BetDogs Review [April 2024]

BetDogs
2.8
A simple to use Greyhound specific betting site for Australians.
Specialised greyhound bookie, backed by Topsport!
  • Betting Markets Variety
    2.0
  • Banking Options
    3.0
  • Mobile Experience
    3.0
  • Payout Speed
    3.0
  • Customer Support
    3.0
  • Betting Experience
    3.0
Total score
2.8

Top Features

  • Great betting odds
  • Greyhound only betting website
  • Ideal for beginners
  • Simple and easy to use
Pros:
Cons:
  • They have higher betting odds
  • It’s a betting site that is solely focused on Greyhounds
  • Amateurs will enjoy the simple betting experience
  • There is no Mobile App
  • They lack betting features
  • Sports betting markets are not available
2.8
By:Matt Abrahams

BetDogs was established in 2019 by the current owners of TopSport. The aim of this BetDogs review will be to answer the main question – should I sign up for an account? To accurately answer this question, we will provide a full overview of the features that make them unique. This will include such topics as strengths, weaknesses, banking options, mobile usability and more. We will also provide answers to common questions that punters will need to know before signing up.

Let’s get started!

BetDogs Profile

Website: Betdogs.com.auLive betting number: 1800 867 776 and (07) 5599 2244
Company:Merlehan Bookmaking Pty LtdContact information/Support:
PO Box 455, Miami, QLD, 4220, Australia. 1800 867 776 and (07) 5599 2244. [email protected]
Sportsbook License & regulation: Greyhound Racing NSW LicenseSponsorship Deals: None
Address/Headquarters: Wharf Central, Tweed Heads, NSWFeatures: Mobile website, promotions for members, multiple payment methods, greyhound racing odds
Deposit Methods:Credit / Debit Card, POLi, BPAY, EFTWithdrawal Methods: Credit / Debit Card, Bank Transfer
Apps Devices: N/AOdds Providers: BetDogs / TopSport
Owner: Lloyd and Tristan Merlehan

BetDogs Strengths and Weaknesses

Using our years of experience comparing and reviewing Australian betting sites, we can easily point out the strengths and weaknesses of any bookmaker. It’s important that the strengths are highlighted for our users so they know what to expect before creating an account. Meanwhile, every betting site is going to have weaknesses and we aim to be honest about this. Below, we will provide three of the top strengths and weaknesses while betting with BetDogs.

✔️BetDogs Strengths

  • Competitive Betting Odds: The betting odds at BetDogs is a major strength as we found they were generally higher than the competition. This benefits long term punters as they stand to earn more.
  • Greyhound Niche Website: As the only Greyhound specific website in the betting industry, this is a major strength. As a result, punters will know that BetDogs will make sure they offer the very best features for betting on dogs.
  • Great for Beginners: With a large focus on keeping things simple with their betting experience, beginners should enjoy betting here. They won’t get overwhelmed with advanced features that other betting sites can suffer from.

❌BetDogs Weaknesses

  • Missing a Mobile App: Without a mobile app, users will have to use a mobile browser instead and this will make betting on the go a bit slower. In saying that, the mobile website is fast to use so it may not be a weak point for some.
  • No Sports Coverage: As there are no sports betting markets at BetDogs, this is a massive weakness. As a result, punters will need to love betting on the dogs to use BetDogs. However, if betting on the dogs is your thing, then by all means, sign up an account.
  • Lacking Betting Features: Since BetDogs has kept things simple with their betting features, advanced punters likely won’t enjoy the experience.

📋Conclusion

Overall, BetDogs has built a solid platform for punters that enjoy betting on Greyhounds. They will love the betting odds, bet types and the Greyhound specific features. But depending on your betting preferences, this either be a strength or weakness. If you love backing Greyhounds every day and night, they’re going to be an excellent choice. But if you’re looking for a bit more variety in your bets, they won’t be a good choice. We would recommend using them as a secondary betting site where you can use them for Greyhounds and sign up at another betting site for other racing and sports coverage.

BetDogs Full Review

BetDogs is the only dedicated Greyhound betting site in Australia and in fact, the world’s first. As a result, they are a different type of bookie compared to others in the market and we must keep this in mind throughout this whole BetDogs review.

In terms of the racing betting experience, it’s all about Greyhound racing and their decided dogs website can be considered one of the best in the industry. Firstly, they have excellent odds on Greyhound racing and this will allow punters to win more from their bets, which is always nice. There are betting markets for any Greyhound race in Australia and Internationally. They come with a solid range of bet types from the basic options of win/place to a few more unique options. On the downside, there’s obviously no Horse Racing or Harness Racing at this betting site. So unless you’re 100% betting on the dogs, you won’t be using BetDogs as your primary betting site.

Looking at the banking options, BetDogs aren’t the worst in this area but there’s room for improvement. Some betting sites have adopted PayPal and a bookmaker card, which is missing at BetDogs. However, they have the basic options for placing money into an account and this will suffice most punters. Requesting a withdrawal can either be placed using a credit card or bank transfer. Many betting sites offer these options so there’s nothing too special to mention in this case.

In regards to customer support, similarly to most of BetDogs offerings, they have the basic options available but there are areas of improvement needed. This includes a live chat service and a help / faqs section. Without these options, it will take longer to find an answer to common questions and waiting for a support team member to get back to you isn’t a great experience. However, BetDogs are Australian owned with friendly service and they do provide good support options if there is a problem.

There is no Mobile App at BetDogs, instead they’ve designed a mobile betting website. This acts like a mobile app however you just need to use a browser on a mobile phone instead of downloading an app. The mobile website is simply a streamlined version of the desktop website which comes with a few different design elements that make it easier to use on a smaller device. It is rare to see an Australian betting site without a betting app so this will be a key decision-maker for some.

Overall, we can safely say that BetDogs is an excellent platform for simply betting on Greyhound racing. They have impressive betting odds, a large range of betting markets and promotions for members are available. They keep things simple with their features as you won’t find the bells and whistles that some other betting sites offer. However, if you want to bet on sports or horse racing, you will be disappointed with BetDogs and creating an account would simply be a waste of your time. It’s Greyhounds or nothing at BetDog.

BetDogs Overall Score

Betting Variety: ⭐⭐
It’s difficult to give a good rating for betting variety as BetDogs is solely focused on Greyhounds. As such, there is no sports, esports or horse racing betting.

Banking Options: ⭐⭐⭐
They’re offering the basic options for depositing but need to improve their withdrawal options and add PayPal.

Mobile Experience: ⭐⭐⭐
There’s no mobile app but they have a decent mobile betting website instead.

Payout Speed: ⭐⭐⭐
They have two withdrawal options that will process payouts in a few business days. But they could add instant withdrawal methods in the future.

Security: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is a secure Australian betting site with all the security features in place.

Betting Experience: ⭐⭐⭐
They are missing a lot of common betting features that are available at other betting sites in Australia.

Customer Support: ⭐⭐⭐
They’re missing a live chat service and an FAQ section. But overall, you’ll find their customer support to be Australian owned and friendly.

BetDogs Racing

As BetDogs is a niche specific betting site for Greyhounds, it’s important to note that they don’t offer betting on Horse racing or Harness racing. The fact that BetDogs solely focuses on Greyhounds is the unique part about this bookie as the majority of Australian betting sites offer a wide variety of racing markets.

One of the benefits of their focus on Greyhounds is their betting odds are in favour of us – the punter. In comparison with other Australian betting sites, BetDogs generally offered $1 or more on fixed win bets for a large range of their Greyhound racing markets. So if you were to bet with BetDogs, you would stand to earn more money over a longer period compared to another betting site. So this is a huge positive and a win for the punters.

In regards to bet types, there are the basic options on offer with win / place bets. As well as popular exotics, such as trifecta and quinella. These bet types can be easily selected on every Greyhound race in Australia and Internationally. They also have unique bet types that give the punter an opportunity to win more from their bets, such as Win TOTE +5% and Place TOTE +5%.

In terms of statistics, they don’t have a form guide for dogs. However, this is pretty rare in the industry so we can’t be too critical. Instead, they have a graphic that explains how a runner will jump out of the box, whether they take the early speed and their preferred racing line. This gives us a good idea of how each runner is going to perform in the selected race and I can make an informed decision. Meanwhile, there are betting tips available on their website which just simply displays a few picks and suggested bets every day.

Specialised greyhound bookie, backed by Topsport!

BetDogs Best Features

Betting features can define a betting site as the betting experience is very important for users. You don’t want to sign up with a bookmaker that doesn’t offer enticing betting features because the experience will likely become stale or boring over time. So it’s important that we highlight the key betting features in our bookmaker reviews. Here are the top three features available at this bettings site.

BetDogs Bet Types

BetDogs has a wide variety of basic and unique bet types for placing bets on Greyhound racing. Some of the unique options include Win TOTE +5% and Place TOTE +5%. Meanwhile, you’ll find the common exotic bet types of a trifecta, quinella, exacta, first four and quaddie.

BetDogs Betting Odds

As we’ve highlighted throughout this review, betting odds is a key strength at this betting site. There are great odds on Greyhound racing every day and their odds are generally around $1 more than the competition. So betting on the dogs at BetDogs will mean you can earn more money from your bets.

BetDogs Betting Tips

There is a betting tips section available at BetDogs. They’ll aim to provide the best bets of the day and this will help punters make an informed decision.

BetDogs Betting Markets & Bet Types

This section will provide a shortlist of all the betting markets and types currently available at this betting site.

BetDogs Betting Markets:

  • Australian Greyhounds – There is betting markets for all Australian Greyhound tracks and meets.
  • International Greyhounds – They also provide markets for Greyhound racing in England and New Zealand for example.

BetDogs Types of Bets Available

  • Fixed Win
  • Fixed Place
  • Middle Tote
  • Middle Tote (Place)
  • Win TOTE +5%
  • Place TOTE +5%
  • Quinella
  • Exacta
  • Trifecta
  • First Four

📱 BetDogs Apps

Unlike the majority of Australian betting sites, BetDogs hasn’t built a mobile betting app. As a result, they are well behind the competition in this area.

Instead, they have a mobile website version available, which is basically a streamlined version of the desktop website. As such, there aren’t any missing features by using the mobile version, it’s just slightly different in design to cater for the canvas of a mobile device.

In terms of usability, it is very easy to find the latest Greyhound races to bet on in the racing section or homepage. The betslip is conveniently added to the bottom right-hand side of every page of the mobile version.

As we’ve mentioned throughout this BetDogs review, they definitely isn’t trying to be a game-changer in terms of advanced or new betting features. So if you’re looking for a mobile app that can take your betting experience to another level, BetDogs isn’t for you. They prefer to offer the basic options and this results in a speedy mobile version that doesn’t suffer any lag or usability problems.

💳BetDogs Banking

After creating an account, it’s time to add some funds and get started with your betting journey. At this bookmaker, you won’t find a large variety of unique options but the basics are on offer.

In terms of deposits, they currently have four payment methods available via:

  • Credit / Debit Card
  • POLi
  • BPAY
  • EFT

The credit / debit card will likely be the easiest and quickest instant payment option. But POLi is also available for instantly depositing funds. Meanwhile, it is possible to deposit money via a bank account. While this is a slower method, it is the most secure and safe way of adding funds. I always prefer to stick with instant payment methods so it would be nice to see PayPal offered as it’s one of the most popular payment gateways. As well as one of the most secure.

While for withdrawing funds, you are presented with two options – credit card or bank. To use the credit card withdrawal payment method, you will also need to deposit with a nominated card. Otherwise, a bank withdrawal is most likely the easiest way to access your earnings and this will hit your account in a few business days.

Overall, there’s nothing special to mention about their payment methods. They have the basic options that I see at other betting sites but would need to add a few more options to be considered a great provider of banking options. But if you just prefer using a credit card or a bank account, then the options will suffice.

Specialised greyhound bookie, backed by Topsport!

Is BetDogs legal in Australia?

After looking at the banking options at BetDogs, it’s also important to mention their security features. This is especially important in the betting industry as you’ll want to know your money is safe and secure. That’s why we only review and compare legal betting sites in Australia.

In terms of BetDogs, they are licensed and regulated in the state of New South Wales by Greyhound Racing. At the bottom of their website, they provide a variety of links to responsible gambling information and a deposit limit can be selected by users during registration or by editing account details.

BetDogs Customer Support

BetDogs currently has four customer support options available via phone call, email, fax and postal address. All of these options can be easily found on their contact page via the website.

They have multiple phone numbers for local Australian calls and this will provide access to a customer support operator. Meanwhile, they have a single email address that is used for all support questions.

As BetDogs is a very simple betting site, they haven’t focused heavily on customer support options as they are missing key features available at competitors. This includes the following missing features: FAQ / Help page and live chat.

So if customer support is an important factor in your decision, this betting site most likely won’t satisfy your needs. Because without a FAQs page or live chat, it will take longer to get an answer from a support team member, especially if the query is after normal business hours.

BetDogs How to

This section will aim to answer common how-to questions relating to BetDogs

🔎How to open an account on BetDogs

Opening an account at BetDogs is a simple three-step process via their website or mobile website.

Quick Summary:

  • Click on any BetDogs link or button on our website
  • Enter your correct personal details and follow the simple three step process
  • Once this process has been completed, the account will be created.

The first step will ask for your personal information, such as name, email and address. On the next screen, you will be asked to set a password, enter a date of birth and choose a deposit limit if needed. Lastly, the third step will show all the data you entered in the previous steps and you will simply need to click confirm to create the account.

Overall, this is a fairly standard registration process and should only take a couple of minutes

🔎How to place a bet

Placing a bet at BetDogs is a very simple process and we’ll explain the steps below:

  • Find an upcoming betting market in the left hand side menu
  • In the betting market, click on the odds next to the selected dog to add the bet to your betslip
  • The betslip will open on the right side of the website with the bet placed
  • Enter a betting stake in the text field next to the bet
  • After entering a betting stake, you can view the estimated return
  • To complete the process, click the red Confirm button
  • All pending bets will be available via the my account section.

🔎How to request a withdrawal from BetDogs

After placing a few bets and hopefully getting a win or two, it’s time to think about withdrawing funds. Luckily, it’s a simple process at BetDogs.

However, before a withdrawal can be made, your account must be verified with their support team. This will require a form of identification that shows your name, age and Australian residential address. You can use your driver’s license and/or passport for this verification and this process shouldn’t take too long.

Once your account is verified, here are the steps.

  • Login to your account
  • Click on the avatar in the top right corner and this will take you to the my account
  • Select Banking in the submenu
  • Choose between credit card withdrawal or bank withdrawal
  • Enter a withdrawal amount and confirm

Frequently asked questions about BetDogs

This section will aim to provide answers to some of the most common questions about betting with BetDogs. Using our experience of reviewing a large range of betting sites in Australia, we can provide our expert opinion. As well as honest advice that will help you in your decision on whether BetDogs is worth your time.

❔Who owns BetDogs?

BetDogs was created by the same owners and operators of TopSport Australia. The primary focus of BetDogs is to provide the best features, odds and markets for Greyhound racing.

❔Is BetDogs a legal betting site?

Yes, BetDogs is 100% a legal betting site in Australia. They are fully licenced for betting in the state of New South Wales and make sure to add responsibly gambling links/features to their website.

❔Does BetDogs have a mobile app?

At this stage, there’s no mobile app available because they prefer to offer a mobile website instead – m.betdogs.com.au.

❔What are the odds like at BetDogs?

As a niche Greyhound betting site, they perform well in this area with excellent odds available compared to the competition in Australia. We found their odds were generally increased by $1 or more for the majority of races in Australia and this is one of their key strengths.

❔Does BetDogs offer cash out?

There are currently no cash out options at BetDogs.

❔Can I watch live Greyhounds racing?

Unfortunately, BetDogs doesn’t offer live streaming of Greyhounds at this time. However, this is a fairly rare feature in the industry as there is only a small amount of bookies that offer this ability.

High odds, Ideal for beginners