Entertainment

Greyhound racing off to a good re-start

By SWL staff
June 23 2020, 14.45

Nearly one month after becoming the first sport to return to action, everything is back to normal in the world of greyhound racing.

At least a dozen tracks, more than 100 competitions, and more than 700 canines are racing daily throughout the UK.

Greyhound’s return after an extended Covid-19 break was inevitable. It is one of a few sports where humans aren’t actively involved. And that makes it easy to host events without breaking the government’s strict social distancing rules.

What has changed in greyhound racing?

The government’s decision to greenlight greyhound racing at the start of June came at a cost. First, there are fewer tracks, longer gaps between races, and no fans. The sport began with 12 tracks, but the figure has been rising gradually over time.

However, all races must adhere to a 30-minute gap between races until further notice. Of more importance, fans can’t attend these competitions. But they can stream their favorite canines get into action through betting apps.

Of course, race organizers will also need to adhere to government guidelines. And for that reason, unnecessary interactions will be kept to a minimum. Again, people who don’t need to be at the tracks will be encouraged to stay home.

 How are they taking care of canines?

The re-start of greyhound racing also comes at the requirement of taking care of greyhounds adequately. To get started, every canine must be checked by a professional bet thoroughly before a race.

What’s more, they must have up to date vaccines and meet standard racing requirements. That includes weight changes. If a dog has gained or lost more than a kilogram since their last race, it’s withdrawn from a race. 

For the sake of fairness, doping tests are done by independent testers. Sometimes canine can test positive as a result of food contamination. Still, they are also disqualified from a race and taken to a vet for treatment. 

Can you bet on greyhound racing?

This might come as a surprise, but over half of greyhound racing events are organized by sportsbooks. The betting industry is the sport’s primary sponsor, and without it, greyhound racing wouldn’t be as developed as it is today.

Fortunately, the presence of bookmakers means you can bet on greyhound racing conveniently. You can find a list of the best new greyhound betting sites on greyhoundbetting.co.uk. They also have a beginner’s betting guide to help you place smart bets.

As we mentioned earlier, greyhound betting apps aren’t just great for predictions. You can also use them to stream races, get updates about winners, injured canines, or canceled events. For that reason, select your betting partner carefully.

What are best races for greyhound betting?

The Scottish and English Greyhound Derbies are the biggest races in the UK. There used to be another major event in Welsh, but it closed down. Sometimes trainers also send their canines to compete in the Irish Greyhound Derby.

 All the same, there are no wrong and right greyhound races.  You can wager on any race you see fit.  But with over 720 matches daily, it is essential to select a few competitions. The Telegraph estimates there’s a hound racing tournament taking place somewhere in the UK every eight minutes.

That means your first decision is to decide your most comfortable betting time. If you’re a morning person, select a handful of competitions held not later than mid-day. Then determine what types of bets to predict.

  • Win bets: you select which hound wins
  • Straight forecast: you predict the first two canines
  • Trio Bets: you predict the first three canines
  • Exacta: similar to forecasts, but betting starts at £2 
  • Accumulator bets: you combine four wagers into one

There are benefits and challenges of placing different bets. For example, you must predict the first two greyhounds to win a straight forecast. Even more challenging is to predict four wagers in an accumulator bet

Can you get bonuses for greyhound racing bets?

Yes, you can. In fact, some websites reward you every time you fund your account to place bets. Others reimburse a fraction of your losses. But before you grab these offers, read their terms and conditions.

The best greyhound betting bonuses aren’t necessarily the biggest. One free bet with no wagering terms is better than £20; you must toil to claim. So, read the terms and conditions and select the bonuses you believe give you the most value for your money.

If you plan to be loyal to a specific sportsbook, ensure it’s a reliable company. You’ll need quality customer service at some point. You might want to bet on your smartphone or request an account closure. Ensure you work with a bookmaker that cares about its customers.

What are greyhound race classifications?

Many greyhound races are classified by the payout of the winning canine. For that reason, it is easy to know which competitions attract the fastest hounds. The minor Open Race is the least paying competition at £150.

It’s followed by Invitation races, which payout £750. The big prizes begin at category two races. The minimum payout is £5000 and can increase to £12,500 for category one and £50,000 for the derbies.

If you’re a bettor, the more competitive races make more sense. First, they will be available for betting on all leading bookie sites. Then there’s plenty of betting stats about them, and they attract the best odds.

What else should you know about greyhound racing?

You’ve probably noticed this one thing about greyhounds. They feature colored jackets. There’s nothing special about the colors and numbers. Instead, they are used to allocate hounds on the tracks. 

For example, hounds with red jackets run on trap one. Those with blue jackets take trap two, and white jackets sprint on trap three. Hounds wearing green and yellow-colored jackets race on trap seven and eight consecutively.

When it comes to tracks, there’s one probably a racing ground in your city, from Manchester and London to Nottingham and Birmingham. In fact, there are more hound racing tracks than the sport can handle.

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