In greyhound racing, dogs chase a lure (normally an artificial hare) along a track until they reach the finish line. The dogs are placed in the order in which they cross the line.

Betting on greyhound racing is extremely popular in the UK with over 2.5 billion pounds being wagered on races each year. Punters can bet on a number of diverse betting markets: win only, in which you bet on a greyhound to come first; place only, in which the greyhound you are betting on must come in first or second place; forecast, in which you bet on two greyhounds to come in first and second; trio, where punters bet on the first three greyhounds home; and finally combination bets, which can cover any two or more greyhounds. In addition to these markets, many bookmakers offer numerous speciality bets dependent upon the race(s) in question. Naturally, the higher the odds, the greater the reward.

Racing occurs at 27 licensed tracks across the UK. Key events in the UK greyhound racing calendar include the Scottish Greyhound Derby at Shawfield; and the English Greyhound Derby, held at Wimbledon. Prize money at these races is at least £50,000. Indeed, the total prize money at these and other smaller events totals over £15,737,122.

Try to bet at the major betting outlets as these will generally offer you better odds and a wider choice of betting markets than the trackside bookmakers. As a final tip for new punters: Traps 1 and 6 are usually good bets as the dogs are far less likely to be bumped about!