Much of the excitement
around watching the magnificent specimens featured in greyhound
racing compete comes in successfully betting on the outcome of a
race, but with the constantly fluctuating conditions of the sport and
the dogs that drive it, picking a single winner reliable is a dubious
prospect at best. However, intelligent bet structuring can greatly
increase your odds of coming away a winner at the track, and devising
a consistent strategy for online
greyhound betting starts with understanding the various types
of bets available.
Win, Place and Show
These greyhound racing
terms for first, second and third place finishes also denote the bets
associated with them. A winning wager on a dog to win obviously
requires a first place finish, but a “place” bet is successful if
the dog finishes 1st or 2nd and a “show”
bet pays out if the dog finishes anywhere in the top three.
Quinela and Perfecta
A
quinela bet is a two-dog wager that predicts the competitors will
finish first and second, and the dogs can finish in either order so
long as they are the first two across the finish line. Similarly, a
perfecta also requires the selection of two dogs, but is slightly
more difficult as they must finish in a predetermined order or the
bet is lost. However, a perfecta bet makes up for the increased risk
with a more attractive payout for the same wager.
Trifecta Types
As the name suggests, a
trifecta bet is a prediction on the performance of three competing
dogs, and they must finish in an exact order for the bet to be
successful. A key trifecta centers on the performance of one dog who
must win the race, with the other two dogs selected to finish second
and third in either order. A trifecta box hedges the bets even more
by allowing a wagerer to pick three dogs to finish in any order, but
has a higher bet cost because it is effectively a combination of 6
single bets.
Superfectas
A superfecta bet focuses
on the fortunes of the top four dogs in a race. There are two types
of superfecta bet, a straight bet which requires that the top four
finish in a specific order and a more expensive box superfecta bet
which allows the chosen competitors to finish in any order as long as
they are the top four performers in the race.
Odds
Standard bets such as a
straight trifecta have a relatively low success rate, with less than
2 races out of 100 correctly predicted by wagerers. On the other
hand, box wagers are much more likely to pay out, with a three dog
box correctly predicted in approximately 1 in 14 races and a four-dog
superfecta box paying out more than 20 percent of the time. “Wheel”
bets, which combine a prediction of a first or second place finish
for one dog with any finish from the rest of the field, have an even
higher chance of success, with bettors experiencing win frequencies
of over 25 percent by leaning on the right choices.
With roots
stemming back into the traditions of English noblemen who bred
these premium pedigree hounds for sport, greyhound races have long
held fascination for spectators and wagerers. While the sport is not
nearly as predictable as horse racing, it can be nearly as lucrative
with a sound betting strategy.