Greyhound racing is second to thoroughbred horse racing and is the most popular racing market to bet on. Below, we’ll explore how a greyhound race works and the sport's history.

We’ll also go into more detail about the types of greyhound betting odds you can find at our Sportsbook . You’ll also learn about the biggest greyhound events held throughout the year.

If you’re ready to get involved with our greyhound betting markets today, we’ll also explain how to place a greyhound bet here at Stake.com .

What is Greyhound Racing?

Greyhound racing is a fast-paced competitive sport involving greyhounds bred to race around oval-shaped tracks to be first past the finishing post. All the greyhounds are enticed to race by the mechanical rabbit that hares around the circuit before them.

Greyhounds enter their starting boxes or “traps” – a smaller version of a starting stall used in horse racing – which open to signal the start of the race. From here on in, it’s a blend of athleticism, stamina and good fortune. Greyhound races are held over various distances, with certain greyhounds bred to perform better over shorter or longer races.

Many historic greyhound tracks have existed through the decades, with Romford and Wimbledon two of the most popular in the UK. In the US, historic tracks like Derby Lane ruled the roost prior to their closure, while Sandown Park is regarded as the home of premier greyhound racing in Australia.

The sport evolved from coursing, and the first recorded race was on a straight track in the UK in 1876. However, racing did not take off in its current form, on the oval track and a mechanical hare, until 1912, with the first professional track opening in California in 1919.

How to Bet on Greyhound Racing on Stake.com

If you want to bet on the next greyhound races worldwide, scroll to the top of this page. You’ll see our “ Next to Jump ” section, showcasing the next three races scheduled with countdowns to each and the form and starting box of every dog.

Below this widget, you’ll also see a table of today's scheduled races and a calendar for upcoming greyhound meetings worldwide. You can dive into any of these greyhound racing betting markets and click on the odds you want to add to your Stake betslip.

You’ll have two options: backing your dog to “Win” or “Place”. Win means you’ll only be paid out if your selection wins. Place means you’ll be paid out if your dog finishes in the top three.

To understand all the rules, and get ahead with our expert tips and strategies, read our ultimate greyhound racing betting guide .

Popular Bet Types

Wondering how to place a bet on greyhound racing? The most common betting options differ from those in horse racing. Let’s run through the most common bet types below:

Single

Single bets are the same as straight-up bets on a horse to win. You’re just betting on a greyhound to win instead. A single bet wins only if your selection wins the race.

Straight Quinella

A straight quinella lets you pick the first two greyhounds in a race. Crucially, you need to pick them in the correct order. A forecast dividend is applied to your selections based on their pre-race odds and multiplied by your bet size to determine your potential winnings.

Reverse Quinella

A reverse quinella is two straight quinellas rolled into one handy bet. If you’re sweet on two greyhounds in an upcoming race, you could add them into a reverse forecast. This means both must finish in the top two for your bet to win. Crucially, it doesn’t matter what order they finish in for your bet to pay out.

Trifecta

Trifecta bets require even more skill and fortune to win at greyhound events. Think of them as an enhanced version of a straight quinella. Instead of picking the first two dogs in a race, you’ll need to pick the first three – the clue is in the name!

Major Greyhound Racing Events

Although there are dozens of greyhound races held most days of the week, there’s a select group of major races which are considered the pinnacle of the sport:

English Derby

The English Greyhound Derby carries a prize of £175,000 for the winner, making it the most prestigious 500-metre race in the UK. It used to be held at Wimbledon Stadium but has switched between Towcester and Nottingham since 2017.

Irish Derby

Shelbourne Park is the home of the Irish Greyhound Derby. Raced over 550 yards, this race carries a total purse of more than £250,000, with the winner taking almost half of this prize money.

Melbourne Cup

The Melbourne Cup is the culmination of a three-week-long “Superdogs” series, where the best of the best compete over 515 metres at Sandown Park in Melbourne, Australia. The total prize purse is more than £500,000.

Sandown Cup

The May Carnival at Sandown Park is headlined by the Sandown Cup, carrying a prize purse of around £130,000. It’s one of the richest greyhound races in the world for “stayers” over 595 metres.

Betting Tips & Strategies

Make sure your dog likes its draw – if it prefers running along the rail, make sure it’s in the first or second trap.
If there are two clear pre-race favourites, consider getting more value with a reverse quinella bet on the pair.
Consider specialising in certain greyhound tracks. This will help you learn about track bias and the in-form and out-of-form trainers.
Be sure to see the latest Stake offers to see if any promotions are available to boost your betting. Regular bettors should also check out the Stake VIP Club . Our VIP FAQs page has all the details on how you could earn members-only rewards such as your very own dedicated VIP Host and bonuses like rakeback and reloads.
Bet responsibly . Manage your greyhound betting bankroll and only risk a tiny percentage of your bank with each bet. You can use our Stake Smart guidelines and budget calculator to help you.
If you’re new, check out our sports betting guide .

How to Live Stream Greyhound Racing & Live Betting Options

On occasion, it may be possible to live stream the biggest greyhound races, as well as some of the more obscure events at Stake. When you’re logged in to your Stake.com account, a camera symbol will appear next to individual races which are available to live stream on your device.

Whether it’s Australian greyhounds from Angle Park to Albion Park or European UK greyhounds from Hove to Yarmouth, live coverage may be offered, creating a retail betting shop experience in the palm of your hand.

Greyhound Betting Odds & Payouts

When you’re having a flutter on greyhound events at Stake Sportsbook, another of your betting options will be to decide which odds format you prefer.

It’s personal preference as to which odds format you understand best. Fortunately, you can alter your preferred format within our on-site settings, choosing between decimal, fractional, and American odds formats, which may not be offered elsewhere, like on a betting exchange.

Interesting Facts & History of Greyhound Racing

Did you know? When greyhounds are running around race tracks, they spend three-quarters of the race time in their air, with their paws spending very little time in contact with the track.
Only cheetahs are faster than greyhounds – they are the second-fastest animal on the planet.
Greyhounds wear muzzles to safeguard them from injury mid-race and make photo finishes easier to determine.
Ballyregan Bob is one of the finest greyhounds of all time after winning 32 consecutive races in the UK.
Mick the Miller and Spanish Battleship are also in the history books. The former was the first two-time English Greyhound Derby winner, while the latter was the first three-time Irish Greyhound Derby winner.