During World War II, I was stationed for a time in Orlando, Fla. and it was there that I was introduced to a new sport - Greyhound dog racing.

A popular place called Orlando-Sanford dog track attracted huge crowds every evening. I decided to investigate the sport so my wife Chris and I spent a night watching the greyhounds chase the mechanical bunny. I didn't know one dog from the other but believe it or not, we won 90 bucks. Thinking I was an expert, we returned to the track numerous times but never once came home with a winning ticket.

The sport was a hot item back in the 40s but today tracks throughout the country are having a tough time staying alive.

One of the most successful dog tracks in operation for many years is Wonderland in Revere, Mass. In the track's heyday, thousands flocked there daily to watch and wager on greyhound racing. Today, Wonderland's 20,000-seat grandstand is closed. On a recent evening, an hour before the first race, only a few dozen regulars were in the clubhouse.

Mike Vozzella, a faithful fan at Wonderland for the past three decades told the Associated Press, "It's a computer age." said Vozzella, who routinely bets up to $3,000 a day on dozens of simulcast races across the country. "They can bet on the computer. They can watch races on the computer. They don't have to go to the track anymore."

The track veteran remembers when it was tough to find a parking spot and a seat in the clubhouse.

The total money wagered at Wonderland has dropped from a peak of $195 million in 1990 to less than $10 million last year. While other forms of legalized gambling are enjoying a renaissance, the greyhound racing industry is fighting for survival.

Increased competition from casinos, lotteries and Internet betting has led to heavy losses at many of the nation's 46 greyhound tracks and some smaller tracks are on the brink of closing.

Eric Wilson, president of the American Greyhound Track Operators Association, recently said, "we're a resilient industry but we are going through a rough time now. We can only hope it doesn't get worse."

Two major dog tracks in Plainfield, Conn., and Wood Village, Ore. have closed at least temporarily in the past year. Plainfield has the misfortune to be a short drive from two casinos in southeastern Connecticut. Plainfield lost more than $1 million last year and $600,000 in the first quarter of 2005, but plans to reopen as a domed auto racetrack.

The arrival of simulcast wagering in the early 1990s was a boom for the racing industry, which includes thoroughbred and harness race tracks. Most recently, tracks in several states have turned to slot machines to stay afloat

Slot machines aren't an option for Wonderland. Massachusetts lawmakers consistently have rejected plans to allow the state's four race tracks to install slots.

"It's all about slot machines; that's the evolution of the business," said Richard Dalton, Wonderland's president and chief executive officer. However, Dalton said the track wasn't in imminent danger of closing. The shareholders have decided to stick with it for an indefinite period of time.