Greyhound racing ranks amongst the most popular sports to bet on in the UK and Ireland. Whether it’s afternoon or evening meetings, big competitions or trap challenges, punters can’t get enough of a gamble on the dogs. There’s something to suit every type of punter, from singles and forecasts to accumulators and tricasts.
Where is the best place to make your greyhound bets? Which firms offer the most generous odds, eye-catching promotions and standout markets. Betting with the right site could prove the difference between profit and loss. Our team of experts have researched the greyhound betting scene, returning with our findings and recommendations.
When betting on greyhound racing you want to be sure you are gambling with the best greyhound betting sites in the business. With so many online bookmakers claiming to be just that, how do you decide? Which firms can live up to their boasts and which are little more than hot air? Knowing the difference will have an impact on your overall profits from dog racing betting.
Below are some of the features you should look out for when deciding on your next bookmaker. These are offered by the leading names in the industry, so don’t short change yourself.
✔️Best Odds – You want to get the best odds possible on every selection you make and, ideally, you want them to be market best. Visit any odds comparison website to see which firms are the most generous when it comes to the bets you like to make.
✔️Virtual Greyhound – Popularity in virtual sports has exploded in recent times with the best bookies offering a variety of betting on virtual greyhounds. You want to see a packed daily schedule with races going off every few minutes. You also need options when it comes to betting markets.
✔️Sign up offer – Sign up offers are used by betting sites to help them standout against the competition. They come in many different forms, including free bets and enhanced odds. You want a sign up offer that is competitive against the leading firms with as big a free bet for as small a deposit.
✔️Ongoing Promotions – The best bookies don’t just appeal to new customers, they also look after existing players with generous recurring promos and deals. These may be best odds guaranteed, extra places each-way, money back, profit boosts and other delights.
✔️Greyhound race selection – All the top tracks in the UK and Ireland should be present in the greyhound racing tab as well as a selection of the best international meetings from the likes of Australia. There should be race betting and outright betting as well as different markets.
✔️Live streams – Live streaming has become popular with the leading betting sites. This feature allows you to watch sports such as football through a live feed. This comes at no extra cost on top of your stake and also has in-play betting odds attached.
✔️Betting Apps – The betting site’s mobile should be fast, user-friendly, and stylish. You want it available on iOS and Android devices and it should have all the benefits of the desktop site, including promotions, sports, and customer service channels.
✔️Customer Support – Customer support is essential, and the care team should be available 24/7 in case you need them. The most popular way to get in touch is through a live chat feature but you’ll also want to see email, telephone and a postal address.
✔️Payment methods – The more payment methods the better. All major debit cards should be listed with a long list of EWallet services, like PayPal, Neteller and Skrill. The more options to moving your money the better and easier your betting experience will be.
We all know just how much Paddy Power love making a noise through promotions, special offers and free bets. As you would expect, they are no different when it comes to betting on greyhounds. They have several top tracks covered – more than you’ll get at most of the competition – and their deals are worth shouting about too. Members get money back as a free bet if your dog finishes second behind the SP favourite. That makes it easier to take on the jolly with a nice price. Go to Paddy Power >>
William Hill are big on greyhound racing. They offer BAGs and BEGs meetings. They also offer antepost betting on the biggest and best races of the year. Bet on greyhound at William Hill and you will get best odds guaranteed on your selections running at UK and Irish meetings. That means you don’t have to take a price on your bets as you will automatically be paid out at top offer if your runner wins the race. That’s great news. Go to William Hill >>
There’s lots to love about greyhound betting at Coral but our favourite is the live streaming service. You can watch any UK greyhound race through an HD quality stream completely free of charge. The stream is great quality, the audio crystal clear and there’s betting all on one page. Other bookies ask punters to place a bet to watch the feed, but not at Coral. On the desktop or mobile app, you can view races all day long without spending a penny. Go to Coral >>
Ladbrokes offer some of the most generous betting odds on British greyhounds from the top tracks, including Romford Stadium. They sponsor many of the biggest events on the sport’s calendar and that’s how they can get in first and provide antepost betting. As sponsor, they wouldn’t want to be beaten on price, so make sure they go the extra yard to get their customers the top quote available. Back a winner at Ladbrokes and that means more money in your betting account. Go to Ladbrokes >>
Whether you are betting on the exchange or sportsbook, you’ll absolutely love Betfair’s greyhound racing coverage. As well as daily meetings from the UK and Ireland, they also go up early with prices from the most talked about races on the international circuit, including Australia. Check any price comparison website and you’ll see just how generous Betfair are. You will also notice, while on the site or app, most other major firms don’t offer betting on as many races as Betfair do. Go to Betfair >>
Coral allow customers free access to a live streaming service on all UK and Irish greyhound racing covered by the site. It comes at no extra cost and can be viewed on your desktop computer at home or mobile app when on the move. Turn everyday situations into a thrilling live greyhound racing betting experience at the touch of a button. Coral also do live greyhound betting shows, so keep an eye out for those.
Ladbrokes are another site offering registered customers a live streaming service of greyhounds. If you have placed a bet on the outcome of the race, Ladbrokes believe you should be able to watch the contest unfold, cheering on your selection. Never again will you be forced to bet blind, refreshing a results service to check how you got on. There are different angles, expert commentary and even a full list of results at the end of the race.
Paddy Power have invested heavily in their live streaming service in recent years and the results are well worth seeing for yourself. If you haven’t yet encountered the wonder that is watching live greyhounds and horse racing on your app, don’t waste another second. Register for an account, grab the welcome bonus, place your greyhound bets and watch live. There’s no loading or buffering with this service and, providing you have a reliable Wi-Fi connection, you can watch where you want. Paddy Power are a modern, forward-thinking site that aims to give members the very best service.
When joining Coral through this page to bet on greyhounds or your favourite sport, you will land a fantastic welcome bonus if registering as a new customer. Deposit and bet just £5 on a sportsbook market with odds of 1/2 or bigger and get four £5 free bets to use how you see fit. You must be aged 18 or over and be a UK or Irish resident. When your qualifying bet has settled your free bet tokens will automatically be added to your account.
Open an account with Betfair to make your bets on greyhounds, football, horse racing or another sport and the marketing team will give you a warm welcome in the form of a new customer bonus that can be used on the sportsbook site. Once you have placed your first bet and a registered user, you will benefit from best odds guaranteed on UK and Irish races, free live streaming on greyhounds and several other recurring promotions. Betfair also allow you to top-up your online balance in cash at any Paddy Power betting office on the high-street.
William Hill love giving great customer service. That often comes in the form of market beating odds on popular greyhound races and sports. Check any price comparison site and you’ll notice the William Hill desktop and mobile app are often best price or joint-top price on your picks. They also give new players a £30 free bet when registering, depositing and gambling £10. This is broken down into three £10 bets, your qualifier must be at odds of 1/2 or better and you have 30 days to use your welcome bonus or it expires.
Virtual greyhound racing can be found on the virtual sports section of the top virtual greyhound betting sites. Interest in virtual sports is rising and so too is the amount of cash gambled. Virtual dog racing is a computer animated dog race with random results. Races follow the same format as real life events, with six runners chasing a hair over a set distance. You can bet on the number or dog name, race winner, each-way, forecast, tricast and more.
There’s always a virtual greyhound race about to start when you visit the virtual sports section. Before the off you’ll see details of all runners, race stipulations and those all-important virtual dog racing betting odds. Simply click the selection you want to back to add it to you bet slip, input your stake, and click to confirm. Your bet will then be live and can’t be changed.
When the timer counts down to zero the race will begin, and you can view the event live on your desktop computer or mobile app. The picture quality is perfect with added sound effects. It may be virtual racing but it’s as near to the real thing as you could hope to find and, remember, there’s nothing virtual about the profits if you back a winner.
There are many greyhound betting apps available today with each boasting to be the best around. If you enjoy betting on greyhound racing, you’ll want to do it with a leading bookmaker offering generous odds and a user-friendly mobile app. Apps should be fast, responsive and stylish.
To help you choose the best greyhound betting apps we have carried out in-depth research. Our team of betting experts have run the rule over the top apps and scored each. Having conducted hours of homework, we have selected our three favourite dog racing betting apps for greyhound racing which can be viewed below.
This is a real standout in the industry and loved by bettors across the UK and Ireland. The Bet365 Greyhound app is superfast and covers all the top greyhound tracks. Members will also have access to greyhound betting promotions, including extra places each-way and enhanced odds.
The William Hill betting app allows you to bet on greyhound racing from across the world and you can also follow many fixtures live on your desktop and mobile app. The live streaming feed allows you to cheer on your selection all the way to the finish line.
Betway is respected amongst bettors for its coverage of sports and greyhound racing is certainly no different. It has an impressive list of antepost betting events covered, including the Greyhound Derby which allows you to bet well in advance and target a better price than will be available to those betting on the day. Most outright winner markets remain live throughout the course of the tournament with odds updated to reflect the results of heats.
Greyhound racing may seem strange, complicated or off-putting to the less experienced gambler, but there is nothing here designed to put you off. There are some forms of jargon which may confuse, but that is also easy to get around.
In its simplest form, a greyhound race has six runners, each dog coming out of their individual trap and chasing an electronic hare over a certain distance, usually on a sand covered, oval shaped course. Each dog wears a different coloured jacket corresponding with their trap. This makes it easier to follow your pick’s progress and for the commentator.
If betting on a greyhound to win the race you would either select it by name or trap number, the racecard is always ordered in trap number, so most people would pick Trap 1 to Trap 6. As well as singles, you can also do each-way. Forecast betting is popular and this challenges you to pick the dog that will finish first and second on the correct order. Tricast betting is the first three finishers.
This is the most prestigious race on the UK greyhound racing calendar and that’s by quite a distance. The English Greyhound Derby has a history that can be traced all the way back to 1927. It is now run annually at Nottingham Greyhound Stadium. The event was won in 2019 by Priceless Blake for Irish trainer Paul Hennessy at odds of 6/1.
An Irish relative of the race above, it doesn’t boast the same level of prize money but is no less popular in the industry, especially amongst Irish bettors, trainers and fans of the sport. First held in 1932, the Irish Greyhound Derby betting has produced some memorable winners and profits over the years. It is run at Shelbourne Park and was won by Lenson Bocko in 2019 for Graham Holland.
The Northern Irish Derby doesn’t boast the same kind of exciting history as the two races mentioned before it in this column of our review. It was first run in 2011 Drumbo Park where a 36-dog field was whittled down to a champion over 550 yards. Loughview Gem won the first running for Francis O’Brien at an SP 5/1. The competition only lasted until Atitboy’s win in 2014 before being scrapped and it hasn’t reappeared since.
This is seen as the biggest, most famous and glamourous race in Australian greyhounds and it enjoys a worldwide following. The Melbourne Cup itself isn’t actually a one-off event, but the showpiece of a three-week long Superdogs Series which draws in thousands of followers, the very best greyhounds, most experienced trainers and big money sponsors, over 1m AUD in prize money shared out between the first race and the champion. Dyna Tron broke the competition record with a time of 29.21 in 2011.
The Oaks was an original classic greyhound race first run back in 1927. In its current shape, the competition takes place at Swindon Stadium over 480 metres on the sand and is open only to bitches. Three of Spades won the first outing for Sid Jennings, banking followers a price of 5/1. The 2019 renewal saw Bull Run Byte add his name to the list of champions, scoring for Monmore trainer Kevin Hutton off an SP 7/4.
Below you’ll find details on some of the most successful names in greyhound racing as well as a brief explanation of what they achieved. It’s always worth doing the necessary research before gambling on greyhound betting sites.
A dog born in 1926, Mick The Miller is widely regarded as the first legendary racing greyhound to compete in the UK and Ireland. He only raced for three years but in that time the dog amassed a huge collection of respected titles, including the English Greyhound Derby two years on the bounce. Only injury stopped him completing the hattrick.
Born in 1970 and dying in 1982, Patricia’s Hope was a fans’ favourite of the day amongst followers of greyhound racing. He also won the Greyhound Derby twice, placing him in an exclusive club of double winners alongside the best dogs to ever grace the sport. Patricia’s Hope retired in 1974 after missing out on a third derby win.
Rapid Ranger was an Irish bred racing greyhound born in 1998 and he lives long in the memory of those who followed his remarkable career. He was only the third dog to win the Greyhound Derby more than once and remains one of only four runners to achieve that feat. Rapid Rangers also ran in both the Scottish and Irish Greyhound Derbies.
The history books show Ballyregan Bob to be one of the most famous racing greyhounds ever to compete in the United Kingdom. Born in 1994, he won a long list of important races, including the Brighton Olympic, Walthamstow Test and the Romford Essex Vase. He also broke the world record for consecutive race wins.
Loved by sports fans in the 1980s, Scurlogue Champ was a striking black dog who enjoyed such a successful career he is considered to be one of the top three greyhounds the UK have ever seen. Known for his stamina and battling qualities, Scurlogue Champ won many big races from off the pace with a late strike.
It’s an old but interesting argument. What’s the best for greyhound racing – online enjoying the convenience of betting at home through your desktop computer or on the move with a mobile app. Maybe you prefer to be in the thick of the action, placing bets at betting offices or the track.
There are many benefits to each option and bettors who are fiercely supportive of their favourite, but we think you can’t beat the ease of online greyhound betting through a mobile app.
Advantages of online greyhound racing:
Dog racing betting can be great fun and it isn’t nearly as complicated as punters or some bookmakers would have you believe. Pick your dog to back by trap number or race name and back it to win or each-way. Read the form and check past results. If you are feeling confident, try one of the specials available, such as a forecast or tricast bet. Remember, some bookies offer promotions on greyhound betting, such as money back if your dog finishes second behind the SP favourite. There’s also best price guaranteed and extra places each-way for antepost gamblers. Place a greyhound bet at your favourite bookie now.
There are many ways to bet on greyhounds, some are simple, some more complicated. While learning the ropes stick to race winner betting, each-way or reverse forecast, all done for small stakes to limit any losses.
Some backers favour one trap over another but if the best dog in the race comes out of trap 1 or trap 6, it will usually win the contest. Some dogs run better out of inside or outside draws as it helps them avoid traffic. Rely more on form and results than trap bias or a greyhound betting strategy.
Any of the bookmakers listed in our table near the head of this article can be trusted to offer you the best greyhound racing betting odds. Pick the one that best suits you and click the link to get started. Don’t forget to claim your welcome bonus and use it before it expires.