Greyhound Dog Racing Tips.
There are basic differences between US dog races and European, Australian, Asian and New Zealand dog racing. The biggest difference is that US races have 8 dogs and the others have 6. I suppose this makes it a bit easier to pick winners in non-US races, but I wonder if the odds are as good.
In the US when there are one or two scratches in a race, dogs who can't run due to health issues, oftentimes the payoffs aren't as big. This is probably because there are fewer combinations to bet on. So, I wonder, does this hold true for 6 dog races in general?
Racing programs, called race cards in some places, are a bit different when you compare US to Non-US tracks. In the US, tracks have turns. In other countries, they have bends. In the US, the calls are in number notation written under the call's name. In other places, they're expressed as just a series of numbers with no heading over them to tell you that they're the calls from "break" or "off" to Finish, which is the same all over the world, apparently.
A very big difference is where the lure is positioned in different venues. In the US, it runs around the inside of the track, or to the left of the dogs as they race. In other countries, the "artificial hare" as they call it, runs around the outside of the track. This has the effect of leading the US racers to run closer to the inside rail. With the outside lure, dogs tend to run more midtrack. This makes a difference when handicapping.
Wherever greyhounds run, they race as fast and are just as exciting to watch. Whether you're betting on BAGS races at Nottingham in England, a match race at Brisbane in Australia or at the oldest track in the US, Derby Lane in Florida, there's nothing like the action and satisfaction of winning at the dog track.
Of course, when betting on races in another country, it's wise to seek the counsel of handicappers who are familiar with the races there. While there is a good bit of information available about racing in other countries, there is a real lack of it when you try to handicap US races. Where once there were national magazines and newsletters, now there's only one full-scale magazine put out by the greyhound owner's association and almost no new handicapping books.
The best advice I can give to Non-US bettors is this: Get as much information as you can before you plunk down your money. Do your research and talk to other bettors in online forums and at your favorite track. Read free handicapping articles on my site and any others you can find. Then practice on paper first before you make any real bets. And, of course, bet with a reputable firm, preferably one of the big ones that's well-known in your country. And, of course, good luck.
Greyhound Dog Racing.