Greyhound Racing Terminology: Complete Glossary

A–F: From Ante-Post to Forecast

Every sport has its language, and greyhound racing has more abbreviations per racecard than most. The vocabulary draws from betting, track operations, dog handling, and regulatory frameworks — all compressed into shorthand that experienced punters read fluently and newcomers find opaque. This glossary covers the terms you will encounter most often when studying form, reading racecards, and placing bets on UK greyhound racing.

Ante-post — A bet placed well in advance of an event, before the final field or draw is confirmed. Ante-post bets on greyhounds are most common for major competitions like the English Greyhound Derby. If your selection does not run, the bet loses — no refund applies.

BAGS — Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Service. The commercially funded racing programme that provides the majority of UK greyhound meetings. BAGS races are staged primarily for the betting market and broadcast via SIS into betting shops and online platforms.

Baulked — When a dog is impeded by another runner during the race, typically by being cut off or forced to check its stride. Racecard comments use abbreviations like “Bk” or “Baulked” to indicate this interference.

Best Odds Guaranteed — A promotion where the bookmaker pays the higher of your fixed price or the SP if the SP is larger. Commonly abbreviated to BOG. Availability on greyhound racing varies by operator.

Bumped — Physical contact between runners during a race, usually at a bend. Abbreviated as “Bmp” in racecard comments, often followed by a number indicating which bend the contact occurred at.

Checked — When a dog is forced to slow down or alter its running line due to interference. More severe than a bump. Abbreviated “Ckd” in form comments.

Computer Straight Forecast — The industry-standard formula used to calculate forecast dividends after a race, based on the returned SPs of all runners. Abbreviated CSF.

Computer Tricast — The equivalent formula for tricast dividends. Abbreviated CT.

Crowded — When a dog is squeezed between two other runners, losing ground or momentum. Abbreviated “Crd” in racecard comments.

Dead heat — When two or more dogs cross the line simultaneously and cannot be separated by the photo finish. Bets are settled at half the normal odds for a dead-heat winner.

Each-way — Two bets in one: a win bet and a place bet. In standard six-runner greyhound races, place terms are typically first or second at one quarter the win odds.

Early price — A fixed price taken before the race, as opposed to SP. Also called a board price or morning price depending on when it is taken.

Forecast — A bet requiring you to name the first and second finishers in exact order. A straight forecast specifies one order; a reverse forecast covers both permutations at double the stake.

G–R: Going to Rule 4

Going, grades, graders, jackpots, kennels, layers — the middle of the alphabet is where the detail lives. These terms cover the operational and analytical vocabulary that forms the backbone of greyhound racing knowledge.

GBGB — Greyhound Board of Great Britain. The governing body responsible for regulating licensed greyhound racing in the UK, including track licensing, dog welfare, integrity, and grading standards.

Going — The condition of the track surface, affected by weather and maintenance. Greyhound tracks in the UK use sand surfaces, and the going is typically described as normal, slow, or wet. The going affects race times and can favour certain running styles.

Grade — The class level assigned to a dog based on its recent performances at a specific track. UK greyhound grades typically run from A1 at the top to A10 or lower, with Open races sitting above the graded structure. Higher grade numbers indicate lower-class races.

Grader — The racing official at each track responsible for assigning dogs to grades and constructing race cards. The grader assesses form, times, and running styles to produce competitive fields.

Hare — The mechanical lure that the dogs chase around the track. UK tracks use an outside hare that runs along a rail on the outer edge of the circuit. The hare’s speed is controlled by a hare driver and is adjusted to stay a consistent distance ahead of the lead dog.

Jackpot — A pool bet requiring the punter to select the winner of multiple consecutive races on a card. Jackpot pools carry over if no one selects all winners, building to large payouts.

Kennel turn — The resting period between a dog’s races, mandated by GBGB welfare regulations. A dog must have a minimum number of days between outings, and the kennel turn length can affect the dog’s freshness and form.

Layer — On a betting exchange, the person who bets against a selection winning. The layer acts as the bookmaker for that specific bet, accepting the backer’s stake and paying out if the selection wins.

Lids — Slang for the starting traps. “Pinging the lids” means breaking quickly from the traps.

Middle runner — A dog whose preferred running line is in the middle of the track, typically drawn in Traps 3 or 4. Also called a middle-seed.

Non-runner — A dog withdrawn from a race before the start. Non-runners trigger Rule 4 deductions on existing fixed-price bets if the withdrawal occurs after the market has opened.

Open race — A race with no grading restriction, open to dogs of any class. Open races attract the best dogs and carry the highest prize money at any given track.

Overround — The bookmaker’s built-in margin, calculated as the sum of implied probabilities across all runners minus 100%. Also known as the vig, juice, or margin. A 118% market has an 18% overround.

Photo finish — When the finishing order is determined by a photograph taken at the winning line. Common in greyhound racing due to the close proximity of runners at the finish.

Railer — A dog that prefers to run close to the inside rail, typically drawn in Traps 1 or 2.

Racecard — The published information for each race, including runners, trap draws, recent form, times, trainer details, and weights. Available in print at stadiums and online through bookmakers and form services.

Rule 4 — The deduction applied to fixed-price winning bets when a runner is withdrawn after the market has opened. The deduction scale is linked to the withdrawn dog’s price: the shorter the price, the larger the deduction.

S–W: Sectionals to Wide Runner

From SP to tricast, from trap to vig — the terms that close the dictionary. This final section covers the timing, betting, and positional vocabulary that appears on every racecard and in every serious form discussion.

Sectional time — The time recorded for a specific portion of the race, most commonly the split from the traps to the first bend. Sectional times indicate early pace and are a key predictor of race position and overall finishing order.

SIS — Sports Information Services (formerly Satellite Information Services). The broadcast provider that supplies live pictures and data for the majority of UK greyhound meetings, feeding video to betting shops and online bookmaker streaming platforms.

Slow away — When a dog is slow to leave the traps at the start. Abbreviated “SAw” in racecard comments. A consistent pattern of slow starts is a negative form indicator, particularly in sprint races.

SP — Starting Price. The official odds returned by the on-course market at the moment the traps open. SP is compiled by an independent reporter based on the prices offered by on-course bookmakers and serves as the default settlement price for bets placed without a fixed price.

Tissue — The preliminary set of odds compiled by a bookmaker’s odds team before the market opens. The tissue represents the bookmaker’s initial assessment of each dog’s chance and forms the basis for the opening show.

Tote — Pool betting operated at the track, where all stakes on a particular bet type are pooled, a percentage is deducted, and the remainder is divided among winning tickets. Tote odds are not known until after the race.

Trap — The starting box from which a dog begins the race. UK greyhound races use six traps, numbered 1 through 6, with each trap assigned a colour: 1 red, 2 blue, 3 white, 4 black, 5 orange, 6 black and white stripes.

Trap challenge — A novelty bet requiring the punter to select which trap number will produce the most winners on a card. Offered by some bookmakers as a side market on selected meetings.

Tricast — A bet requiring the first, second, and third finishers in exact order. Settled at the Computer Tricast dividend or at declared prices. Combination tricasts cover multiple permutations of selected dogs.

Vig — Short for vigorish. Another term for the bookmaker’s margin or overround. Also called juice.

Weight — The dog’s racing weight, recorded on the racecard. Significant weight changes between runs can indicate a change in condition — a drop in weight may suggest the dog is fitter, while a gain might indicate less work or a health issue.

Wide runner — A dog that prefers to run on the outside of the track, typically drawn in Traps 5 or 6. Wide runners cover more ground on the bends but avoid the rail-side congestion that affects inside runners.