Race track wagers are referred to as Pari-Mutuel. Pari-Mutuel, French in origin, means “to wager amongst ourselves.” Fans wagering at the track are betting against and amongst one another, not against the race track.
The track has no financial interest in the outcome of the race, we simply hold the money, returning the winner’s shares in accordance with state laws. Greyhounds have form like racehorses. They peak at certain periods, have good seasons and bad, or if young, may not yet have reached their peak and may perform better as they mature.
The challenge of betting on greyhounds is to collect and analyze information and then make a sound judgement on what to bet on, what type of bet to place and how much. To create an opportunity to be a winner, you need to take into account three main factors, analyze them and act on your findings accordingly. These are:
- The odds offer (Price)
- The value of the odds (overpriced or underpriced?)
- The type of bet (single, multiple, combination, etc.)
The odds offer has to be at least 2:1 to make it worthwhile. If necessary, choose a selection with a slightly higher risk to prop up the price.
The value of the odds must be such that the sportsbook’s commission is to a minimum, if at all. Some selections get ‘steamed’ unnecessarily. When this happens, the ‘favorite’ price lengthens. Take advantage of those situations.
Three type of bets seem to stand out as a sensible combination to use because they are simple, not too difficult to win and have good winning potential: the Straight bet, the Doubles and the Future.
- Win-Place-Show All Races
- Daily Doubles, Quiniela’s, Trifecta’s, Superfecta’s
- Big Q, Pick-3, Pick-4, *Twin Trifecta, Tri-Super
How it works:
Wagers made at the track are placed into individual betting pools: i.e. Win, Place, Show, Quiniela, etc. Each wager offered has its own betting pool. The race track serves as an agent, or broker, withholding the established “take-out.” This take-out is divided among the state, purses for greyhound owners and the race track. The monies remaining in each betting pool is returned to the winning ticket holders.
Greyhound racing is considered by many to be the most consistent and predictable form of racing. Purchasing a ticket on your greyhound selections and cheering them on to victory is fun and exciting.
Wagering on the greyhounds is easy!
How to bet:
State your wager in this order:
- Amount ($) of your bet.
- Type of bet (Win – Place – Show – Quiniela – Trifecta, etc.)
- Post Position Number of the greyhound(s).
Examples:
I’d like $2 to Win on # 5
I’d like a $2 Quiniela box on # 1, # 4 and # 8.
Remember to check your tickets and count your money before leaving the mutuel window. Claims that a wrong ticket has been punched must be made prior to your leaving the window. Tickets cannot be changed or cancelled after leaving the mutuel window.
TYPES OF WAGERS
The Daily Double: You win if you pick the winner of the first and second race. To bet you say “$2 daily double on 3 (your pick to win in the first race) and 5 (your pick to win in the second race)”. Your bet must be placed before the closing bell of the first race.
Quiniela: (Reverse Forecast, UK) You win if you pick two greyhounds that finish first and second, in either order, in any single race. To bet you say “$2 quiniela, numbers 5 and 6”. If the results of the first two greyhounds are either 5-6 or 6-5, you win.
Quiniela Box: Pick three or more greyhounds. You win if any two of your selections finish first and second. To bet you say “$2 quiniela box on 4,5 and 6”. You are making three separate bets so your minimum bet is $6. If they finish 4-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-5, 5-4 or 5-6 you win. You can box as few as three or as many as the field.
Quiniela Double: Quiniela Double is a combination bet of two winning quinielas in the last two races. Select two greyhounds to win and place, in either order, in each of the last two races. You must win both quinielas to win your Quiniela Double.
Quiniela Wheel: You can also ‘wheel’ a favorite dog, so that it is combined with all the other dogs. Based on the $2 value, the total cost of a wheel with, say, 7 other dogs is $14. For example; if you wheel #2 with the 7 other dogs in the same race and #2 comes in first or second, you win because you have all the combinations covered.
Perfecta or Exacta: (Straight Forecast, UK) The Perfecta is similar to the Quiniela, except the two greyhounds must finish in the exact order. To bet you say “$3 Perfecta, 5-6”. Only if the greyhounds finish 5-6 you win.
Perfecta Box: As with the quiniela box, except the two greyhounds must finish in the exact order. To bet you say “$2 perfecta box on 4,5 and 6”. You are making six separate bets so your minimum bet is $12. If they finish 4-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-5, 5-4 or 5-6 you win. With Perfecta Box, for each extra dog you add to the box the possible combinations get compunded and your number of bets increases accordingly. A “$2 perfecta box on 4 dogs” will cost you $24 (12 bets), a “$2 perfecta box on 5 dogs” $40 (20 bets), and a “$2 perfecta box on 6 dogs” $60 (30 bets).
Straight Trifecta: (Tricast or Treble Forecast, UK) Pick the first three greyhounds to cross the finish line in exact order. To bet you say “$2 trifecta numbers 7,4 and 5”. Only if they finish 7-4-5 you win.
$1 Trifecta Box: Pick three greyhounds to finish first, second and third, in any order. To bet you say “$1 trifecta box 2,3 and 5”. You are actually making six $1 bets, so your total bet is $6. If they finish 2-3-5, 2-5-3, 3-2-5, 3-5-2, 5-2-3 or 5-3-2; you win.
$1 Trifecta Key: Pick your favorite greyhound to win, then two or more others to place and show in any order. To bet you say “$1 trifecta key on 1 with 2 and 3”. You are actually making two $1 bets so your total bet is $2. To win your Key greyhound must win and the other two must finish either 1-2-3 or 1-3-2.
Superfecta: The straight superfecta is played by picking the first four greyhounds to finish in exact order. To bet you say “$2 straight superfecta 1-3-2-8”. You would collect if the race finishes exactly 1-3-2-8.
You can Box, Key or Wheel most of the above bets.
