Signing Up to a Greyhound Racing Site
How to Bet on Greyhound Racing
You can bet on greyhound racing throughout the year, and it’s never been easier to place bets on dog races online. Follow these steps to get started at the best greyhound betting sites.
- Compare greyhound betting sites
Our experts have listed the best greyhound betting sites available right now. Just browse our reviews, weigh up the welcome bonuses, and you’ll find the right site for you.
- Sign up
Follow our link to the greyhound bookmaker sign up page. Enter your details when prompted, and you’ll be set up in no time. If there’s a no deposit welcome bonus, you can claim that right away.
- Make your first deposit
Transfer over funds using your preferred payment method, and you’ll unlock any matched deposit bonus offered by the bookmaker.
- Bet!
Navigate over to the site’s greyhound section, where you’ll be able to place all kinds of bets on races at a wide variety of tracks. Good luck!
The Various Greyhound Events
While it might not attract the same kind of media attention as horse racing, greyhound racing is a big deal — especially for some online sportsbooks. Here are some of the top greyhound racing events for bettors to consider.
English Greyhound Derby
Founded in 1927 and held at famed locations such as Wimbledon Stadium and Towcaster Greyhound Stadium, the English Greyhound Derby is among the most prestigious greyhound racing events in the world. Usually held between May and July, its top prize — reaching £175,000 in 2021 — makes it a major draw.
East Anglian Derby
Held at Norfolk’s Yarmouth Stadium since 1975, the East Anglian Derby is another major event in the greyhound racing calendar, with a top prize of £15,000. Taking place in September, its current record is held by Newinn Shadow, who ran the course in just 27.23 seconds in 2017.
Select Stakes
Hosted by the Nottingham Greyhound Stadium since 1997, the Select Stakes are held every year in July. While the £7,500 purse is lower than the English Greyhound Derby’s £175,000, the event is still an important one for British fans.
The Melbourne Cup
Ask any fan what the biggest greyhound racing event on the calendar is, and they may well say November’s Melbourne Cup. Not to be confused with the horse racing event of the same name, the Aussie spectacle dates back to 1956 and draws in competitors with its enormous cash prize which is typically hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Association Cup
The Association Cup is held at Wentworth Park Stadium in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1965, the event is exclusively for Group 1 greyhounds and is part of the celebrated Golden Easter Egg Carnival. Another big money dog event, the carnival boasts a total prize purse of $1 million.
Sandown Cup
Another major Australia greyhound racing event, the Sandown Cup dates back to 1963, when it was known as the Woolamai Cup. Always a cause for excitement among punters, it has a hefty prize purse of $250,000.
US Greyhound Racing Venues
There are a variety of greyhound tracks in the US, here are some of the most prominent.
| Venue |
State |
| Birmingham Race Course |
Alabama |
| Victoryland |
Alabama |
Apache Greyhound Park
|
Arizona |
| Phoenix Greyhound Park |
Arizona |
Wembley Park
|
Colorado |
Cloverleaf Greyhound Track
|
Colorado |
Daytona Beach Kennel Club
|
Florida |
| Hollywood Greyhound Park |
Florida |
| Melbourne Greyhound Park |
Florida |
Tampa Greyhound Park
|
Florida |
Palm Beach Kennel Club
|
Florida |
Dubuque Greyhound Park
|
Iowa |
| Woodlands |
Kansas |
Wichita Greyhound Park
|
Kansas |
| Wonderland Greyhound Park |
Massachusetts |
Seabrook Greyhound Park
|
New Hampshire |
Valley Race Park
|
Texas |
| Dairyland Greyhound Park |
Wisconsin |
| Tri-State Greyhound Park |
West Virginia
|
Greyhound Betting Markets
Available Greyhound Betting Markets
There’s not a great deal of betting markets for greyhound races, but the upside of that is that it keeps things simple. Let’s take a look at some of the popular bets you can place.
Win
As the name suggests, you bet on the dog you think will win. If the dog comes first, you win. If it doesn’t, you don’t. An example of this would be if you put $10 on Fred the Flash at +500. If it wins, you’ll receive $60, including the $10 stake that’s returned.
Each Way
The easy way to think of an each way bet is to actually think of it as two wagers in one. Your stake is divided between a ‘win’ bet and a ‘place’ bet, with the number of paid places depending on how many dogs are running (see table below). If your greyhound comes first, you win both parts of the bet. But if it comes in 2nd or 3rd, you only collect on the place bet.
Say you place a $10 each way on Romeo’s Rocket at +1000, with six runners. A win will get you a total return of $145 ($10 at +1000 = $110 including stake, plus $10 at +250 on the place bet = $35 including stake).
On the other hand, if Romeo’s Rocket doesn’t win but does place, your return will be $35 including stake.
While betting each way provides a little insurance, it’s only worth placing this bet if the odds on the dog you’re backing are long enough. For instance, many bettors wouldn’t back a dog each way if the price is only +200, because you will only profit on the win bet and not on the place, which only sees you receive a payout at ¼ or ⅕ the odds. For a breakdown on how each way odds are affected by the number of dogs in a race, check out our table below.
| Number of dogs running |
Places paid |
Each way odds |
| 2 – 4 |
Win only |
— |
| 5 – 7 |
1st & 2nd |
¼ of full price |
| 8+ |
1st, 2nd & 3rd |
⅕ of full price. |
Ex: $10 each way ($20 total stake) on Jumping Jack @ +200 (6 runners)
If placed = $10 at -50 on the place bet = $15 (incl. stake).
Forecast and Tricast
A forecast bet is when you place a bet on two dogs, and they have to finish 1st and 2nd in the order you selected. A tricast bet is exactly the same thing, but with three dogs, which must finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the correct order. Needless to say, this is no easy task, even with only six dogs running. However, for punters in the know, the payouts are quite handsome on winning forecast bets.
Reverse Forecast and Tricast
While the straight forecast and tricast bets require an accurate pick in the correct order, the reverse forecast and tricast bet allow punters to win by correctly predicting the dogs to finish in any order. So, if you place a reverse forecast bet, you’ll be betting on the top two greyhounds in a race, regardless of which actually wins and which comes 2nd.
Build a Greyhound Racing Parlay
Boost Your Odds with a Parlay
A popular way of betting on greyhounds is to build a parlay with 4 or more selections on it. All your selections must win, but you can reap vast rewards for very small stakes if you get lucky. The best greyhound betting sites will offer parlay insurance which will give you back your stake as a free bet should one leg of your selection fail.
Bet on the Action as it Happens
Betting online doesn’t have to mean you miss out on the thrill of going to a live greyhound race. Some online bookmakers allow you to bet live in-play on races while they’re happening. You may even be able to enjoy live streams through the betting site, which can really ramp up the excitement. Since greyhound races are often very short, these features might not be available everywhere, and odds can get volatile very quickly.
Greyhound Betting Tips
There are a lot of different techniques bettors can use to potentially give themselves a better chance when betting on the greyhounds. But there are nonetheless a few tips you can follow in order to best optimize your bets.
Study Racing Form
Whether you’re a seasoned bettor or just starting out, it’s vital to pay close attention to racing forms. They detail how each greyhound finished in recent races, giving you an idea of which dog is the safest bet, and which isn’t. As part of their research, some bettors will only follow certain dogs. This is another tip, particularly if you find a young superstar.
Stick to Simple Bets
While there are a handful of interesting ways to bet, Win and Each Way bets will keep things nice and simple while you’re getting started with greyhound betting.
Check the Conditions
Get yourself informed on all the things that can affect a greyhound race. Think weather conditions, track conditions, and the race distance. The most successful bettors accumulate a wealth of knowledge in these areas, allowing them to make informed decisions when placing bets, rather than just going with their gut.
Claim a Greyhound Racing Betting Bonus
Welcome bonuses are a standard fixture on all of the best greyhound betting sites, allowing new customers to boost their betting balance, or even test the waters, without making a financial commitment. So if you’re a brand new customer, bonuses are something you should consider when picking a new betting site. Just make sure you check the terms and conditions so you’re aware of time limits and wagering requirements.
Here’s a quick overview of the most common welcome offers available to bettors.
Matched Deposit
The matched deposit bonus is pretty self-explanatory. If a sportsbook is offering a ‘50% up to $100’ bonus, and you credit your account with $100 when you sign up, then you’ll get 50% on top of that to bet with, which in this case would be $50.
No Deposit
As the name suggests, you don’t have to make an initial payment when claiming a no deposit bonus. Instead, just sign up, claim the bonus and you’ll have the no deposit bonus funds in your greyhound bookmaker account.
Free Bets
Free bets come in different shapes and sizes. Some websites will reward you with free bet credits if you make a qualifying first bet, while others will offer them to customers with no deposit required at all.
Existing Player Promotions
While welcome bonuses are a welcome addition when you’re a new customer, it’s the promos that really matter if you intend to stick around. A website that offers plentiful promotions should be at the top of your priorities. The most common promotions in online greyhound racing betting include:
Best Odds Guaranteed
With this promotion, the sportsbook pays the higher price between the odds you took when you placed your bet and the starting price. This way, you’ll know you’ll always have the best odds when you place your wager.
Risk-Free Bets
Some bookmakers will offer risk-free promotions to customers. These offers see bettors claim a qualifying bet, but if it doesn’t come in, then the sportsbook will give you your money back in the form of free bets up to a certain amount.
Bet on the Greyhounds on the Move
Many bettors like to gamble on the go, or at the very least keep tabs on all their bets while they’re out and about. So it’s important that greyhound bookmakers deliver a top-notch mobile betting experience. Fortunately, all of the websites on our list feature either a mobile app or a fully optimized mobile website.
If you can download a native app, we highly recommend it. It’ll let you access markets and place bets with a few taps, without having to go through your browser. Plus, you’ll be kept up to date with the latest promos and bonuses thanks to push notifications.
New Greyhound Betting Sites
Try Out a New Greyhound Betting Site
While there’s no shortage of online betting sites out there, new ones often pop up on the scene. Which ones are worth a bettor’s time? This is where our experts come in, as we’re always vetting the latest sites and seeing what’s on offer for punters. Some perks you can often find at new greyhound betting sites include:
- More generous welcome bonuses, often with player-friendly wagering requirements attached
- Innovative and exciting user interfaces
Our list of the top betting sites in the US will include the best new online bookmakers. This means you’ll always have the top options at your fingertips.
