The #1 Secret to Handicapping 8 Dog Breeds for Non-US Players

Many non-American players are puzzled by 8 dog breeds. Used to narrowing down 6 dogs to 1 or 2 potential winners, they balk when faced with 2 more dogs in the mix. Actually, however, it is not as difficult as it might seem. A good handicap is a good handicap.

If you can compare the qualities of 6 greyhounds, you can do the same with 8. The trick is to start right away by finding 2 greyhounds that aren’t really contenders, due to flaws in form, class or consistency.

This can be somewhat awkward if you are the type of handicapper who is used to looking for winners, rather than eliminating losers. However, with some practice and patience, you can train yourself to look for weaknesses rather than strengths.

Do any of the dogs seem to you not to be in the right class for this breed? Have any of them been running in lower grades, just moved up and are competing against better dogs than they were used to? Is there a dog that hasn’t won money in 3 or more races after moving up a grade? These are dogs that you can usually scratch if they are restrained.

Once you have narrowed the field down to 2 dogs you will have arrived at what you are used to doing: handicap in a 6 dog race. Just carry on as you normally do when playing greyhound breeds in your home country, keeping in mind a couple of differences in US betting practices.

For example, if you are actually AT a US track, don’t look for a sportsbook, because there aren’t any. There are just bags and usually betting machines where you can insert cash or a winning bet slip and bet in private. Many people prefer this way of betting, because it is visual and there is no chance that you will make a mistake in your bet.

If you ARE betting on a US track, please note that unlike betting with bookies, odds are not set until the bell rings to signal the close of betting and the start of the race . You can bet a dog at odds of 15 to 1 and have it fall to a 2 to 1 favorite before he goes in. So sometimes your reward is not what you think it will be. This is the reason why many bettors outside of the US prefer to bet online with a reputable bookmaker like Ladbrokes or something similar.

Of course the main thing is to pick the dog that goes in and that’s the same wherever you bet. Good handicap skills are the same all over the world. Obtaining them takes time and practice and trying techniques on old programs, before spending your money on an exchange or in a sportsbook.