Greyhound racing betting guide
Thirty seconds, six dogs and one bend that decides most races: greyhound betting is fast and very specific.
Updated October 5, 2026
Greyhound racing betting revolves around the trap. In a standard British race six dogs start from numbered boxes, trap 1 on the inside rail and trap 6 on the outside, and the run to the first bend often settles the result. A dog that likes the rail drawn in trap 6 has to cross the whole field to get there.
The main markets are simple:
- Win on a single dog;
- Forecast, the first two in order, and the reverse forecast, which covers both orders for two stakes;
- Tricast, the first three in the correct order;
- Trap betting on a trap number across a meeting at some bookmakers.
Racecards give the clues: running style (railer, middle or wide runner), sectional times to the first bend, recent times over the same distance, and the race grade, which groups dogs of similar ability. Dogs moving down a grade after a few defeats can be interesting; dogs that keep getting bumped at the first bend tell you their early pace is not enough.
Worked example: a 5/2 favourite implies 28.6 %. In a six-runner race that sounds modest, but greyhound favourites lose most of the time, which is why forecasts are popular for small stakes.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a reverse forecast?
Two forecast bets covering both possible orders of your two dogs. It costs double the unit stake and pays if they finish first and second either way round.
Does the trap number matter in greyhound racing?
Yes. The trap decides where a dog starts relative to the rail, and its running style decides whether that position helps or hurts at the first bend.