Greyhounds Betting Guide
Betting on greyhounds remains one of the most exciting and traditional ways to place sports bets in the UK. And, even though the greyhound industry has shrunk in recent years, there is still a dedicated, passionate community that thrives on this sport.
If you’re new to greyhound betting then get ready to explore this fascinating, welcoming sport. From the nightly dogs' races at Doncaster and Crayford, to the biggest meetings of the year held at Central Park and Perry Bar, we’ve got you covered with extensive greyhound odds, special bets and live streams.
In this guide, we’ll explain how greyhound racing works, how to bet on greyhound dogs, what the best markets are and how you can live stream greyhounds every night of the week.
Discover the best greyhound racing bet options, what happens in the Greyhound Grand National, and ways to play the odds to your advantage!
Guide to Greyhound markets
Before we look at how to place a greyhound bet, it’s worth exploring the various bet types you can wager on. Here at Bet UK, we offer four main bet types on each race: Win, Each Way, Forecast and Tricast.
Here’s a bit more about how these types of greyhound markets work:
Win – A straightforward bet where you back one dog to win the race. If it wins, you win your bet.
Each Way – A popular bet choice in greyhounds and horse racing alike. Each Way bets require you to split your stake in half. One half-backs your dog to win, and the other half backs it to come first or second. If it finishes second, only the second half of the bet pays out. Each Way bets in greyhounds act as ideal insurance covers, giving you a greater chance of winning.
Forecast – A forecast bet in greyhounds if when you bet on which dog will finish first and second. This increases your risk but also your odds, so the potential payout is greater. You can also bet on dogs to finish in either position.
Tricast – Like a forecast bet but involving three dogs, the tricast is tricky to get right. But if you can select the top three places in a race you’re likely to win a big payout.
How to bet on greyhounds
Placing a greyhound bet is pretty straightforward – even if you haven’t bet on the sport before. The Bet UK sportsbook is packed with greyhound odds from race meets across the country, and there’s always a race coming up if you miss one!
To bet on greyhounds first you need to sign up for a Bet UK account or log in to your profile. Make sure you go through the registration process properly and trigger any promos or offers before making a deposit. From here, head over to the Bet UK greyhound odds and explore the markets available.
Our sportsbook features Next Off, Daily Meetings and Ante Post markets. If you want to place a wager today, either check out the Next Off tab for the latest race times and race lists, or click on the Meetings tab for races taking place later in the day.
Once you’ve found the race you want to wager on, click on the timestamp and you’ll be taken to the race card. Here, you can see each runner and their stats, such as name, colour, number and form. Then, click on the odds you want to back, enter your stake in the bet slip and click Place Bet to complete the process.
The Ante Post markets feature odds for races coming up in the future – sometimes weeks and months in advance. You can wager on these races at better odds because there is no guarantee the dogs featured will definitely run. Greyhound betting fans generally stick small amounts on these markets, knowing that the bigger odds can still lead to decent profits.
Some greyhound racing fans will place bets on an entire days worth of racing in an each way accumulator, if you're looking to do this, check out the BetUK Acca Club, which can provide profit boosts to your accumulators.
Biggest events for Greyhound Racing
There are some big races to keep an eye out for in the greyhound calendar, including…
English Greyhound Derby – The Derby is effectively a tournament that stretches over six weeks in May and June, with 192 dogs competing. There is a £175,000 prize fund for this epic challenge. And of course, you can place a Greyhound Derby bet of every race of the competition!
Grand National – The Greyhounds Grand National has run since 1927 and is one of the few races to feature hurdles. Dogs vault over the jumps at remarkable speeds, with a £7,500 prize for the champion.
The Laurels – The Laurels runs in Birmingham every year and boasts a £10,000 winning purse. Demesne Bear broke the record for the longest odds winner of the Laurels in 1995 with a starting price of 14/1.
St Leger – Another race at Perry Bar with a £10,000 winners’ prize, St Leger was first to run in 1928. Space Jet set a track record of 42.59 sec over 710 metres when winning in 2021.
The Oaks – Reserved for female dogs only, the Oaks covers just 480 metres and boasts a £15,000 first prize. Ballymac Trend won with greyhound odds of 25/1 in 2020. The favourite has a 42% record of winning the Oaks.
Greyhound Terminology
- Ante-post – Place a bet on the outcome of the even
- Forecast – A bet relating to the first two dogs to cross the finish line.
- Going – Speed of the track - judged by an official track handicapper.
- Grade – The official rating of the race, levels are determined by the ability of the participants.
- Lay bet - To bet against something happening.
- Odds - The price of a selection
- Open race - A race at the highest level of greyhound racing.
- Reverse forecast - A variation of a forecast where you’re picking the first two greyhounds without predicting their exact positions.
- Place - A dog that finishes in the top two of a traditional six dog race.
- Puppy – A young greyhound, specifically under the age of 2.
- Tricast - A bet where the punter identifies the top three dogs.
- Trap – The starting box that dogs are in before the race.
How to read greyhound racing form
An integral part of placing any sports bet is to do your research beforehand. And each race card in the Bet UK sportsbook features the racing form for every dog running. Greyhound form indicates the previous result of each dog, so you can see which ones are ‘in form’ and which ones are struggling for results.
Here is an example of greyhound form: 14245. The numbers indicate the finishing position from the dog’s previous races, with its most recent result on the right. So, this dog finished fifth in its last race, but five races ago it won. Perhaps its form is declining.
Greyhound live stream and betting
You can watch greyhounds live online and bet on all the action via the Bet UK sportsbook. We offer Bet UK greyhound stream services to our entire sports betting community, so you can keep on top of every win.
To live stream greyhounds and bet with ease, all you need to do is log into your Bet UK profile or set up an account today. You can stream via the app and on desktop, and bet on every race!
For more information on Watching sports live check out our blog!
Greyhound Betting FAQs
What does SP mean in greyhound betting?
SP in greyhound betting refers to the Starting Price. If someone bets on the SP, they will be given whatever the odds were when the race began.
What to look for when betting on greyhounds
Tips to look out for when betting on greyhounds include the odds and the form. A dog with short odds and good form is more likely to win its race, but the profit margins will be shorter.
Are greyhounds reliable to bet on?
Yes. Greyhounds are fairly reliable to bet on because, unlike in horse racing or motorsports, there is no human influence when the dogs are running. Therefore the starting prices are usually a good reflection of how races will pan out.
Is greyhound betting like horse racing?
In many ways greyhound betting is like horse racing betting. The core bet types – Win, Each Way, Forecast and Tricast – are available when betting on greyhound races. What’s more, sportsbooks and racecards are structured in much the same way too.
What is the biggest Greyhound Race in the world?
The biggest race in the UK is the English Greyhound Derby. However, the English Greyhound Derby is nowhere near the biggest in the world, that honour goes to the Melbourne Cup which is the crown jewel of Australian Greyhound racing and is currently the biggest Greyhound event.
What is the biggest Greyhound stadium in the world?
The largest Greyhound stadium until 2020 was the Belle Vue. However, it has seen been closed and demolished, leaving Swindon Stadium as the largest existing Greyhound stadium in the UK.
What is the biggest event in the UK Greyhound Calendar?
The biggest race in the UK is the English Greyhound Derby, consisting of 500 metres, this race has a prize of £175,000, which is the largest total in the UK.
How many Greyhounds are typically in a race?
There are usually six dogs in a race but there can be a much larger number of dogs in a race, you can find out how many dogs are in a race by checking the latest greyhound odds.
Can I watch a race while Greyhound betting?
Yes! By using the live streaming service attached to BetUK, check out our Greyhound live streaming to find out how to watch a particular race when betting on Greyhound racing.
