Accumulator

(Also, Parlay) A multiple bet. A kind of ‘let-it-ride’ bet. Making simultaneous selections on two or more races with the intent of pressing the winnings of the first win on the bet of the following race selected, and so on. All the selections made must win for you to win the accumulator.

Across The Board

You make three individual bets on one dog to Win, Place, and Show. If your selection wins, you collect on all three bets. If your selection runs second, you collect on Place and Show bets. If your selection runs third, you collect the Show bet. Your total wager will be three times the individual bet. For example; a $2 ‘Across The Board’ bet would cost $6.

Advance wagering

Wagers that are accepted on a race on a future performance.

AGC

American Greyhound Council, Inc.

AGTOA

American Greyhound Track Operators Association.

Ajax

UK slang term for ‘Betting Tax’.

All

America Team

The eight top racing greyhounds selected each year by AGTOA.

Ante Post

(Also, Futures) Bets placed in advance predicting the outcome of a future event. Ante

post prices are those on major sporting events, usually prior to the day of the event itself. In return for the chance of better odds, punters risk the fact that stakes are not returned if their selection pulls out or is cancelled.

Apron

An area located next to the racetrack where patrons may watch greyhound racing up close. A fence line separates the apron from the actual racing surface.

Arbitrage

Where a variation in odds available allows a punter to back both sides and guarantee a win.

ARCI

Association of Racing Commissioners International, Inc., based in Lexington, Kentucky.

Backstretch

The area of the racetrack opposite the finish line. At most tracks, it is the area that crosses in front of the Tote board.

Banker

Highly expected to win. The strongest in a multiple selection in a parlay or accumulator. In permutation bets the banker is a selection that must win to guarantee any returns.

Bar Price

Refers to the odds of those runners in a race not quoted with a price during early betting shows. The bar price is the minimum odds for any of those selections not quoted.

Beard (US)

A contact (friend or acquaintance) who places bets for a bettor who wants to hide their identity from sportbooks or bookmakers.

Beeswax

UK slang term for betting tax. Also known as ‘Bees’ or ‘Ajax’.

Bertillon Card

A greyhound’s identification card that lists 56 physical identifying points for every registered racing greyhound. The greyhound’s Bertillon number is tattooed in its ear.

Betting Tax

Tax on a Bookmaker’s turnover. In the UK this is a ‘Duty’ levied on every Pound wagered. Common methods of recouping this by the punter are to deduct tax from returns (winnings) or to pay tax with the stake/wager. In the latter case, no tax is deducted from the punter’s winnings.

Bettor (US)

Someone who places or has a bet. A ‘Punter’ in the UK.

Blanket

A covering for a greyhound bearing a number and color corresponding to post position. There are nine officially numbered blankets used in greyhound racing; Mile High uses eight in each race.

Book

A bookmaker’s tally of amounts bet on each competitor, and odds necessary to assure him of profit.

Bookie

(U.K.) Short for bookmaker. The person or shop who accepts bets.

Bookmaker

Person who is licensed to accept bets on the result of an event based on their provision of odds to the customer. (Sportsbook US).

Bottle

UK slang, odds of 2 to 1.

Breeder

The individual who is the owner or lessee of his or her dam at the time of whelping.

Bridge

Jumper (US)

Bettor who specializes in large show bets on odd

on favourites.

Buck

(US) A bet of US$ 100 (also known as a ‘dollar bet’).

Buy Price

In Spread or Index betting, the higher figure quoted by an Index bookmaker.

Buy the Rack

(US) Purchase every possible daily

double or other combination ticket.

Calls

The position of each greyhound at specific points around the track during a race.

Canadian

Also known as a Super Yankee. A Canadian is a combination bet consisting of 26 bets with 5 selections in different events. The combination bet is made up of 10 doubles, 10 trebles, five 4-folds and one 5-fold.

Career Record

A series of five numbers indicating, in order, a greyhound’s total number of starts, followed by first place, second place, third place, and fourth place finishes. Often preceded by an abbreviation showing the track at which the starts were recorded. (Form)

Carpet

UK slang for Odds of 3 to 1 (also known as ‘Tres’ or ‘Gimmel’).

Cart

The motor that runs around the racetrack with the lure. Also called lure motor.

Chart

A record of each race showing finish, calls, odds and comments describing each racer’s performance; useful to handicappers sireying a greyhound’s past performance.

Chartwriter

A person who compiles records of each race and writes comments describing each greyhound’s performance during a race.

Class

See ‘Grade’.

Close

(US) Final odds on a dog (e.g. ‘closed at 5 to 1’). Confusingly equates to ‘Starting Price’ in the UK.

Combination Bet

Combinations cover from two to four greyhounds to win in chosen order.

Commerce Course

See ‘Middle Distance’.

Compound

An area where the racing association houses racing greyhounds.

Cool

Out Area -An area where racing greyhounds cool down following a race. At most tracks water is provided as well as ample room to walk around.

Course

Designates the distance of a race. The most common distances are 5/16, 3/8 and 7/16 mile courses.

Crow’s Nest

The area where the announcer, judges and others watch the races from a high vantage point.

Daily Double

Similar to an accumulator you select the winners of the first and second races. You must place your bet before the start of the first race.

Dam

The mother of a greyhound.

Dead Heat

An exact tie between two or more greyhounds in a race. The greyhound’s nose determines the winner in the photo finish.

Doubleheader

Two racing performances during one day.

Dual Forecast

A tote bet operating in races of 3 or more declared runners in which the punter has to pick the first two to finish in either order.

Draw

A random process by which each greyhound’s starting position is determined.

Ear Tattoos

A greyhound’s right ear tattoo represents the month, year and tattoo order of your dogs litter. The last number before the letter is his year of birth, the first one or two numbers is his month of birth. The letter represents the order in which the litter was tattooed (It does not mean the order of birth).

Escape Turn

The first turn of the racetrack after the front stretch.

Exacta

See ‘Perfecta’.

Far Turn

The third turn of the racetrack.

Fast

The racetrack’s state during normal weather conditions.

Field

The number of entries in a race. Greyhound races are comprised of fields of eight or nine racers.

Flashy Sir Award

Given each year to the nation’s top distance (3/8-mile) greyhound by the NGA; named for an outstanding distance greyhound of the mid-1940’s.

Forecast (or Straight Forcast)

A bet placed on two greyhounds but they must cross the finish line in exact chosen order. (USA, Perfecta or Exacta).

Forced out

A chartwriter’s term describing an instance of a greyhound being crowded to the outside by one or more opponents.

Front Stretch

The portion of the racetrack closest to the Apron. The finish line is located here.

Futures

(Also, Ante Post) Bets placed in advance predicting the outcome of a future event.

Grade

Defines where a greyhound rates in comparison to other greyhounds at the track. Grades range from Grade AA, the top grade, down through Grades A, B, C, and D. Each time a greyhound wins, it advances one grade until reaching AA. Greyhounds are lowered in grade after posting three consecutive finishes fourth or lower.

Grade AAT

A special grade designation indicating a special stake race event or a ‘hotbox’ event which contains the track’s best racers in one race.

Grade TA

The T designates mixed grades in a race (such as A and B greyhounds). The letter after the T (in this case, A) indicates the highest grade of greyhound in the race.

Grading System

Method of assuring greyhounds compete against racers of similar caliber; grades are assigned according to performance, with the top grade being A.

Greyhound Hall of Fame

A museum and shrine to the greats of the sport. Located in Abilene, Kansas. GROC. The Greyhound Race of Champions, the premier annual event in American greyhound racing, sponsored by the AGTOA.

Handicapper

The official who decides the weights to be carried in handicap events, and the grading of horses and greyhounds.

IKC

Interstate Kennel Club. Name applied to the racing season held at Wembley Park during the winter months, October through February.

Infield

Area surrounded by the oval track.

Interference

Intentional physical contact which obstructs or impedes the running of another greyhound. After being called for interference, a greyhound must run in a non-wagering race before he can compete again.

In the Money

A first , second or third place finish.

ISW

Interstate Wagering. Wagering which takes place between tracks located across state lines.

ITW

Intertrack Wagering. Wagering between tracks located within the same state.

Jackpot

Pick six winners in six races to share in a Jackpot prize. The rules and prizes will vary from race track to race track.

Judge

Racing official responsible for determining finish order in a race and other racing matters.

Judges’ Stand

An area designated at the racetrack for the judges to perform their duties. May also be designated as the ‘Crow’s Nest’.

Kennel

A business that cares for and races greyhounds under contract with one or more race tracks.

Lead Out

A handler employed by the track who parades racers in front of the public before a race and places the greyhounds in the starting box and retrieves the dogs when the race is finished.

Length

The margin equal to the length of one greyhound. Used to denote how far ahead or behind a greyhound is during certain points of the race or at the finish.

Lock-Out Kennel

Sometimes referred to as the ‘Jinny Pit’, this is an area within the ‘Paddock’ designed to house the racing greyhounds prior to their racing performance. All greyhounds racing that day are placed in the kennel 30 minutes before the first race. Only specific, licensed personnel are allowed in the area to maintain the greyhounds’ safety.

Lure

A mechanical device attached to an arm and electrically driven around the racing strip. The lure operator keeps it a uniform distance ahead of the greyhounds. It’s the object the greyhounds chase while racing. A lure generally is a stuffed object that resembles either a bone or a rabbit.

Lure operator

The person responsible for keeping the lure a uniform distance ahead of the greyhounds during a race.

Maiden

A greyhound that has not won an official race. This is the lowest Grade designation. Once a greyhound wins a Maiden race, it advances to Grade D.

Marathon Course

The longest course distance at Mile High, measuring 2,407 feet, or about 7/16ths of a mile.

Matinee

A program of racing conducted during the daylight hours.

Middle Distance

Distance classification for the Commerce Course at Mile High. This course measures 2,050 feet or 3/8ths of a mile.

MTP

Minutes To Post. How much time remains before a race begins.

Mutuel Handle

The total sum wagered for a single performance or a full meeting.

Muzzle

A wire, leather or plastic devise, with a white tip, which is fitted over the greyhound’s mouth and jaws and used as an aid in a close photo finish and to protect other greyhounds while racing.

NGA

National Greyhound Association, made up of greyhound owners, breeders and trainers; recognized as a registry for racing greyhounds in the United States.

Nose

The slimmest margin of victory.

O.O.P.

Abbreviation used in a greyhound’s race chart that describes the greyhound as finishing Out Of Picture.

O.P. Smith

Owen Patrick Smith, inventor of a revolutionary mechanical lure circa 1912 that could travel around a circular track; considered the ‘father’ of American greyhound racing.

Paddock

The area of lockout kennels, scales and the inspection ring. The greyhounds are kept there prior to racing. Before a race, the greyhounds are weighed, identified by a paddock judge, walked and blanketed before entering the track.

Pari-mutuel Wagering

Taken from the French term meaning “betting between ourselves”, wagering in which winnings are taken from the total amount of money. The system insures that you never wager “against the track” but only against other players.

Perfecta

A wagering term describing the first two greyhounds to cross the finish line in exact order. (UK, Straight Forcast).

Photo Finish

A photo device utilized to more accurately determine the winner of a race where the finishers are very close.

Place

A wagering term describing the second greyhound to cross the finish line. A wager for place means you collect if your dog finishes either first or second.

Post

A greyhound’s box or post position number. A greyhound’s number always corresponds to the number of his starting box. The term also is used to recognize the exact time the greyhounds start from the Starting Box.

Post Parade

The lead outs parade the greyhounds in front of the grandstand prior to a race for a blanket and muzzle inspection.

Post Time

The time the first race of a performance begins, or any other race on the program.

Post Weight

The greyhound’s official weight reported before the greyhound enters the racetrack.

Program

A printed guide to the day’s races including detailed, compiled data to assist customers in handicapping the races.

Quiniela (Quinella)

A wagering term describing the two greyhounds finishing first and second in either order. (UK, Reverse Forecast).

Racing Commission

A state or county regulatory agency that oversees all aspects of greyhound racing.

Racing Secretary

The track official whose major functions include determining how many races of each grade are to be run over each distance for any given performance and conducting the random draw for post position.

Rail

The inside race strip where the mechanical lure runs around the track.

Reverse Forecast

A bet placed on two greyhounds to cross the finish line in any order. (USA, Quiniela).

Ringer

A greyhound (or horse) entered in a race under another’s name -usually a good runner replacing a poorer one.

Rural Rube Award

Given each year to the nation’s top sprint (5/16- mile) greyhound by the National Greyhound Association; named for an outstanding sprinter of the late 1930s.

Scale Room

An area within the Paddock where the greyhounds are weighed on a calibrated scale by the Clerk of Scales.

Schooling Race

A practice race held using actual racing conditions, but in which no wagering is allowed.

Scratch

The withdrawal of a greyhound from a race. Scratches at Mile High are listed by race number then greyhound number.

Separate Pools

Money wagered on a race at another track, which is totally apart from the pool at the other track.

Show

The third greyhound across the finish line. A wager to show means you collect if your selected greyhound finishes either first, second or third.

Single

A Straight bet on one selection to win one race or event, also known as a straight-up bet.

Sire

The father of a greyhound.

Sprint

A race run over 5/16 of a mile or shorter distance.

Stakes Race

A race for a championship or for a purse larger than those offered for ordinary feature races.

Starter

A greyhound becomes a starter for the race when the doors of the starting box open.

Starting Boxes

Mechanical gates that ensure all runners start in unison.

Steam

When a betting selection starts to move quite rapidly, usually caused by many bettors betting on it.

Straight Forecast (UK)

A tote bet operating in races of 3 or more declared runners in which the punter has to pick the first and second to finish in the correct order. See ‘Forcast’.

Superfecta

Picking the first four greyhounds to finish in exact order.

System

A method of betting, usually mathematically based, used by a punter to try to get an advantage.

Takeout

The money taken from the betting pool by track management for the state and for the association.

Tattoo

An identification number placed inside the ear of a registered racing greyhound.

Titanic Tri-Super

This operates the same as the ‘Tri-Super’, except you must correctly select the Trifecta combination in the 5th Race and the Superfecta in the 7th Race.

Totalisator Machine

A computerized system that records amounts wagered, prints tickets for bettors, calculates odds and displays them on screens throughout a race track.

Tote Board

A board located behind the racetrack’s backstretch that displays the odds, pools, results, and payoffs for each race.

Trainer

A kennel employee whose responsibility is preparing greyhounds for racing.

Tricast or Treble Forecast

A bet placed on three greyhounds, to cross the finish line in exact chosen order. (USA, Trifecta).

Trifecta

A wagering term describing the first three greyhounds to cross the finish line in exact chosen order. (UK, Tricast).

Tri-Super

Similar to the ‘Twin Trifecta’ below. You select the winning Trifecta combination in one race and exchange that ticket for a Superfecta in the following race.

Twin Trifecta

A multiple pool bet. Two trifecta selections in two races. You select the winning Trifecta combination in one race and exchange that ticket for a second Trifecta in the following race. One-half of the net Twin Trifecta pool will be paid equally to winners of the first half when those tickets are presented to be exchanged. The remaining half of the pool, along with any carry over will be to winners of the second half. If no one selects the second half correctly, the pool is carried over to the next racing performance.

WGRF

World Greyhound Racing Federation, the worldwide promotion association for the sport.

Wheel

A wagering term describing the selection of a greyhound to win, place or show with every other greyhound in the race.

Whelping

The act of birth.

Win

A Win bet is a also called a straight bet or a single. If you bet for Win you collect only if your chosen greyhound is the first across the finish line.

Winner’s Circle

Where the winning greyhound proceeds following the race, often to participate in a ceremonial presentation.

Wire

The finish line for a race