Greyhound racetracks owe much of their survival to the betting that has always accompanied the sport. Although there are plenty of fans who enjoy the sport for what it is, much of its success depends upon people betting money on race outcomes. Despite declining track attendances around the world, greyhound racing continues today with the help of online betting.
Online greyhound betting sites make it possible for people like you to place wagers without ever stepping foot in an actual racetrack. Not only is this convenient for those of us who like to bet from home, but it also helps inflate betting pools at the track – which is good for everyone.
Best Greyhound Betting Sites
Something you may notice about online greyhound betting is that there are not many websites to choose from. Sure, there are plenty of horse racing sites, but greyhound racing is a different story. It seems that most betting sites prefer to focus on other sports with more mass appeal.
The good news is we know of several high-quality greyhound racing sites that are open for business right now. These sites are licensed and regulated to do offer off-track betting. If you’re in the market for a safe place to bet on dogs, these are the places we recommend you visit first.
When choosing a greyhound betting site, it is important to remember that safety should always come first. Don’t worry too much about the bonuses and other rewards when first making your selection. The safety of your funds is the most important thing to consider. You can then use bonuses and rewards to help break ties between safe, licensed betting websites.
Betting on Greyhound Races Online
Greyhound betting is set up in the same basic manner as horse racing betting. The only real difference is the animals involved. Other than that, everything is the same. So if you already have experience betting on horses, you can skip this section. If not, read on for an explanation of all the different types of wagers that are available.
Win, Place and Show Bets
These are the three most basic types of wagers in dog racing. These are the best bets for newbies who are just barely getting started.
Win: This is a straight-up bet on one dog to win the race outright. You pick your dog, and then you win if that dog finishes first.
Place: In this bet, you pick one dog to either win or take second place. You win the same amount in either outcome.
Show: Once again, you pick one dog. This time, you win if that dog takes first, second or third place.
Other Dog Racing Bets
The remaining wagers are slightly more complex, but they aren’t terribly complicated. Just give it some time, and you’ll be a master of all these wagers.
Across the Board: This is a type of combination bet in which you pick one greyhound and put a win, place and show bet on him all at the same time. If your pick takes first, you win all three bets. If your pick takes second, you win the place and show bets. If your dog takes third, you win the show bet.
Exacta: In this bet, you pick two greyhounds to finish 1st and 2nd place. You must also specify the order in which they finish. You only win your wager if your dogs finish in that exact order.
Trifecta: This one is similar to the exacta, except you pick three greyhounds to finish in first, second, and third place. You only win this wager if your picks finish in that exact order.
Superfecta: This one takes it one spot further by adding a fourth dog to the mix. This means you must pick 4 dogs to finish in first, second, third, and fourth place. Your wager only wins if the dogs finish in that exact order.
Quinella: In this wager, you pick two greyhounds to finish in 1st and 2nd place. The difference between this one and the exacta is that your dogs can finish in any order. As long as your picks take first and second, you win the bet.
Boxing Your Bets: You can box certain bets to increase your chances of winning. For example, it is common for people to box trifectas. If you had three dogs in mind for a trifecta but were not sure which order they would finish in, you could “box” the bet. You would tell the betting site that you want a $1.00 trifecta box for dogs A, B, and C.
The site would then place a bunch of trifectas for you, covering every possibility. In this case, it would cost you $6 because there are six different ways in which those dogs can finish in the top 3 places. You could even box four, five, or six dogs. Just remember that the costs go up quickly when you add more dogs because there are many more combinations with multiple dogs.
Keying Your Bets: Same basic idea as boxing your bets, except within this one, you pick one dog as your “key” dog. Your key dog must win the race, but the remaining dogs may finish in any order.
For example, you could key a trifecta by telling the betting site that you want to play a $1 trifecta key of dog A over B and C. Your “key” dog, in this case, would be Dog A. He must win the race, but dogs B and C can take 2nd and 3rd place in any order.
Is Online Greyhound Betting Legal in the USA?
Yes. Greyhound betting was exempted from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006. When the UIGEA was passed, lawmakers included carve-outs specifically for greyhound and horse racing betting. This means that you can bet online for real money at 100% legal and licensed websites based in the US.
Wes Burns co-founded BettingWebsites.com, bringing 15 years as a gambling industry expert to the team.