Betting is the main attraction to greyhound racing - it simply has to grow if the sport has any chance of surviving or thriving

Gary Noble has been involved in greyhound racing for more than 50 years. He has owned and bred greyhounds himself, worked for bookmakers and spent the majority of his life as a professional greyhound punter.

Back in March 2024, I was asked to pen a column and posed the question ‘Are we a sport in terminal decline?’.

At the time I felt that we were and I’ve seen very little since to alter that view.

I won’t go over old ground, as I think many in the sport and those reading this are fully aware of the issues.

I have, however, been trying to think about what attracts people to get involved in greyhound racing and become an enthusiast, owner or trainer.

For me it’s hard to get away from the core reason the sport exists – making a selection, placing a bet, then watching with enjoyment and the thrill that the prospect of being right and winning some money brings.

What I’m trying to say here is that betting is the driver. It’s the main initial attraction and it simply has to grow if the sport has any chance of surviving or growing.

Betting brings real engagement into the racing and it is also the sole funding mechanism as bookmakers voluntarily contribute a levy based on turnover.

What I really struggle with is that the bookmakers, who keep the sport going through levy donations and by purchasing the media rights to show live racing, don’t seem to realise by their restrictive and unimaginative practices that they will ultimately drive turnover down, and in my opinion, cause the demise of it.

The disdain that some firms have for the sport, highlighted in lazy pricing of races and lack of big-race sponsorship, is clear as day.

There has been a marginal realisation of some problems, but again rather than take action that would potentially grow turnover, all we have seen are margins squeezed on what was formerly a great betting product to make up for shortcomings in turnover.

The mystery of industry prices are a particular gripe of many greyhound punters. The lack of explanation and apparent secrecy behind their formation and operation leaves punters feeling something sinister is going on. An explanation of this is long overdue and needed.

Greyhound superstar Bockos DiamondCredit: Steve Nash (racingpost.com/photos)

Account restrictions and the difficulty in placing a bet is old ground and could easily be the subject for a column of its own, but the persistence from layers to offer up early prices on run-of-the-mill graded racing knowing that they will get picked off and restrict bets is surely a waste of time.

This is probably due to the fact that there is little human or professional element in forming them. These markets and prices can, and do, move for very little money and this drives us punters mad.

I’d urge them to stop pricing up the graded racing!

I’d admit that there is more of a willingness to lay bets and more engagement on the big competitions, but that simply is not enough.

Turnover on the betting exchanges – which is the only avenue I have to strike a bet – has dropped significantly and the markets have a different feel to them.

Generally there is strong support for one or two dogs and opposition against one or two others. Some of the exchange SPs on outsiders are massive and, in my experience, seldom wrong.

How do they manage to get the market so right? There cannot possibly be specialist layers involved in every race?

During the Derby there was an on-course initiative to drive tote turnover up by reducing on track pool retention to ten per cent.

That was admirable, but can only work at tracks with decent attendances, which, with a few exceptions, is something we only really see during the Derby itself.

I have long mooted the idea of an industry jackpot type bet with a guaranteed payout for an outright winner. I think this could draw new attention to greyhound racing and could work, but who would run it and how would the revenue it generates be handled?

As always there are more questions than answers.

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