Greyhound Racing Betting Sites

Is online horse betting legal in the US?

• Online Dog Track Betting
• Online Greyhound Betting Sites
• Betting On Greyhound Racing
• Greyhound Racing Betting Sites

Before the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, many forms of online gambling were promoted. While this act stopped the operators of poker sites, casinos and sportsbooks from accepting wagers from the US, horse racing betting sites got a carve-out.

With the racing shown live on Sky Sports, punters can enjoy a bet in front of the television, or live at venues spread all over the UK, with the likes of Romford, Swindon, Sheffield, Belle Vue, Newcastle and several other tracks hosting live racing. And as you reach the pinnacle of the best greyhound dog racing betting sites, you’ll see access to all the major and minor tracks locally, nationally, and around the globe. Live Dog Racing vs. Live dog racing is the term used to describe watching the dogs run in person. Simulcasting is when you’re watching the race live but on TV.

Betting online is allowed via pari-mutuel pools in any state, which provides horse race betting within its borders. There are 30 states that allow betting online.

More recently, individual states have been regulating sports betting within their borders. Horse racing has not been part of this legislation since the federal law already allows it. When it comes to on-track betting, simulcast wagering, and off-track betting offices, this is under the jurisdiction of the individual states.

In most states, you need to be 21 or older to place a bet.

How to bet on horse races online

Betting on horse races is different than betting on sports. Instead of the betting sites offering lines, bets are pooled into a system called pari-mutuel betting. As you’ll read below, there are many ways to bet.

The total wagers on different bets (win, place, show, trifecta, and so on) are collected, and then the pool is divided between the winning tickets.

Any last-minute rush to bet on a horse will divide the prize pool between more tickets. Pari-mutuel betting sets the price of each bet, not the betting sites.

There are three main types of bets. You can bet on an individual horse, on several horses in the same race (and the order they will finish) or on the outcome of multiple races.

Here is an explanation of how each bet works.

Single horse bets:

• Win: This is the most straightforward horse racing bet. You are wagering that your selection will win the race.
• Place: Your horse needs to come in first or second for this wager to be successful.
• Show: Adding an extra spot, you’ll receive winnings if your selection finishes first, second, or third.

Multiple horse bets:

• Exacta: This bet involves picking two horses. To win, both horses need to finish first and second in the correct order. You can “box” all multi-horse bets, essentially betting twice to cover both finishing orders.
• Trifecta: Pick three horses to finish in the correct order, and you’ll potentially have a big payout. Again, it is possible to box these bets, covering the six possible finishing combinations of three horses.
• Superfecta: This wager involves picking four horses to finish in the correct order. While it is hard to win this bet, the potential payout can be huge.

Multiple race bets:

• Pick 5/6: These bets involve picking the winner of several races at a specific track each day. It is harder to win than many bettors imagine, with one outsider winning a race upsetting a lot of people’s wagers. If a pick bet loses, the prize pool will roll over to the next day. If a pick’s prize pool rolls over more than once, it can create a considerable jackpot, which incentivizes many people to join the betting.
• Futures: You can combine futures bets for the most significant race meetings. A popular example would be to pick a horse to win the Triple Crown.

How horse race betting sites work

You can access horse betting sites on your mobile phone, tablet, or via a desktop computer. While there are differences between the brands, they work in much the same way.

Apps are available, too, though they are not required. The websites will adjust automatically to fit your screen size, putting the navigation icons and links behind menu buttons to save space.

Registering for a horse race betting site requires only a minimum amount of individual information.

Firstly, the sites will detect your location to ensure you are within a legal jurisdiction. You will also need to provide the last four digits of your Social Security number to prove you are old enough to bet (21+).

Here are the main sections you’ll find at horse racing betting sites:

• Today’s Races: The default view will show the latest races. You can scroll through this list or use the menu on the left to narrow your search by type of race or track. If you are looking for an individual horse or venue, then the search button is the fastest way. You’ll find basic information on the runners, along with the latest win, place, and show prices. Clicking on these betting lines will move a selection to your bet slip.
• Bet Slip: After selecting runners from the day’s races, you can organize your wagers using your bet slip. Some sites have a “quick bet builder” to simplify this process. You can remove selections, bet on single horses, or organize your choices into exacta or trifecta bets.
• Video Streaming: Once you have placed a bet, you’ll be able to enjoy the action via video stream. TVG is part of the Television Games Network, which offers additional media content.
• Results Databases: There are two levels of research possible at the horse racing betting sites. Primary data on each horse is freely available to help you make the best selection. You will also find the pro-level past performance data, which is free (site dependent) as long as you place a wager at the meeting.
• Account Information: This is where you will find your account info, balance, and progress toward clearing any bonuses or collecting loyalty rewards.
• Cashier: The cashier section will include your balance and an area to deposit and withdraw your winnings. We cover how to deposit at a horse racing betting below.
• Bonuses and Promotions: It is worthwhile to keep an eye on the promotions pages of all the major sites. You never know when a deal will appear, covering the type of bets you were about to place. We explain the types of incentives in more detail below.

How to deposit at a horse race betting site

Depositing any of the major betting sites is both straightforward and safe. While you won’t find the long list of payment methods available at the state-regulated sportsbooks, it is easy to get your money on board.

The primary method is your bank card, which can be your Visa or Mastercard debit or credit card. You can also use prepaid debit cards, including Visa gift cards.

Bank transfers are available under various names, including ExpressFunding or Expressfund.

Many sites will accept wire transfers, as well as old-fashioned paper checks. For cash deposits, you can use PayNearMe at your local 7-Eleven stores.

Finally, PayPal is available for both deposits and withdrawals. While many bettors welcome this service charge fees, the added security for online purchases.

Bonuses, promotions at horse race betting sites

You can take advantage of bonuses at the major horse racing betting sites. These range from small, completely free bets to matched welcome deals. You should also consider ongoing promotions and incentives; these can make a big difference to your bankroll over the long term than the initial welcome offers.

Here are the forms of bonuses that the significant sites have in common:

• Matched Deposit Bonus: As an incentive to new bettors to deposit, the horse race betting apps will match your first deposit with free bets. With $100 in free bets up for grabs, the standard match is at 100%. You will need to wager your winnings, and typically complete the required betting within 30 days.
• Risk-Free First Bet: Removing the risk from your first wager is used in place of the matched deposit method at TVG. Here, your stake gets refunded (as a new bet) if your initial wager loses.
• Promotions: Look out for promotions where your stake gets returned for second-place finishes, enhanced odds, and other one-off deals for specific races. Promos are often themed around the most significant events, for example, the Kentucky Derby or Breeders’ Cup. Some sites have regular promotions, while others change their lists all the time.
• Free Past Performances: You can get pro-level datasheets, and expert selections at TwinSpires via its free past performances offer.
• PicksContests: Here, you’ll compete against others at your site to pick the winners of multiple races.
• LoyaltyRewards: Collect points based on the bets you place, and then exchange them for extra bonuses or free bets.

Most popular horse races in the US

There are hundreds of races every day, especially during the summer. The main distinction is between thoroughbred and quarter horse (flat) racing and standardbred (harness) races. Furthermore, these races can take place on dirt, turf, of artificial surfaces. There are other formats, including endurance races.

The best horses compete in graded races. There are different levels of these with stakes races at the top. Some of these have multimillion prize pools, which attract the top equine talent from around the world.

You can also bet on international races at US horse race betting sites. Some of these, like the Epsom Derby, the Saudi Cup and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, are huge events.

On a day-to-day basis, you’ll have access to races from the UK, South Africa, Australia, and beyond.

Most prominent horse race events

With hundreds of tracks and various types of racing, there is a lot of action when it comes to the domestic horse racing calendar. The highlights of the year will vary, with each state having its big meetings. When it comes to the biggest races of all, the three components of the Triple Crown and the Breeders’ Cup are as big as it gets.

Online Dog Track Betting

Here are the details:

• Kentucky Derby: The first leg of the Triple Crown takes place on the first Saturday in May at the famous Churchill Downs racetrack. This race is known as “the Run for the Roses.” It is open to 3-year-olds and run over 1¼ miles.
• Preakness Stakes: The second leg of the Triple Crown occurs two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and is held at the Pimlico Race Course in Maryland. Attendance is traditionally huge, only beaten by the Kentucky Derby.
• Belmont Stakes: Three weeks later, the final leg of the Triple Crown takes place at Belmont Park, NY. If a horse has won the first two legs, expect colossal media coverage of this race. The Belmont Stakes is nicknamed “the Test of the Champion.”
• Breeders’ Cup: This series of thoroughbred races with huge prize pools that move from track to track. It attracts the best horses from around the world each year. The biggest purse (at $6 million) is for the Breeders’ Cup Classic race.

Most popular racing events outside of the United States

In addition to the domestic calendar, there are major races from around the world available for betting. Here are some of the richest:

• Epsom Derby: This was the original derby that inspired the Kentucky event. It takes place on the first Saturday in June each year over one mile and four furlongs at the Epsom Downs Racecourse near London. This race was first run in 1780.
• Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe: France’s most prominent race takes place at Longchamp, near Paris, on the first Sunday in October each year. It is considered Europe’s second most prestigious horse race.
• Dubai World Cup: This race meeting is more recent, starting in 1996 in the United Arab Emirates. It is broadcast live on TVG and features the biggest prize pools of any race meeting around the world. It attracts the best global thoroughbred talent.
• Japan Cup: On the last Sunday in November, the biggest prize horse race in Japan is run at the Tokyo Racecourse, which is more than 2,400 meters. With a significant purse, this race attracts the best talent from Europe, as well as the US.

Thanks to a carve-out in the federal laws concerning online gambling, horse race betting is available in the majority of states.

As long as you can legally bet on a race in person in your state, you are also allowed to place a bet online. These bets join with the pari-mutuel pools operated at the tracks, which gives everyone a fair payout based on the weight of wagers for each contender.

Three horse race betting sites dominate the scene: These are TVG, BetAmerica, and TwinSpires. And though FanDuel Group owns TVG, it started its own offshoot called FanDuel Racing.

Additionally, as an online sportsbook operator for horse racing bets, Xpressbet features more than 300 tracks so bettors can view odds and wager many different horse races. Derby Jackpot, powered by Xpressbet, is for a much less serious horse bettor and operates more like a social casino where players can win real money.

There are quite a few options to explore and each site gives you access to hundreds of racetracks around the globe. However, bonuses and incentives vary between these sites. You can enjoy deposit bonuses, risk-free bets, free past performance data, and plenty of promotions.

Whether you bet at the top-rated stakes meetings or regional, daily events, there is a wide range of betting options. You can bet on single horses to win, place or show, pick multiple horses in the right order or bet on several races in a row.

You can bet right now from your desktop or iPhone, iPad and Android device. Check out what online horse race betting sites have to offer soon!

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

Online Greyhound Betting Sites

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.

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.

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.

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

Betting On Greyhound Racing

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

Greyhound Racing Betting Sites

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