Learn your way around racing.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| AGC | American Greyhound Council, Inc., a non-profit group jointly supported by American Greyhound Track Operators Association members and National Greyhound Association members, the purpose of which is to provide for the betterment of the welfare of racing greyhounds and the greyhound industry. |
| AGTOA | American Greyhound Track Operators Association, a non-profit corporation comprised of the owners and operators of greyhound race tracks. |
| All-America Team | The eight top racing greyhounds selected each year by American Greyhound Track Operators Association. |
| ARCI | Association of Racing Commissioners International, Inc., based in Lexington, Kentucky. |
| Bertillon Card | A greyhound's identification card that lists 56 physical identifying points for every registered racing greyhound. |
| Blanket | A covering for a greyhound bearing a number and color corresponding to post position. |
| Breeder | The individual who is the owner or lessee of his or her dam at the time of whelping. |
| Calls | The position of each greyhound at specific points around the track during a race. |
| Career Record | A series of five numbers indicating, in order, a greyhound's total number of starts, followed by first place, second place, third place, and fourth place finishes. Often preceded by an abbreviation showing the track at which the starts were recorded. |
| Chart | A record of each race showing finish, calls, odds and comments describing each racer's performance; useful to handicappers studying a greyhound's past performance. |
| Flashy Sir Award | Given each year to the nation's top distance (3/8-mile) greyhound by the National Greyhound Association; named for an outstanding distance greyhound of the mid-1940's. |
| GROC | The Greyhound Race of Champions, the premier annual event in American greyhound racing, sponsored by the AGTOA. |
| Grading System | Method of assuring greyhounds compete against racers of similar caliber; grades are assigned according to performance, with the top grade being "A". |
| Greyhound Hall of Fame | A museum and shrine to the greats of the sport. Located in Abilene, Kansas. |
| In the Money | A first-, second- or third-place finish. |
| Interference | Intentional physical contact which obstructs or impedes the running of another greyhound. After being called for interference, a greyhound must run in a non-wagering race before he can compete again. |
| Kennel | A business that cares for and races greyhounds under contract with one or more race tracks. |
| Leadout | A handler employed by the track who parades racers in front of the public before a race and places the greyhounds in the starting box. |
| Lure | A mechanical device attached to an arm and electrically driven around the racing strip. The lure operator keeps it a uniform distance ahead of the greyhounds. |
| Matinee | A program of racing conducted during the daylight hours. |
| Mutuel Handle | The total sum wagered for a single performance or a full meeting. |
| Muzzle | A wire, leather or plastic devise, with a white tip, which is fitted over the greyhound's mouth and jaws and used as an aid in a close photo finish. |
| NGA | National Greyhound Association, made up of greyhound owners, breeders and trainers; recognized as a registry for racing greyhounds in the United States. |
| O.P. Smith | Owen Patrick Smith, inventor of a revolutionary mechanical lure circa 1912 that could travel around a circular track; considered the "father" of American greyhound racing. |
| Paddock | The area of lockout kennels, scales and the inspection ring. |
| Pari-mutuel Wagering | Taken from the French term meaning "betting between ourselves," wagering in which winnings are taken from the total amount of money. The system insures that you never wager "against the track" but only against other players. The track acts as your agent and collects a percentage as fixed by Rhode Island law. This form of wagering offers better odds of winning. Approximately 80% of all wagered money is returned to the public in the form of winnings. The Rhode Island Department of Business Regulations, Division of Racing & Athletics has adopted a comprehensive set of rules regarding each different type of wagering pool. |
| Perfecta | A wagering term describing the first two greyhounds to cross the finish line in exact order. |
| Place | A wagering term describing the second greyhound to cross the finish line. |
| Post | A greyhound's box or post position number. A greyhound's number always corresponds to the number of his starting box. |
| Post Time | The time the first race of a performance begins, or any other race on the program. |
| Program | A printed guide to the day's races, including details such as the specifications and grades of individual races, track records, post positions, past performances, handicappers' selections, results of the previous day's races and entries for the following day or night. |
| Quiniela | A wagering term describing the two greyhounds finishing first and second in either order. |
| Racing Commission | A state or county regulatory agency that oversees all aspects of greyhound racing. |
| Rural Rube Award | Given each year to the nation's top sprint (5/16-mile) greyhound by the National Greyhound Association; named for an outstanding sprinter of the late 1930s. |
| Show | A wagering term describing the third greyhound to cross the finish line. |
| Sprint | A race run over 5/16 of a mile or shorter distance. |
| Stakes Race | A race for a championship or for a purse larger than those offered for ordinary feature races. |
| Starter | A greyhound is a starter for the race when the doors of the starting box open. |
| Takeout | The money taken from the betting pool by track management for the state and for the association. |
| Tattoo | An identification number placed inside the ear of a registered racing greyhound. |
| Totalisator Machine | A computerized system that records amounts wagered, prints tickets for bettors, calculates odds and displays them on screens throughout a race track. |
| Trainer | A kennel employee whose responsibility is preparing greyhounds for racing. |
| Trifecta | A wagering term describing the first three greyhounds to cross the finish line in exact order. |
| WGRF | World Greyhound Racing Federation, the worldwide promotion association for the sport. |
| Wheel | A wagering term describing the selection of a greyhound to win, place or show with every other greyhound in the race. |
| Win | A wagering term describing the first greyhound across the finish line. |
| Wire | The finish line for a race. |
IRS Regulations
By the order of the Internal Revenue Service, winnings of $600 or more, unreduced by the amount of wagers, must be reported for every person paid gambling winnings from greyhound racing. Form W2-G must be filled out for every person paid $600 or more in winnings, if such winnings are at least 300 times the amount of the single wager. Form W2-G must be filled out and Federal income tax must be withheld at the rate of 28% on any winning payments of $5,000 or more if at least 300 times the amount of the single wager. If more than one person shares in the winnings from a single wager, the AGGREGATE amount of the winnings shall determine whether or not the winnings are more than $5,000. In case of multiple wagers sold on one ticket, each wager shall be considered separate and distinct for purposes of computing the amount to be reported or withheld, and Federal income tax must be withheld if the winnings amount to more than $5,000. Taxpayer identifying number and another ID must be presented before payment can be made. No metal Social Security cards will be honored. Foreign National takeout is 30% if the winnings amount to more than $600.
Effective January 1, 1993, NEW AGGREGATION REGULATION require that gambling winnings from IDENTICAL WAGERS be aggregated to determine whether those winning are subject to 28% withholding tax. For example, when a wining ticket in the $600 to $5,000 range is presented for payment, the cashier at the designated IRS window is required to ask the patron if they have identical wagers, and if so how many. All such wagers must be presented at the same time for aggregation by the cashier. Should the patron state that they have no additional identical wagers it will be shown on the form. The accuracy of a patron's action will be determined by the IRS. The same rule applies to residents of another country, but Federal income tax withholding of 30% is required. (An IDENTICAL WAGER is one in the same race and wagering pool, not-withstanding that the type of wager is a box, key, or wheel.)
An additional 7.70% State of Rhode Island tax will be withheld on all winnings requiring Federal tax withholding.