Many non-American gamers 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. Really, though, it’s 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 are not really contenders, due to flaws in form, class or consistency.
This can be a bit awkward if you’re the type of handicapper who’s used to looking for winners, rather than weeding out losers. However, with some practice and patience, you can train yourself to look for weaknesses instead of strengths.
Do any of the dogs seem to you that they do not belong to the right class for this breed? Have any of them been racing 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 the grade? These are dogs that you can usually scratch if they are restrained.
Once you’ve narrowed the field down to 2 dogs, you’ll be down to what you’re used to doing: handicapping 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 betting practices in the US.
For example, if you are actually ON a US track, don’t look for a bookmaker, because there isn’t one. There are only 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 bookmakers, odds are not set until the bell rings to signal the close of betting and the start of the race . You can bet on a dog at odds of 15 to 1 and have it fall to a 2 to 1 favorite before he walks in. So sometimes your reward is not what you think it will be. This is why many punters outside of the US prefer to bet online with a reputable betting firm like Ladbrokes or something similar.
Of course, the main thing is to choose the dog that goes in and that is the same wherever you bet. Good handicapping skills are the same all over the world. Obtaining them takes time and practice and testing techniques on old programs, before spending your money at a stock exchange or bookmaker.
