Beginner’s Guide to Greyhound and Virtual Dog Racing: How to Play and Bet Safely

Greyhound and virtual dog racing have been popular forms of entertainment for decades. However, the virtual versions of the races have some quirks of their own.
Whether you’re a seasoned gambler or just looking for a new way to have fun, understanding the basics of these games and learning virtual greyhound racing strategy can help you get the most out of the experience.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how to play virtual dog racing, as well as some tips and tricks for winning.

Understanding Greyhound and Virtual Dog Racing

Virtual greyhound racing is essentially the same as the popular competitive sport.
There is one key difference, though – virtual dog racing is simulated by a computer. It still involves a group of greyhounds running around a track in an attempt to reach the finish line first.
These are not real dogs, and there is no actual track out there.
All of the outcomes are determined by a computer algorithm. This also means that you can’t rely on forms or predictions. Simulated races are essentially all about luck and betting odds.
In a way, this means that the virtual variant is rather beginner-friendly. You don’t need to understand the race program. After all, these dogs don’t have names, numbers, ages, weights, or previous racing statistics.
Track conditions, weather, and post position are also non-existent, which further cuts down on the number of variables you need to consider.
However, each dog is assigned a specific odds number that reflects their chances of winning. You can use these odds to determine the potential payout for each bet.

Step-by-step Guide

Dog race simulations are even easier to get into than their real-world counterpart.
Just follow these simple steps to start playing today.

1. Go to the virtual sports section of the betting site and launch Virtual Horse Racing. You can find the game on Kilibet, a leading Kenyan online sportsbook.
2. Set the size of your stake. This option is available on the betting slip on the right side of the screen.
3. Wait for the betting period. If a race is currently in progress, you won’t be able to place any bets. Every round lasts about a minute, and betting time lasts around 90 seconds.
4. Make your selections. Click on the betting options at the bottom of the interface to add them to your betting slip. Each selection also displays the odds of that bet which define the payout and the probability of success.
5. Once you’re happy with your selections, confirm the bets. You can see an overview of all currently selected wagers on the betting slip to the right. Once you’re satisfied, hit ‘confirm.’
6. Observe the race. The computer-generated simulation will kick off when the betting period is over. The interface will keep you informed about the current positions and other race info.
7. Collect your winnings. If one or more of your greyhound race predictions was correct, you’ll instantly receive a payout based on the betting odds.

Types of Bets 

There are several types of bets available in greyhound and virtual dog racing, including: 

1. Win: Betting that the selected dog will win the race
2. Place: Betting that the selected dog will finish in second place or better
3. Show: Betting that the selected dog will finish in third place or better
4. Forecast: betting on two dogs that will finish first and second, respectively

This means that your options are somewhat limited compared to regular trackside races. Still, between eight dogs and four betting markets, you have more than enough room to get creative with your strategies.

Betting Tips and Strategies

We already mentioned the fact that virtual sports betting is largely based on luck.
If you want to know how to win virtual dog racing, you should understand that there are no real tricks or secrets. If you’re playing at a provably fair site, the probability of winning wagers is fairly close to the displayed odds.
However, you can still use a few basic strategies that can help you in the long run.

1. Stick to bets with short odds, especially if you’re a beginner. Taking that Win bet with 30.00 odds may seem enticing, but you’re probably just wasting your money. Instead, focus on Place and Show bets if you’re just starting.
2. Betting systems such as Martingale or Labouchere can be useful methods of managing your bankroll. Make no mistake, though – they won’t increase your chances of winning, nor are they reliable ways of making money in the long run. Betting systems simply make your spending more manageable and easier to track.
3. Combine several selections into multiple bets. For instance, you can use short-odds wagers to keep your bankroll going while also placing risky bets and hoping for a big payout.
4. Don’t bother with result histories and in-game statistics. The results of previous races do not affect future rounds in any way. Believing otherwise is called the Gambler’s Fallacy – don’t fall for it.

Conclusion

Ultimately, virtual sports are not the same as just enjoying your dog race betting online. However, the two hobbies complement each other in many ways.
Just as we pointed out above, virtual races are easier to understand and have fewer moving parts than the real thing. They’re easy to get into and can be enjoyed any time, any place.
Of course, the real dog racing sport is more exciting for most people due to its unpredictable nature. Master punters know how to find value in bets and can turn them into long-term profits. This does not apply to virtual greyhounds, which are entirely based on RNG and always have a house advantage.
However, the simulations are great for practicing and padding out the time before real-world races. They allow you to have some quick fun on your own terms and in your own time, which is a valuable advantage.