Greyhoundracing

overview

• General Information
• History
• There are two types of greyhound racing: racing and coursing.
• Championship regulations for racing and lure coursing
• Equipment
• Important associations
• Professional greyhound races and betting
• Types of bets in greyhound racing

General Information

Greyhound racing is a sport that consists of greyhounds chasing a mechanical hare on an oval track. Greyhound racing is not only a large spectator sport but also a big gambling event. Successful greyhound betting is more than mere luck. It requires a lot of knowledge of the sport, experience, and sure instinct. Greyhound races, however, are not only organized on commercial grounds but also as a pastime that enables the owner to satisfy his greyhound’s strong urge to run and his hunting instinct.

History

In Europe, especially in Great Britain, greyhounds were used in hunting and only noblemen were allowed to own these graceful animals. The sport as we know it today emerged in the United States in 1912 thanks to Owen Patrick Smith, the “father of American greyhound racing” who invented the mechanical hare. Today, greyhound racing is a large spectator sport in the USA as well as several European countries including the UK, Ireland and Spain.

There are two types of greyhound racing: racing and coursing.

• Racing

Greyhound racing takes place on oval racing tracks and is only about speed. The dog that arrives first at the finish line is the winner. Six dogs of the same breed and sex chase a lure in the form of an artificial hare. The lure consists of a hare’s coat or simply of some barrier tape and is pulled by a machine. A normal greyhound race (according to FCI-rules) is composed of preliminary races and finals.

Officials

In greyhound racing there are, apart from the jury, several other important officials. The Race Director is responsible for managing the technical and organizational aspects of the event, the finishing line Jury decides on all questions concerning the order in which the dogs cross the finish line, the race observers, usually four, supervise and observe the races and communicate irregularities and breaches of the rules to the Jury, the start team checks the start boxes, the starting order of the dogs and the correct positioning of the muzzles and blankets. Other important officials are timekeepers, lure machine operator and the local veterinary surgeon. The vet must be present and ready to intervene during the entire event. He carries out a general examination of the dogs in order to determine whether they can participate or not.

• Lure Coursing

Lure coursing is meant to imitate live coursing and is an open field competition. Two dogs run together and form a team. They try to catch the prey by using different techniques. Coursing is not only about speed. Several judges evaluate the dogs’ performance according to the following 5 criteria: endurance, agility, enthusiasm, intelligence and speed.
In coursing, endurance means the physical and mental power and energy of the dog. The dog’s ability to finish the course in good physical condition is evaluated. The agility of the dog is shown in his ability to undertake shifts in direction at lightning speed, in the clearing of obstacles and in the way he takes the prey. An enthusiastic dog chases the prey regardless of any obstacles and doesn’t get distracted by disturbances like falling or losing sight for a moment. Intelligence is shown in the dog’s tactics of pursuit. The speed of a dog is evaluated in comparison to its competitor.
The functions of coursing officials (Judges, lure coursing Director, field observers, starter, lure operator technical service, local veterinary surgeon) are similar to those of racing officials.

Championship regulations for racing and lure coursing

Racing and lure coursing championships are organized by a member state of the FCI. Country and place of the events are determined by the Cdl, the FCI’s greyhound racing committee, two years in advance. All breeds listed in FCI-group “10” are allowed to participate in races and lure coursings. These are: Afghan Hound, Azawakh, Barsoi, Chart Polski, Deerhound, Galgo Español, Greyhound, Irish Wolfhound, Magyar Agar, Saluki, Sloughi, Whippet and the Italian Greyhound.

Equipment

At racings/lure coursings, greyhounds wear special racing muzzles in order to avoid injuries. They also wear coloured racing jackets, neck bands or blankets that have numbers on them.

Important associations

FCI – Fédératin Cynologique Internationale

The FCI is the World Canine Organization. Its headquarters are in Thuin (Belgium) and it counts 84 member states and contract partners. The Austrian cynology association (Österreichischer Kynologenverband, ÖKV) is also a member of the FCI.

Professional greyhound races and betting

In Austria and Germany, due to animal protection rules, there is no betting industry and prize money connected to greyhound racing. In Great Britain, the USA, Ireland, Spain and Australia, however, professional greyhound racing is, like horse racing, a popular betting event. Successful greyhound betting does by no means depend on mere luck. It is extremely important to know a lot about the sport. In greyhound racing, pari-mutual betting is the common method.

Types of bets in greyhound racing

• Straight / Single / Win: This is the simplest and most common bet. You bet on a winner and collect only if the chosen dog is the first to cross the finish line.
• Place: You don’t bet on the winner but you collect if “your” dog finishes either first or second.
• Show: You collect if “your” dog finishes either first, second or third.
• Across the board: “Across the board” means you place three bets on the same dog: Win, Place and Show. If the dog wins the race, you collect on all three bets. If the dog finishes second, you collect on Place and Show. If your selection finishes third, you collect the Show bet. The wager is calculated as follows: If you bet 10€ “across the board”, your total wager amounts to 30€.
• Combination bet: In a combination bet you bet on two to four greyhounds to finish in chosen order.
• Quiniela / Reverse Forecast (UK): “Quiniela” or “reverse forecast” means you place a bet on two dogs to finish first and second in either order.
• Perfecta / Exacta / Straight Forecast (UK): A bet placed on two dogs that have to finish in the chosen order.
• Trifecta / Tricast / Treble Forecast (UK): A bet placed on three dogs that have to finish in the chosen order.
• Superfecta: A bet placed on four dogs that have to finish in the chosen order.
• Twin Trifecta: A “Twin Trifecta” comprises two Trifecta bets in two different races. You choose your Trifecta-combination for one race and afterwards, you exchange the ticket for another Trifecta in the following race.
• Tri-Super: Like for the Twin Trifecta, you select a winning Trifecta-combination and exchange the ticket for a Superfecta in the following race.
• Titanic Tri-Super: A “Titanic Tri-Super” bet works like the Tri-Super but you must correctly select the Trifecta combination in the 5th Race and the Superfecta in the 7th Race.
• Daily Double: You bet on the winners of the first and second races on that day. You have to place your bet before the beginning of the first race.
• Jackpot: You bet on six winners in six races. The rules and prices vary from track to track.
• Parlay / Accumulator / Multiple bet: You place your bets for two or more races at once. The winnings of the first race are added to the bet of the following race selected and so on. In order to win the parlay, all your forecasts must be correct in every selected race. If a race is a tie, postponed or cancelled, the parlay is automatically reduced by one race.
• Pick 3 : A “Pick 3” bet means you bet on the winners of three consecutive races.
• Pick 6: You bet on the winners of six consecutive races.

The regulations and denominations may vary depending on the track or country; it is therefore advisable to contact the bookmaker before placing a bet.