Monday, June 4, 2012

Superfecta Betting at the Dog Track


Greyhound Dog Racing Tips.

My regular readers know that I'm a fan of 4-dog quiniela boxes. For me, it's the bet with the highest rate of return for money spent. When I handicap a program, I'm subconsciously looking for 4 dogs to put in my quiniela box, while I eliminate 4 dogs that I don't think have a chance at coming in first or second.

But, once in awhile, like everybody else, I like to risk a little more on a more exotic bet like a trifecta or superfecta. Sometimes it's during my winter vacation or when I'm out with folks who want to go halves on a superfecta just for the excitement of it. Splitting the cost of the bet can let us all bet more.

When I bet superfectas, I use the same technique I use with quiniela boxes: eliminating dogs until I get to four that I think have a chance to come in. But, after that, it gets a little trickier, because I'm not just concerned with who's going to win and place. I also have to figure out who might come in third and fourth.

Once I pick my 4 dogs, I have to figure out how to bet them. I could bet a 4-dog box for $24. Most superfectas pay well, so that wouldn't be too much if I'm ahead and pretty confident about the dogs I picked. But, if I want to bet several superfecta bets on a program without blowing my bankroll, I opt for a cheaper bet, based on the two dogs I think will be the quiniela.

For $12, I can bet a superfecta key with my quiniela picks first or second and the other two dogs coming in third and fourth. For instance, if I like the 1 and 2 dog for the quiniela and the 3 and 4 for third and fourth in either order, I'd bet a $1 superfecta key: the 1/2 over the 1/2 over the 3/4. So, if the dogs come in 1-2-3-4, 1-2-4-3, 2-1-3-4 or 2-1-4-3, I get half of the superfecta.

This gives me the most bang for my buck as far as combinations go. Of course, it's harder to pick four dogs than it is to pick two. And it's also harder to figure out which of four dogs is going to come in first and second, third and fourth. All it takes is one dog out of place for your superfecta to disappear. It's really discouraging when you have all four dogs, but don't hit the superfecta because they're not in the right order. This is when I wish I'd bet the $24 box instead of being cheap and betting the $12 key.

This is one of those lessons that we all learn sooner or later at the dog track. Sometimes, trying to save money keeps you from making money. On the other hand, betting more than you can comfortably afford to lose is a losing proposition. Much better to miss a few winners than bet over your limit and wish you hadn't.

Greyhound Dog Racing.