Greyhound Betting Glossary: Complete A–Z of Dog Racing Terms

The Language of Dog Racing

Greyhound racing has its own vocabulary, built up over a century of track culture, betting practice, and regulatory language. Some terms are shared with horse racing. Others are unique to the dogs. Whether you’re reading a racecard for the first time or trying to decode a conversation between trackside regulars, this glossary covers the terms you’ll encounter most frequently in UK greyhound betting.

A–F

Accumulator (Acca): A single bet linking multiple selections across different races. All selections must win for the bet to pay out. Returns from each winning leg roll into the stake for the next.

Ante-post: A bet placed well in advance of an event, typically on major competitions like the Greyhound Derby. Ante-post bets usually offer longer odds but are lost if the selection doesn’t run.

BAGS: Bookmakers’ Afternoon Greyhound Service. The scheme that funds and schedules daytime greyhound racing for the betting shop and online market. BAGS meetings run on weekday mornings and afternoons.

Baulked: A race comment indicating that a dog was impeded during the race, typically by another runner cutting across its path or blocking its run at a bend.

Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG): A bookmaker promotion where if you take an early price and the starting price is higher, you receive the better price. Not all bookmakers extend BOG to greyhound racing.

BSP (Betfair Starting Price): The starting price calculated from the Betfair exchange market at the moment the race starts. Independent of the industry SP derived from on-course bookmakers.

Calculated time: A run time adjusted for track conditions on the night of racing. Calculated time normalises performance across meetings with different going conditions, making form comparison more reliable than raw times.

Combination forecast: A forecast bet covering both possible finishing orders of two selected dogs. Costs twice the unit stake. Also called a reverse forecast.

Combination tricast: A tricast covering all six possible finishing orders of three selected dogs. Costs six times the unit stake.

Course specialist: A dog that consistently performs well at a particular track, often due to the track configuration suiting its running style.

CSF (Computer Straight Forecast): A dividend calculated after the race using a mathematical formula based on the starting prices of all runners. The standard method for settling forecast bets in UK greyhound racing.

Drift: When a dog’s odds lengthen in the market before a race, indicating a lack of support or money moving to other runners.

Each way: A bet consisting of two parts: a win bet and a place bet. In standard UK greyhound racing, the place part pays at one-quarter the odds for finishing first or second.

Early price: Odds published by bookmakers in advance of a meeting, typically available from the morning of racing. Taking an early price locks in the odds at that level.

Forecast: A bet predicting the first and second in exact finishing order. A straight forecast names the order; a reverse forecast covers both permutations.

G–O

GBGB: Greyhound Board of Great Britain. The regulatory body governing licensed greyhound racing in the UK, responsible for rules, welfare standards, and integrity.

Going: The condition of the track surface. Described as fast, standard, slow, or heavy, reflecting the moisture content and firmness of the sand.

Grade: The ability classification assigned to a greyhound at a specific track. Grades run from A1 (highest) to A11 (lowest). Dogs move between grades based on race performance.

Graded race: A race restricted to dogs within a specific grade band. The standard format for everyday racing at GBGB tracks.

Hare: The mechanical lure that the dogs chase around the track. It runs on a rail and maintains a constant distance ahead of the leading dog.

Hurdles: Greyhound races conducted over small hurdles placed on the track. Less common than flat racing but available at selected venues.

Implied probability: The probability of an outcome as suggested by the betting odds. Calculated as 1 divided by the decimal odds. A dog at 4.0 has an implied probability of 25%.

In-play: Betting that takes place after a race has started. Extremely limited in greyhound racing due to the short race duration of approximately thirty seconds.

Kennel: A trainer’s operation, including all dogs under their care. Kennel form refers to the collective recent results of all runners from a specific trainer.

Lay bet: A bet that a selection will not win. Available only on betting exchanges. When you lay a dog, you profit if it loses and pay out if it wins.

Non-runner: A dog that was declared to run but has been withdrawn before the race. Non-runners can trigger Rule 4 deductions on winning bets.

Open race (OR): A race not restricted by grade. Open races sit above the graded system and typically attract the strongest runners at a venue.

Overround: The bookmaker’s built-in margin across a race. Calculated by summing the implied probabilities of all runners. A total above 100% represents the bookmaker’s theoretical profit margin.

P–Z

Place: Finishing in the first two positions in a standard six-runner greyhound race. Place terms and number of places can vary for different bet types or reduced fields.

Racecard: The published information for a race meeting, including runners, trap draws, form figures, weights, trainers, and race times. Available online and in printed form at tracks.

Rail: The inside boundary of the track. Dogs running on the rail cover less ground on the bends. “Railer” describes a dog that naturally runs close to the inside rail.

Reserve runner: A standby dog that may replace a non-runner if a withdrawal occurs close to race time. Not all races have reserves.

Rule 4: A deduction applied to winning bets when a non-runner is withdrawn after the market has formed. The deduction compensates for the improved winning chances of the remaining runners.

Sectional time: The time recorded for a specific portion of a race, typically the run to the first bend and the remaining distance. Sectionals reveal how a dog distributes its speed across the race.

SIS (Sports Information Services): The company that produces and distributes the broadcast feed of UK greyhound racing to bookmakers and online platforms.

SP (Starting Price): The official odds for each runner at the moment the traps open. SP is determined by on-course bookmaker prices at meetings with on-course betting, or by an industry formula at meetings without.

Sprint: A race over a short distance, typically 265 to 285 metres, featuring two bends. Sprints reward explosive trap speed above all other attributes.

Stayer: A dog that specialises in longer-distance races, typically 630 metres and above. Stayers require stamina and sustained pace in addition to basic speed.

Stewards’ inquiry: A review conducted by race officials after the result has been provisionally announced, typically to assess interference. The inquiry can result in the official finishing order being amended.

Straight forecast: A bet naming the first and second in exact finishing order. Pays more than a reverse forecast but requires greater precision.

Strike rate: The percentage of a bettor’s or trainer’s selections that win. Calculated as winners divided by total runners or bets over a defined period.

Tissue price: A bettor’s or bookmaker’s estimated odds for each runner, compiled before the official market opens. Used as a benchmark against which the actual market prices are compared.

Tote: Pool betting system where all stakes go into a shared pool. The pool is divided among winners after a percentage deduction. Available at tracks and online.

Trap: The numbered starting box from which a greyhound begins the race. UK races use traps 1 through 6, each assigned a fixed colour.

Trap colours: The standard jacket colours worn by runners: trap 1 red, trap 2 blue, trap 3 white, trap 4 black, trap 5 orange, trap 6 black and white stripes.

Tricast: A bet predicting the first, second, and third in exact finishing order. Straight tricast names the order; combination tricast covers all six permutations.

Value: A bet where the odds available are longer than the true probability of the outcome. The fundamental concept underpinning profitable betting.

Wide runner: A dog that naturally runs on the outside of the track rather than hugging the rail. Wide runners cover more ground but can avoid the traffic that affects railers.

Quick Reference Table

Term	Quick Definition
BAGS	Daytime bookmaker-funded racing
BOG	Best Odds Guaranteed — you get the better of your price or SP
BSP	Betfair exchange starting price
CSF	Computer-calculated forecast dividend
GBGB	Governing body for UK licensed greyhound racing
OR	Open race — unrestricted by grade
Rule 4	Deduction on winning bets after a non-runner withdrawal
SIS	Broadcast provider for UK greyhound racing
SP	Official starting price at the off
Trap 1–6	Starting positions: red, blue, white, black, orange, stripes