Some people live at the track. Some people go once a year. I'd say most people who play the dogs go weekly or a couple of times a month. They don't follow it closely like the guys who hunch over their laptops, punching numbers into a calculator and talking on their cell phones with their eyes glued to the biggest TV in the place. Those guys probably know more about the dogs than the kennel owners do.
If you're like most dog players, you go on a Friday night with your spouse or maybe with a friend or a group of friends. You have a couple of drinks, maybe eat in the restaurant, bet on your kids' names or your favorite numbers or because you overheard someone in the bathroom telling someone on a cell phone that he had it from the dogmen that Junior Java was hot tonight and would definitely win for fun in the third race.
Maybe you make a few bucks, but more likely you lose most of the time. It's no big deal. You could pay more for a night out at the movies and not even HAVE a chance to win anything. But if you want to improve your chances of winning as a casual bettor, there are some things you should know.
At most tracks, the inside dogs have the advantage, especially the 1 and the 2. They don't have to run as far and - before you laugh at that - keep in mind that the length of a greyhound's body translates into 7/100ths of a second. That's how far a greyhound can run in less than the blink of an eye. Makes you think, doesn't it?
Of course, just betting the one and two in every race isn't going to work. (Although many people still do it.) The best way to use this knowledge involves a little handicapping. I look at the 1 and 2 dog in every race, hoping to see that they have some class (especially dogs who are dropping down), that they get out fast (so that no one will get in front of them on the rail), that they have at least a 30% quiniela percentage and that they run inside. The best situation is when they have all that going for them and they're moving in from an outside box. Better yet, it's best if they've had a few races where they ran from an outside or middle box and didn't do anything.
If I like the 1 and/or the 2, next I look at the 8. Because the 8 is on the extreme outside of the track and doesn't have a dog to its right, it too comes in often at most tracks. Here, I look for a dog with good early speed, who likes to run midtrack and doesn't go wide. Of course, class helps, especially my favorite situation, a dog dropping down in class.
If I like the 8, I put it with the 1 and the 2 in a quiniela box. Then I watch the odds and if any of them look like going off at long odds just before the race starts, I put $2 to win on them. That way, I haven't spent any more than $12 on the race. Of course, I only do this in races where the 1, 2 and 8 show me something.
There usually aren't more than 5 or 6 races like this on a program - sometimes more, some times less. According to statistics, the casual bettor usually spends about $50 on bets, so this scenario would fit well with that. So, there you have it. The Old One-Two Punch with a little handicapping and a look at the 8 dog and you could make a little money. Hey, it sure beats betting your wife's birthday - especially if you don't remember when it is.
If you're like most dog players, you go on a Friday night with your spouse or maybe with a friend or a group of friends. You have a couple of drinks, maybe eat in the restaurant, bet on your kids' names or your favorite numbers or because you overheard someone in the bathroom telling someone on a cell phone that he had it from the dogmen that Junior Java was hot tonight and would definitely win for fun in the third race.
Maybe you make a few bucks, but more likely you lose most of the time. It's no big deal. You could pay more for a night out at the movies and not even HAVE a chance to win anything. But if you want to improve your chances of winning as a casual bettor, there are some things you should know.
At most tracks, the inside dogs have the advantage, especially the 1 and the 2. They don't have to run as far and - before you laugh at that - keep in mind that the length of a greyhound's body translates into 7/100ths of a second. That's how far a greyhound can run in less than the blink of an eye. Makes you think, doesn't it?
Of course, just betting the one and two in every race isn't going to work. (Although many people still do it.) The best way to use this knowledge involves a little handicapping. I look at the 1 and 2 dog in every race, hoping to see that they have some class (especially dogs who are dropping down), that they get out fast (so that no one will get in front of them on the rail), that they have at least a 30% quiniela percentage and that they run inside. The best situation is when they have all that going for them and they're moving in from an outside box. Better yet, it's best if they've had a few races where they ran from an outside or middle box and didn't do anything.
If I like the 1 and/or the 2, next I look at the 8. Because the 8 is on the extreme outside of the track and doesn't have a dog to its right, it too comes in often at most tracks. Here, I look for a dog with good early speed, who likes to run midtrack and doesn't go wide. Of course, class helps, especially my favorite situation, a dog dropping down in class.
If I like the 8, I put it with the 1 and the 2 in a quiniela box. Then I watch the odds and if any of them look like going off at long odds just before the race starts, I put $2 to win on them. That way, I haven't spent any more than $12 on the race. Of course, I only do this in races where the 1, 2 and 8 show me something.
There usually aren't more than 5 or 6 races like this on a program - sometimes more, some times less. According to statistics, the casual bettor usually spends about $50 on bets, so this scenario would fit well with that. So, there you have it. The Old One-Two Punch with a little handicapping and a look at the 8 dog and you could make a little money. Hey, it sure beats betting your wife's birthday - especially if you don't remember when it is.
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