A
Across the Board - A win, place and show wager on a particular greyhound.
Advance wagering - Wagers that are accepted on a race later during a performance or on a future performance.
Ajax - UK slang term for 'Betting Tax'.
Ante Post – See 'Futures'
Apron - An area located next to the racetrack where patrons may watch greyhound racing up close. A fence line separates the apron from the actual racing surface.
B
Backstretch - The area of the racetrack opposite the finish line. At most tracks, it is the area that crosses in front of the Tote board.
BAGS - Bookmakers' Afternoon Greyhound Service. These meetings are primarily held as a betting product for the high street (i.e. Off-course bookmakers). The meetings are very different from the traditional evening racing. Generally they are sparsely attended; there is free admission and some of the catering facilities, bars etc may be closed.
Banker - Highly expected to win. The strongest in a multiple selection in a parlay or accumulator. In permutation bets the banker is a selection that must win to guarantee any returns.
BEGS - Bookmakers' Evening Greyhound Service. See “BAGS”.
Bertillon Card - A greyhound's identification card that lists 56 physical identifying points for every registered racing greyhound. The greyhound's Bertillon number is tattooed in its ear.
Betting Shop Manager – See “Off-Course Bookmaker ”
Betting Tax - Tax on a Bookmaker's turnover. In the UK this is a 'Duty' levied on every Pound wagered. Common methods of recouping this by the punter are to deduct tax from returns (winnings) or to pay tax with the stake/wager. In the latter case, no tax is deducted from the punter's winnings.
BGRB - British Greyhound Racing Board. The representative body for greyhound racing in the United Kingdom. Directors of the Board include greyhound owners, breeders, trainers, track owners and the Senior Steward of the NGRC. All rule changes, licence and registration issues must be discussed with the Board, which primarily exists to promote the best interests of greyhound racing.
The Board takes the lead in political and commercial matters impacting on the sport. The Board is also actively involved in greyhound welfare, marketing and the development of IT.
The Board enjoys close links with national animal welfare groups and has overall responsibility for the Retired Greyhound Trust.
BGRB's homepage.
Blanket -A covering for a greyhound bearing a number and colour corresponding to its post position. Number 1 is red; number 2 is blue; number 3 is white; number 4 is black; number 5 is orange; number 6 is white and black stripes.
Bookie - Short for Bookmaker.
Bookmaker - Person who is licensed to accept bets on the result of an event based on their provision of odds to the customer.
Bottle - English slang, odds of 2 to 1.
Box - The position the greyhound will be racing from or the starting box itself. There are usually six or eight box positions with box 1 being on the inside. Also describes a wager involving the inclusion of a combination of greyhounds in a race.
Breeder - The individual who is the owner or lessee of his or her dam at the time of whelping.
Brindle - A streaky combination of colours, usually including a predominance of brown or tan.
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C
Calls - The position of each greyhound at specific points around the track during a race.
Career record - A series of five numbers indicating, in order, a greyhound's total number of starts, followed by first place, second place, third place and fourth-place finishes. Often preceded by an abbreviation showing the track at which the starts were recorded.
Chart - A record of each race showing finish, calls, odds and comments describing each racer's performance,useful to handicappers studying a greyhound's past performance.
Chartwriter - The person who compiles the charts and writes the comments on each greyhound's performance during a race.
Class - The grade of a race or a greyhound.
Collided - A comment used by the chartwriter to designate major contact between two or more dogs during a race.
Commingled pools - Money wagered at one venue and then mixed with pools at another venue.
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D
D – See “Distance”.
Daily Double – Betting term. Winners of the 1st and 2nd races. Select the winning dogs in the first two races of the day, to collect on the daily double.
Dam - The female parent of a greyhound.
Dead heat - A dead heat is called when it is impossible to separate two or more greyhounds passing the finishing post. The greyhound's nose determines the winner in the photo finish.
Double Quinella - See “Quinella”
Doubleheader - Two racing performances during one day.
Draw - A random process by which each greyhound's starting position is determined.
Dual Forecast - A tote bet operating in races of 3 or more declared runners in which the punter has to pick the first two to finish in either order.
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E
Ear Tattoos - A greyhound's right ear tattoo represents the month, year and tattoo order of your dogs litter. The last number before the letter is the year of birth and the first one or two numbers is the month of birth. The letter represents the order in which the litter was tattooed (It does not mean the order of birth).
Escape Turn - The first turn of the racetrack after the front stretch.
The turn or curve at which the mechanical lure disappears after the race is over.
Exacta – Betting term. The first two dogs to cross the finish line in EXACT order.
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F
Far Turn - The third turn of the racetrack.
Fast - The racetrack's state during normal weather conditions.
Field - The number of entries in a race. Greyhound races are comprised of fields of eight or nine racers.
Forecast – See “Exacta”.
Forced out - A chartwriter's term used to describe a situation where a greyhound is being pushed or crowded to the outside by one or more of its opponents.
Form - Reflects a dog’s running ability at any given time.
Form guide -
Check out BGRB’s excellent guide on how to read a greyhound racing form.
Front Stretch - The portion of the racetrack closest to the apron. The finish line is located here.
Futures - (Also called Ante Post) Bets placed in advance predicting the outcome of a future event.
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G
Grade - Defines where a greyhound rates in comparison to other greyhounds at the track. It is a method of assuring greyhounds compete against racers of similar standard; grades are assigned according to performance, with the top grade being A, followed by B, C and D. Young greyhounds are graded as either M (maiden) or J (juvenile).
Graded races -
Grading System – Races are graded from A1 to A11; dogs start at A11 and move up one level if they win a race. The best dogs at each stadium run in the A1 races. There are other races, which are described with their own letters. OR = Open Races, T = Trials, D = Distance races, S = Sprints and P = Puppy races.
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H
Hat-trick -
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I
Infield - The area on the inside of the oval track.
Interference - Contact by another greyhound, whether it be intentional or unintentional, that impedes the running of a greyhound, affecting the greyhounds ability to win the race.
In the Money - A first-, second- or third-place finish.
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J
Jinny Pit - See "Lock out kennel"
Jackpot - Pick six winners in six races to share in a Jackpot prize. The rules and prizes will vary from race track to race track.
Judge - A racing official responsible for making decisions concerning photo finish results, eligibility and other racing matters.
Juvenile - A greyhound that has not won an official race. This is the lowest Grade designation. Once a greyhound wins a Maiden race, it advances to Grade D.
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K
Kennel - An individual or orginisation that is responsible for the dogs care and training. They are usually contracted to one or more tracks.
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L
Lead-out - A handler employed by the track who parades racers in front of the public before a race and places the greyhounds in the starting box and retrieves the dogs when the race is finished.
Lock Out Kennel - Sometimes referred to as the 'Jinny Pit '. This is an area within the Paddock designed to house the racing greyhounds prior to their racing performance. All greyhounds racing that day are placed in the kennel 30 minutes before the first race. Only specific, licensed personnel are allowed in the area to maintain the greyhounds' safety.
Lure - It's the object the greyhounds chase while racing. A lure generally is a stuffed object that resembles either a bone or a rabbit. This object is in turn attached to the arm of a mechanical device and electrically driven around the racing strip. The lure operator keeps it a uniform distance ahead of the greyhounds.
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M
Maiden - A greyhound that has not won an official race. This is the lowest Grade designation. Once a greyhound wins a Maiden race, it advances to Grade D.
Matinee - A program of racing conducted during the daylight hours.
Middle Distance - Distance classification for the Commerce Course at Mile High. This course measures 2,050 feet or 3/8ths of a mile.
MTP - Minutes To Post. How much time remains before a race begins.
Mutual Handle - The total sum wagered for a single performance or a full meeting.
Muzzle - A wire, leather or plastic devise, with a white tip, which is fitted over the greyhound's mouth and jaws and used as an aid in a close photo finish and to protect other greyhounds while racing.
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N
NGRC - National Greyhound Racing Club. A non-profit making regulatory authority which was formed by the sport of greyhound racing in 1928 to regulate the welfare of racing greyhounds and the conduct and integrity of NGRC licensed greyhound racing. NGRC's homepage.
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O
Off-Course Bookmaker or Betting Shop Manager - They run licensed betting offices.
Odds -
On-course bookmaker or Turf Accountant – Bookmakers that work in betting shops on location.
OR - Open Race. A race for dogs of superior abilities, open to entries from all licensed trainers and tracks.
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P
P – See “Puppy races”.
Paddock - The area of lockout kennels, scales and the inspection ring. The greyhounds are kept there prior to racing. Before a race, the greyhounds are weighed, identified by a paddock judge, walked and blanketed before entering the track.
Perfecta – See “Exacta”.
Pick 3 – Betting term. Select the winner of three consecutive races. In the Pick 3, you pick the greyhounds that finish first, in 3 designated races. Betting must be completed prior to the close of the window for the race of the first leg of the Pick 3 wager. When placing this wager, tell the teller or select the box on the web form indicating you wish to play a Pick 3, then give the numbers of the greyhounds you choose to place first in each of the races.
Place – Betting term. The second dog to cross the finish line places. You collect only if your dog comes first or second.
Post - A greyhound's box or post position number. A greyhound's number always corresponds to the number of his starting box. The term also is used to recognize the exact time the greyhounds start from the Starting Box.
Post Time - The time the first race of a performance begins, or the amount of time before the next race on the program goes off.
Post Weight - The greyhound's official weight reported before the greyhound enters the racetrack.
Punter - Someone who bets. A bettor.
Pup - A young dog; a puppy.
Puppy Races -
Program - A printed guide to the day's races including detailed, compiled data to assist customers in handicapping the races. This includes information about the races, past performances, charts, handicapper's selections, track records and other racing statistics. This is a useful handicapping tool.
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Q
Quinella or Reverse Forecast – Betting term. The first two dogs to cross the finish line in any order. In the Quinella, you select two greyhounds to finish first and second. You collect the money if your selections finish first and second, regardless which order they finish. For example, if you played a Quinella on dogs 1 and 6, you win if the greyhounds finish 1 then 6 or 6 then 1.
There is also the Double Quinella meaning the winning Quinella combinations in two consecutive races. This is a Quinella but for two races, so you must have the correct top two dogs in both races. It doesn't matter what order they finish in the races, as long as they are the top two placed dogs.
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R
Race card -
Reverse Forecast - See “Quinella”
RGT - Retired Greyhound Trust. A national charity established to ensure the long-term welfare of greyhounds after retirement from racing by re-homing them. RGT's homepage.
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S
S – See “Short Races/Sprints”
Schooling Race - An unofficial practice or qualifying race held using actual racing conditions, but in which no wagering is allowed.
Scratch - A greyhound that has been withdrawn from a race.
Sire - The male parent of a greyhound.
Short Races - A race run over 5/16 of a mile or shorter.
Show – Betting term. The third greyhound to cross the finish line shows. You collect only if your dog comes first, second or third.
Sprint - A race run over 5/16 of a mile or shorter.
Stake - The amount of money you bet. The money that you will either lose or multiply.
Straight Forecast - A tote bet operating in races of 3 or more declared runners in which the punter has to pick the 1st and 2nd to finish in the correct order.
Superfecta - Picking the first four greyhounds to finish in exact order.
Syndicate -
Syndicate manager -
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T
T – See “Trials”.
Takeout - The money taken from the betting pool by track management for the state and for the track themselves.
“The going” – This is a term used to describe for the quality of the track conditions depending on weather and other things that can affect the speed of the greyhounds. A dry track means the dogs can run faster, whist if it has been raining the dogs will run slower. "N" =normal going and adjustments are made in hundredths of a second.
Tote or Totalisator - A computer that registers bets and divides the total amount bet among those who won.
Tote Board - Where odds and payout information is displayed.
Trap - One of the box-like compartments set along the starting line of a greyhound race track where the dogs wait before being released at the beginning of a race.
Trials -
Trifecta or Trio – Betting term. The dogs finishing first, second and third place in EXACT ORDER. In the trifecta, you select three greyhounds to finish first, second and third. You collect on the trifecta if your selections finish first, second and third in the exact order you specified on your betting slip.
Turf Accountant - See “On-course bookmaker “.
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W
Wager - The act of betting.
WGRF - World Greyhound Racing Federation, the worldwide promotion association for the sport. WGRF's homepage.
Whelping - The birth of dogs.
Win – Betting term. The first dog to cross the finish line wins. You only collect if your dog finishes first.
Winner's Circle - Where the winning greyhound proceeds following the race, often to participate in a ceremonial presentation.
Wire - The finish line for a race.
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