Dog (Greyhound) Racing Betting Dog racing usually consists of a group of trained greyhounds chasing a decoy rabbit along a fence. The sport has become heavily. Betting on greyhounds is a popular pastime in certain parts of the USA. The best way to bet on dog races these days is to do so online. This sport is still legal in some US states and in other English-speaking.

• Off Track Betting Greyhounds
• Dog Track Betting Online Horse Racing
• Dog Track Betting Online Sportsbook
• Greyhound Racing Online Betting
• Dog Track Betting Online Games
• Dog Racing Tracks Near Me

Handicappers have been betting on dog races for as long as gambling has
existed. However, it hasn’t always been easy to put money on the canine
competitors, as greyhound tracks can be challenging to find in some regions.
Now, dog racing betting sites make it possible for bettors all around the globe
to get in on the action regardless of geography.

The most significant events for dog race betting are traditionally found in
the British Isles, where the sport began. The English, Scottish, and Irish
Greyhound Derbies are all massive events with significant prize money at stake,
as are the Melbourne Cup and Sandown Cup in Australia.

Off Track Betting Greyhounds

In this guide, we’ll introduce you to the best dog racing betting sites,
share some tips for winning wagers, and cover some of the most prestigious
contests in the field. We’ll also define some basic greyhound handicapping terms
you may encounter online and take a look at some other forms of dog racing.

Types of Dog Racing

Greyhound Races

When we discuss dog racing betting sites, we’re primarily talking about greyhound racing.
These are the events carried by most online sports betting sites and found at local
tracks throughout the world.

Most races feature six runners on a dirt track, competing for roughly 500 to
700 meters. The dogs are enticed to run by a mechanical lure called the “hare.”
The hare moves around the perimeter of the track before the action begins. When
it reaches the starting gates, the doors automatically open, prompting the dogs
to take off running.

The hare then stops at the finish line where the winner of the race is
declared.

Sled Dog Races

Despite being dominated by greyhounds on tracks, other forms of dog racing do
exist. In cold-weather regions such as Alaska, sled dog racing is king. Events
like the Iditarod see teams of sled dogs pulling a single passenger, called a
“musher,” through impossible conditions for over 1,000 miles.

Some sled dog racing betting sites have set lines for the Iditarod in the past, but
they’re relatively rare. Nevertheless, sled dog races are enormous, big-money
events, so it’s entirely possible that they’ll become a regular fixture at the
books in the future.

About Our Recommendations

You may have noticed that most of our recommended dog racing betting sites
are operating out of offshore gaming jurisdictions. These countries, many of
which are in the Caribbean, license and regulate online gambling, allowing
providers to host their servers within their borders while serving foreign
players.

The offshore status of these operators is a benefit to gamblers who live in
regions without internet gaming, but there’s also a downside. Some jurisdictions
sell licenses without much oversight, making it easy for scammers to present
themselves as legitimate businesses. Many novice players have lost significant
sums of money to these frauds.

That’s why our team of experts has done the hard work finding the best dog
race betting sites for you, ensuring that you’ll never be scammed. All of our
recommendations have been thoroughly vetted for the following qualities.

Coverage of Dog Racing Betting

Before we can dig into the more significant aspects of our review process, we
must first make sure all of our recommendations cover dog races. After all,
that’s what you’re on this page to find, right? Still, merely setting a few
lines for the most prominent events isn’t enough. We prefer to introduce our
readers to dog racing betting sites that offer a wide range of wagers, similar
to-if not better than-what you’d find at the actual track window on race day.

Competitive Lines

If an online sportsbook isn’t setting competitive lines (consistent with the
prices set by other top oddsmakers), it’s not worth betting. All forms of
gambling are numbers games, and we readily accept that the house always has an
advantage. Nevertheless, it’s possible to be a successful handicapper through
hard work and finding value. But value can only be found when the odds are
competitive and realistic. In the same way, we encourage readers to shop
for the best lines when wagering, we do the same when finding the dog race
betting providers to recommend.

Safety and Security

Our fundamental goal is to stop fraudulent online operations by helping new
players avoid their schemes. Nothing that we do here is more crucial than
finding safe, reliable, and trustworthy betting sites to share with our readers.
Before dog racing betting websites can be included in our recommendations, it must
be intensely researched and found to be legitimate and well-run, offering
players a safe and secure place to wager. We want to help focus your energy on
winning bets, not worrying about internet scammers and thieves. Let us take care
of that part.

Ease of Use

Our review process also takes into account how easy dog racing sites
are to use. Wagering doesn’t need to feel like rocket science. We look for
websites that are professionally made and organized in a logical way that’s
straightforward to navigate. Many of our readers are new to online betting, so
we’d like the entire experience from signing up to depositing cash, and placing
a bet to be as stress-free and natural as possible.

Banking Options

With so many dog race betting sites being located offshore, having a wealth
of banking options to choose from is vital. In some regions, specific payment
methods are blocked, while in others, online wagering is illegal and requires
anonymous transactions to stay under the radar. Accepting a variety of
banking types gives players the flexibility to work around their
issues. Most challenges can be overcome by simply depositing cash into an
e-wallet, cryptocurrency, or other third-party payment processors, and then
using that account to fund your betting.

Reputation and History

Beyond verifying that dog racing betting sites are currently safe and secure,
we also dig into their history to make sure they’ve always been a top-notch
provider. In addition to the background check done on the website being
reviewed, we also look into the ownership and any other domains they may have
held. To pass our test, we must find a history of satisfied customers and a
positive reputation among players and industry insiders as a whole. We want to
introduce our readers to established dog race betting sites that have shown
consistent excellence.

Bonuses and Promotions

The best betting sites for dog racing compete for your attention with generous
bonuses and promotions. Deposit bonuses can be worth hundreds, if not thousands,
of dollars thanks to providers that offer a 100% match on your initial payment.
In addition to the entry-level gifts, online gaming websites will enroll members
in loyalty rewards plans that earn points for each time you wager. You may then
exchange the loyalty points for cash back on your losses, merchandise, and more.

Withdrawal Speeds

One of our top priorities when selecting the top dog racing sites is
verifying that they quickly process withdrawals. While unethical websites delay
these requests and hope you’ll grow impatient and bet the money instead, the
best providers respond to your desire to cash out with urgency. Our
recommendations know it’s your money and won’t make you chase down your payout.

Quality Customer Service

Quality customer service is a fundamental requirement for all of our
recommended dog racing betting sites. The best gaming websites feature
clearly-labeled support pages that are easy to find and they answer frequently
asked questions in addition to sharing several contact methods. A telephone
number and email address are always listed, along with an instant messaging
option, in most cases. We test each form of communication to verify that they’re
all working and being managed by helpful, responsive, and courteous customer
service employees.

Mobile Compatibility

Who knows when you’ll get the itch to put some action on the dog races; the
best betting sites for dog racing need to be available from anywhere! The majority
of our time spent on the internet these days is done through smartphones and
tablets rather than computers or laptops, so online gaming operators have had to
adjust. Our top recommendations make their websites compatible with mobile
devices either through their internet browsers or via their own applications.
Now, you can place your dog racing bets on-the-go without any loss of
functionality.

Biggest Dog Racing Betting Events

English Greyhound Derby

The English Greyhound Derby is the world’s most prestigious greyhound race.
The 500m event was first held in 1927 in Wimbledon but is now held in Towcester.
It takes place in June or July every year with an outrageous top prize of
175,000 pounds going to the champion. If you want to see the most celebrated
canine athletes the sport has to offer, this is the competition to watch.

The Melbourne Cup

The Melbourne Cup takes place in November at Sandow Park in Australia. With a
prize pot totaling $350,000 AUD, the event attracts all of the best runners from
the region, making it one of the premier competitions of the year. The
greyhounds run for 515m to declare the winner. Many dog racing betting online sites
will take action on this cup, especially in Australia.

Greyhound Night of Stars

The Greyhound Night of Stars is an annual event that brings the best dogs
from around the globe to compete. Organizers hold races of various distances and
generally celebrate the sport and its competitors. The Night of Stars is held at
Shelbourne Park in Dublin, Ireland, and is covered by many European dog racing
betting sites.

Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race

The Iditarod Trail is the most elite sled dog race in the world. Since 1973,
it’s been held on the first Saturday in March every year and pits the mushers
and their team of dogs against both their competitors and the harsh Alaskan
elements.

The race begins in Anchorage and continues for 1,100 miles through rugged
terrain before reaching the finish line in Nome on the state’s western coast.
Mushers must sign in at checkpoints along the route with three mandatory rests
required: a 24-hour stop and two individual eight-hour breaks along the Yukon
River and White Mountain, respectively.

The finish line is the Red “Fox” Olson Trail Monument in Nome. The Iditarod
is officially complete once the last musher arrives.

While dog racing betting sites have set lines for the Iditarod Trail in the
past, it hasn’t been consistently covered by oddsmakers. The most recent betting
odds we could find for the race were from 2013. However, it’s worth keeping an
eye out for sled dog race betting in the future, as this event is perfect for
prop bets and live wagering.

Sandown Cup

The Sandown Cup was established in 1964 and has been an annual event in
Australia ever since. The winner takes home $250,000 AUD, making it an
exceptionally sought-after and competitive cup that attracts the top talents in
the country and abroad. The runners compete on a 595m track throughout the
three-week event which concludes in Sandown Park. This is another competition
that the majority of dog racing betting sites will cover.

Dog Racing Betting Tips

• Take weather conditions into consideration. A wetter track often favors
  frontrunners and dogs that run wide.
• Don’t take any wager that pays less than even money.
• Favor up-and-coming young dogs over heavily-run competitors with lots of
  miles.
• Don’t bet on races with too many runners-six or fewer is ideal.
• Positioning is everything. If the dog in Trap 2 tends to run wide around
  corners, this is advantageous for the runner in Trap 1. If the greyhound in
  Trap 5 goes inside around the bend, this helps the dog in Trap 6. Look for
  opportunities for clean runs.
• Do your research. Look at the runners’ last handful of races. Are they
  improving in form or beginning to decline?
• That being said, sometimes a bad loss can shorten the odds on a legit
  contender. Analyze why they lost most recently. Were they crowded out by a
  competitor? There may be significant value here.
• In most cases, dogs positioned closest to the rail have the advantage
  except when it’s wet.
• Specialize in a specific track or two. The more familiar you are with a
  particular location, the easier it is to visualize how a race will play out
  and where to find value.

Dog Racing Betting FAQs

What Are Some Common Forms of Dog Race Betting?

Wagering on dog races is similar to horse track betting. You will primarily
find pari-mutuel bets, which often combine their stakes with the racetrack to
provide accurate odds and a larger pot to share amongst winners. There are two
basic categories: straight bets and exotics. Straight bets include your picks to
win, place, or show. Exotics consist of trifectas, superfectas, and quinella
bets.

Is Betting on Dog Racing Allowed?

Yes, in areas where online betting is legal. In the United States, for
example, most regions have not yet legalized internet gaming but it’s not
outlawed either. So, if you can find licensed greyhound racing betting sites to take your bets
online, you can use them without breaking any laws.

Is It Lawful to Use Offshore Dog Racing Betting Sites?

It hasn’t formally been made legal, but yes, you can use offshore dog racing
betting sites without breaking any laws. In the US, online gaming is only
regulated in a few states, and federal gambling laws only pertain to operators
and banking institutions not individual bettors. So, you may use offshore
providers without doing anything illegal.

Where Can I Find the Best Dog Racing Sites?

That’s easy; they’re all at the top of this page! The dog racing betting
sites shared here have been vetted and were found to be the best betting sites
online. Not only do they offer the most coverage of dog races, but they provide
a safe and secure place to wager online.

Can You Make Real Money Betting on Dog Racing?

Yes, dog race betting can be quite lucrative once you get good at it. Similar
to horse racing, there are tips and tricks which can improve your picks, many of
which are shared above.

Greyhound racing has a close relationship with gambling. Betting is ingrained in the dog racing culture and is largely responsible for keeping the industry alive. Learning how to bet on greyhounds online is a simple manner because the sport itself is simple. Every wager on a race somehow relates to predicting the order in which the dogs cross the finish line.

Best Greyhound Betting Sites

Online greyhound betting has been a lifesaver for the industry in an age where actual greyhound tracks are hard to find. Most fans live nowhere near a track and would have no way to place bets on races were it not for greyhound betting sites.

If you have an interest in betting on greyhound races but are not sure where to start, we offer a few recommendations here.

It is important to get started at a safe, regulated and reputable greyhound betting website so you can be sure you will be paid if you win.

Additionally, properly licensed dog racing betting websites usually pool all wagers with those taken at the track in order to provide you with odds that reflect the true value of every dog.

Where to Bet on Greyhound Races Online

It is no big secret that greyhound racing is in a period of decline today. Many tracks are struggling and closing.

There are still a fairly decent number of tracks in operation around the world today. However, the industry certainly faces challenges going forward.

Greyhound racing betting at online racebooks could very well be the savior of an entire industry.

Greyhound betting sites provide a boon to the troubled industry by generating interest and bringing much-needed money to struggling tracks. If it wasn’t for betting, greyhound racing would be an extremely niche sport.

There are some major greyhound racing events such as the English Derby, the Greyhound Night of Stars in the USA, and the Irish Derby.

In addition to those main events, most greyhound tracks run regular races every day. In some locations, the law actually makes it mandatory for tracks to host races every day.

Fans today enjoy the ability to bet on dog races online easily. If you don’t live near a track, that’s not a problem; you can simply place your bets online. Most sites even provide live, streaming video of races for free. All you need is an account and you watch the action live on your computer.

The traditional greyhound racing industry has a positive relationship with the online betting industry. In some places, greyhound tracks operate their own websites. In other places, racetracks work in partnership with large, respected bookmakers.

What this means is that you get the same odds online as the people get at the track. The money you bet online is pooled together with the money that is bet in person at the racing facility. This provides liquidity, bigger jackpots, and helps keep the industry alive.

Ranking and Reviewing Greyhound Betting Sites

There are two intangible qualities that hold the most sway in determining which racebooks truly deserve the title “the best.” First and most important is the safety of player funds. When you make a deposit to a greyhound betting site, you entrust the site to protect your money and give it back when you’re done.

The safety of your funds is the most basic, fundamental job of a greyhound racing betting site but that does not mean it’s a given. I have seen many greyhound betting sites come and go in my time.

The safest racebooks are those that have established themselves as legitimate, longtime providers. This is the only type of operation we recommend.

Next up is the overall quality of the racebook. This includes the safety of your funds in addition to the site’s customer support, deposit methods, promotions and usability. We’ll get into each of those next.

Customer Support

There’s more to customer support than just answering questions. Any halfway competent greyhound betting site can answer basic questions.

Real customer support is tested when player disputes and legitimate complaints arise. How a book handles difficult situations is what determines whether its customer support is worth anything.

For example, a player writing to say that a book unfairly cancelled his wager at the last minute puts customer support to the test. Does the site take his complaint seriously and address the issue or does it brush him off?

Even if the book determines the player’s complaint has no standing, it can still address the player with respect and explain why it is taking whatever actions it is taking.

Banking Options

A quality dog racebook makes it easy for customers to deposit and withdraw winnings. The best greyhound racing betting sites have easy-to-use deposit methods that are both fast and free.

Withdrawals are even more important, easy cashouts are mandatory. There is nothing more frustrating than dealing with a racebook that slow-pays. If a site can’t get this part right, it doesn’t get listed here – no exceptions.

Value of Promotions, Odds and Prices, Payouts and Coverage

The thinnest of margins draws the line between winning and losing punters.

One of the best things you can do for your long term success is to get the most value out of every selection. This means taking advantage of promotions, getting the best odds, and choosing the best bets across a wide range of tracks and races.

Promotions, odds, and track coverage are all things we look for when ranking greyhound betting sites. The value of any one promotion doesn’t have much of an impact on a single bet, but promotions (and payout odds) have a big impact over a course of weeks, months, years and a career.

Usability and Features

It’s so much easier to place your bets at greyhound websites that are easy to navigate and understand.

Place enough bets at a poorly-designed racing site and you’ll eventually suffer at least a few missed opportunities and poorly-placed wagers

If you have two equal sites to choose from and one of them has an obviously superior betting interface, the decision is simple.

Regulation of Racebooks

UK and European greyhound racetracks work closely with dog racing betting sites to bring the full experience online and to mobile horse racing betting apps.

Most of the major bookmakers have agreements with local tracks that allow you to watch the races in real time on your computer or mobile device and participate in the betting pools hosted by each track.

The dog betting websites that we recommend are all licensed by the UK Gambling Commission.

These greyhound betting websites operate in the open and most of them have long histories. If you’d like to put your handicapping skills to the test, take a look at any of our top-ranked racing betting sites. These are some of the most respected racebooks in all of Europe.

In the United States, online greyhound betting is completely legal thanks to exemptions written into anti-gambling legislation. The UIGEA in particular included a carve-out that specifically mentioned horse and dog racing.

Therefore, major US greyhound betting sites are legal.

For example, BetAmerica.com (full review here) is based out of the United States and has permission from most major tracks to show the live races in real-time online. You can even fund your account with bank-to-bank transfers and Paypal.

Greyhound Betting Regulatory Bodies

In most countries, greyhound races are overseen by a regulatory body responsible for promoting the health and integrity of the industry.

Each country has its own take on how to regulate and oversee greyhound racing, but ultimately the goal is to keep everything safe and fair for the dogs, racing teams, and fans.

The Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) is responsible for regulating greyhound racing in the UK, while the Australian Greyhound Racing Association (AGRA) fulfils the same role in Australia. In the United States, the Greyhound Racing Association of America (GRAA) helps promote, educate and regulate the industry.

How to Bet On Greyhound Races Online

Greyhound betting very closely resembles horse racing betting. All the same types of wagers that you could place on a horse race may also be placed on a dog race and greyhound racing betting uses the parimutuel form of wagering to calculate the odds and pay winners.

The actual process of betting on greyhounds online is a simple matter of logging in to your account and choosing a track.

From there, you select the race you want, the amount to risk, the type of wager, and the dogs you want.

A betting slip on the side of the screen displays a summary of your bets as you add them. When you’re all done, hit the submit button and wait for the results.

Types of Dog Racing Bets and Wagers

• Win: A bet on a single dog to win the race straight up. You win this bet if your dog crosses the finish line first.
• Place: This is a bet that your dog will finish in one of the top 2 places. It doesn’t matter if your dog takes first or second; you win either way.
• Show: Pick a dog and your bet wins if that dog finishes anywhere in the top three. This bet pays less than win/place wagers because your dog only has to end up somewhere in the top three.
• Straight Forecast (Exacta): A more difficult pick to get right, but one that pays out higher odds. In a straight forecast, you pick two dogs to take first and second place in that exact order. You only win this bet if your picks finish in 1^st and 2^nd in the correct order.
• Reverse Forecast (Reversa or Quinella): Similar to the straight forecast above, but the two dogs you select can finish in any order as long as both finish in the top two.
• Treble Forecast (Trifecta): In this bet, you pick 3 dogs to take the first 3 places in that exact order. This is a difficult bet to win, but it offers high payouts.
• Win and Place (each-way): This is two bets on one dog. Your “win” bet is a straight up bet on the dog to take 1st place. The Place bet pays if you dog finishes anywhere in the top 2. If your dog ends up taking first place, you win both bets. If your dog takes 2nd place, you only win the Place portion of the bet.
• Superfecta: Similar to a trifecta except this time you pick 4 dogs to take the top 4 places in that exact order.
• Accumulator (Parlay): This is a combination of bets spread across multiple races. You place a bet on one race and if you win that bet, the winnings automatically roll over to the next bet. Successful parlays involving 3 or more races offer the promise of massive rewards.

Greyhound Handicapping Strategy

Dog races often include closely matched greyhounds taking part so it is not easy to pick a clear winner. The best approach is to understand and follow the form guide as well as you can.

It is worth trying to get an idea of each dogs’ favoured track conditions before backing a particular section. For example, the length of the race, the weather, recent performances all have an effect on how dogs perform on any given day.

Dog Track Betting Online Horse Racing

Patience is another useful skill. Watch the odds, compare them to your analysis of each dog, and wait for opportunities that present a clear advantage. There is nothing wrong with sitting out a few races when you cannot identify an obvious advantage.

Dog Track Betting Online Sportsbook

Getting an Advantage

Because online greyhound betting is set up in the parimutuel format, you essentially compete against the other people to win money.

Your first step in handicapping the dogs is to learn and use the racing program. This is basically the greyhound equivalent of horse racing’s “daily racing form.” You can find the program at the track and at some of the bigger racing betting sites.

Greyhound Racing Online Betting

The racing program is full of data about each dog, including its past recent performances, its training team, stats and more.

Dog Track Betting Online Games

The Greyhound Racing Association of America has a nice guide to using the program here. Learn it and understand it.

Dog Racing Tracks Near Me

There is an incredible wealth of handicapping information out there. It’s just a matter of making the effort to do the research.