Here at NetBet, we’ve got a whole load of great markets for sports betting, and we offer some of the best Greyhounds odds around. We don’t just take bets on individual races; we offer online betting on plenty of deeper markets on our UK betting site. If you want to place any sports bet, here’s a quick guide on how exactly you should go about it.
What is Greyhounds Betting?
Greyhounds or greyhounds racing is a competitive sport in which a breed of dogs called greyhounds race around an enclosed, oval track. These races usually last for a matter of seconds and use a mechanical hare or rabbit to lure the dogs into chasing it as it moves along a rail right in front of the greyhounds. Every time a dog wins a race, it advances and competes against faster dogs. Racing greyhounds typically retire between the ages of two and three years, so they are relatively young and energetic.
Greyhound racing attracts a lot of attention, as well as different types of sports bettors. It is a popular sport in the UK and a much-favoured betting option among punters, with over 100 races conducted every day in the morning, afternoon, and evening in various venues. Despite many race tracks shutting down in the last couple of years, greyhound racing remains a highly coveted betting product because of its faced-paced action and simplicity.
Apart from the UK, this sport is reasonably popular in the USA, Spain, Mexico, Macau, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, and Ireland.
History of Greyhounds
Although there were many depictions of lavish dog races found in murals in Egypt that can be traced back as early as 2500 BC, modern greyhound racing dates back to the 16th century and has its origin in coursing. In that period of time, hunting had become less of a necessity and more of a recreational activity in England. Therefore, Queen Elizabeth I regulated coursing, which comprised two dogs chasing and catching rabbits, hares or deer. It was embraced as a sport and became more popular in the following century, attracting huge crowds of spectators who would make bets on the winner.
In 1876, the very first recorded attempt at racing greyhounds on a track was made in Hendon, England. However, this experiment did not produce the expected results. It wasn’t until 1912 when an American, Owen Patrick Smith, invented the mechanical lure, which operated as a humane alternative to the live rabbits and hares used in traditional coursing. In 1919, Smith partnered up with the Blue Star Amusement Company and founded the first commercial greyhound racetrack in Emeryville, California, with the first race taking place in 1920. The track was oval-shaped and featured a mechanical lure. By 1930, 67 racetracks had opened across the USA, none of which were legal.
Charles Munn, another American, introduced the artificial lure and oval track in Britain in 1926 and helped launch the Greyhound Racing Association. As the years went by, greyhound racing became the largest sport in the UK. By the end of 1925, over 275 registered tracks were operating in cities and towns throughout the UK. In 1927, the first English Greyhound Derby was run at the White City Stadium in London.
UK greyhound racing was at its pinnacle just after the Second World War. However, in the early 1960s, the industry experienced a sharp decline which came about after the 1960 UK Betting and Gaming Act that permitted off-course cash betting.
While greyhound racing still holds the favour of bettors in the UK and Ireland, the same cannot be said about America. Tracks were closed at an accelerating rate, and by 2014, the number of tracks dropped down to 21. Today, apart from the seven countries where greyhound racing is legal and commercialised, there are twenty-one countries where dog racing exists, but it has not reached a commercial stage yet.
How Do I Bet On Greyhounds?
Here at NetBet, we offer an extensive variety of attractive odds and markets for thousands of greyhound races that occur throughout the calendar year. Here’s a breakdown of the most popular types of bets you’ll find on our site.
Forecast
A forecast Bet is a type of wager placed on two greyhounds you think will win first and second place in a race. If they finish in the order you predict, then you will win the bet.
A reverse forecast, on the other hand, is quite similar to a straight forecast but pays out regardless of the order of the winner and the runner-up.
Tricast
In tricast betting, you choose three dogs who you think will finish in the top three in a race and predict the order in which they cross the finish line.
Single Bet
With this bet type, you place a wager on the greyhound you think will finish first and win the race.
Multiple Bet
Otherwise known as an accumulator, a multiple bet will allow you to select two or more picks simultaneously and stack up their odds together for greater returns.
Each-Way Bet
An each-way bet comprises two separate bets – a win and a place bet. This means that you place half your bet on a greyhound to win and the other half on the place it finishes.
When you choose NetBet Sport, you can enjoy a whole range of top-quality sports betting markets. Whatever you choose, always remember to bet responsibly. Here at NetBet, player wellbeing is our number one priority – check out our Responsible Gambling tips and tools page for more information.
