How to Bet on Greyhounds?
The easiest and most common way to bet on Greyhound racing is to bet on the track’s own tote board. A tote board is a large display that is used to show information, in this case, the odds and payoffs of each Greyhound. Most racetracks accept small bets
and there are a few high-stake venues that accept large ones, usually over £10,000. There are several small fun bets which can be placed to pay out big. On the tote, there are usually six different types of bets.
The first type of bet is relatively simple. Known as “win only,” the interested party places a bet on a single Greyhound, who they think will win the race.
Another type of bet is known as “place only.” This bet pays out less than the win only bet, but odds of winning are higher. To win this bet, the Greyhound that you choose must finish in either first or second place.
A “forecast” bet is a prediction about which dogs will finish in first and second place. Another popular form of this bet is known as a “reversed forecast” in which you choose two Greyhounds, but they can finish either first or second in any order. For example,
to win a forecast, you must choose that Greyhound A will be first and Greyhound B will be second. But in a reversed forecast, you choose Greyhound A and B as the winners, and even if Greyhound A comes in second and Greyhound B in first, you still win your
bet.
Similar to a forecast, a “trio” or “trifecta” simply refers to a bet in which the bettor places a bet on the dogs that will come in first, second, and third place. Likewise, a “reverse trio” pays out less than a trio, but the chances of winning are greater.
The fourth type of bet is known as a “combination,” which is simply a combination of multiple bets, and can cover between two and four Greyhounds. An example of a combination bet is if a bettor chooses three Greyhounds and bets on a forecast combination.
This is basically six bets in one. If any of the three dogs that they have chosen finish in first and second place, then they win the bet.
The last, and probably one of the most exciting types of bets, are “specialty” bets. They basically focus on Jackpots and other strange bets, which usually involve the outcome of more than one race. Details about these wagers are specific to their own race
tracks, and it is worthwhile to check up on the rules. For example, you might bet on two specific dogs, one that will finish first, and one that will finish last. Or you could bet on a Greyhound that will take first place in four out of five races.
The people in charge of organising the bets are known as “bookmakers.” They are only trying to make money, and will usually talk the novice bettor into placing extravagant and usually unwinnable bets. For example, they might convince you that the lowest
ranking Greyhound is actually the best, and would talk you into placing a large bet on that specific dog winning. When that dog comes in last, you lose all your money.
Now that you know what types of bets are usually made, it is necessary to know about which Greyhounds to bet on and what the odds of the dogs are. Knowledge of the tote board is a good also essential – more on all that in later articles.
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