other dogs that are competing.
Dogs run and behave differently depending on the weather and the temperature. Traditionally, low temperatures have always suited middle runners due to the fact that they can maintain speed whilst avoiding sharp corners.
Just like a human athlete, a hound can feel the wear and tear of years of racing. That’s why you should always pick the younger pups, even if they aren’t touted as the favourites.
Injuries, failed drug tests, and unexpected pull-outs happen regularly, believe it or not. That’s why you should follow greyhound betting blogs and social media accounts. If you have the latest scoops, you can easily save yourself from an embarrassing loss.
Live Betting on Greyhounds – Is It a Good Choice?
Live bets on greyhound races are relatively uncommon. Each event lasts under a minute in most cases, so it’s not a very big window to place bets and snatch some winnings in the process. If a bookie does offer these kinds of bets, we wouldn’t recommend them unless you’ve mastered all the normal markets. It takes a bit of time to get used to the blistering pace of a greyhound racing event, that’s all.
Is It Worth It to Bet on Greyhounds?
Like every form of sports betting, greyhound betting is ‘malleable’ enough to influence it with your own decisions and research. So, two people betting on the same races might see different levels of profitability, depending on how they approach things. If you do your homework, have lots of stats by your side, and aren’t too trigger-happy, you can profit. Still, playing at greyhounds betting sites is gambling at the end of the day. You aren’t in complete control, but preparation and a bit of wisdom can make a difference.
FAQ
What is the best way to bet on dog races?
No strategy or system’s proven to be the best. If there was, everyone would be using it. The best advice we could give you is to study, prepare, and take calculated risks.
What are some of the reputable greyhound betting sites?
All the sites we’ve placed on our list of the top greyhounds’ bookies have a stellar reputation. It’s one of the most important things to consider when picking a bookie, and we at NostraBet take it seriously.
Do greyhound bookmakers offer bonuses to players?
Yes, every bookie has a bonus that can be used to fund your greyhound betting endeavours.
Is greyhound betting risky?
It’s not safer or riskier than any other form of sports betting.
Can I profit from playing at greyhounds betting sites?
Yes, you can profit if you make correct predictions on races.
Should I combine greyhound betting markets with other sports?
If you’re looking to create a parlay, then you definitely can do this. However, we wouldn’t recommend it, as it disperses your attention and might result in hasty decisions or mistakes.