Betting University

Betting Dictionary

Across the Board (Horseracing)

(See ‘Place’) a bet on a horse to win, place or show. Three wagers combined in one. If the horse wins, the player wins all three wagers, if second, two, and if third, one.

Action

A bet, a sports gambling wager

Added Game

For sports betting, a game not part of Las Vegas regular rotation posted as an accommodation to customers.

ATS

“Against the spread”

Beard

A person who places a bet in order to mask the identity of the real bettor.

Book

A place that accepts bets on sporting events.

Bookie

A person who accepts wagers

Box (Horseracing)

A wagering term denoting a combination bet whereby all possible numeric combinations are covered.

Buck

Sports betting term for a $100 wager.

Buy (Points)

In sports betting, a player pays an additional price to receive half a point or more in his favor on a point spread game.

Canadian Line

In sports betting the Canadian line is a combination point spread and money line in hockey.

Chalk

A favorite.

Chalk (Horseracing)

Wagering favorite in a race. Dates from the days when on-track bookmakers would write current odds on a chalkboard.

Chalk Player

A person who almost always plays the favored teams in sports betting.

Circled Game

In sports wagering this is a game in which the betting action is reduced; usually occurs in added games, games with injuries, bad weather, propositions, or halves of games. These games cannot be included in parlays or teasers.

Cover

A point-spread win.

Daily Double (Horseracing)

Type of wager calling for the selection of winners of two consecutive races, usually the first and second.

Dead Heat (Horseracing)

A tie. Two or more horses finishing equal in a race.

Dime

A $1,000 wager in sports gambling.

Dime Line

In sports betting a Dime line is a line where the juice is 10%.

Dog

The team assumed more likely to lose.

Double Bet

A wager that is twice the size of a usual wager.

Edge

A persons Advantage when it comes to sports betting.

Even Money

Sports betting term “Even money” is a bet whose odds are 1/1; a wager in which no vigorish or juice is laid.

Exotic

In sports gambling the term Exotic is any wager other than a straight bet or parlay – also called a prop or proposition.

Exotic (Horseracing)

Any wager other than win, place or show.

Exposure

The maximum amount of money a sports book stands to lose on a game.

Favorite

In sports betting this it the team expected to win an event. The quoted odds reflect the extent to which the choice is favored.

Favorite (Horseracing)

The most popular horse in a race, which is quoted at the lowest odds because it is deemed to have the best chance of winning the race.

Fifty Cents

$50.00 of sports betting action.

Figure

For sports betting, Figure is the amount owed to or by a bookmaker.

First Half Bet

In sports betting this is a bet placed only on the first half of the game.

Future

In sports gambling odds are posted in advance on the winners of various major events including the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Stanley Cup, and the NBA Championship this is called a Future bet.

Getting Down

Sports wagering meaning making a bet.

Grand Salami

A sports betting term meaning the grand total of goals scored in all the hockey games of the day. It can be wagered to go Over/Under.

Half a Dollar

$50.00 in sports betting action.

Half Time Bet

In sports betting this is a bet placed only on the second half of the game.

Handicapper

When it comes to sports betting a handicapper is one who studies, rates and wagers on sporting events and/or races.

Handicapper (Horseracing)

The official who decides the weights to be carried in handicap events, and the grading of horses and greyhounds.

Handicapping

In sports gambling this is the attempt to predict the outcome of sporting events.

Handle

A sports wagering term that means the total amount of bets taken.

Hedging

A sports betting term that means placing wagers on the opposite side in order to cut losses or guarantee a minimum amount of winnings.

Hook

In sports betting a Hook is a half point added to football and basketball betting lines.

Hot Game

Sports betting term for a game which is drawing a lot of action on one side by knowledgeable handicappers.

Juice

The bookmaker’s commission on a losing bet, also known as “vigorish.”

Late Double (Horseracing)

A second daily double offered during the latter part of the program. See ‘Daily Double’.

Laying the Points

Betting the favorite by giving up points.

Laying the Price

In sports wagering, laying the price means betting the favorite by laying money odds.

Layoff

Sports betting term for money bet by a house with another bookmaker to reduce its liability.

Limit

In sports betting limit is the maximum amount a bookmaker will allow you to bet before he changes the odds and/or the points.

Line

In sports betting, the current odds or point spread on a particular event.

Linemaker

In the sports betting industry this is the person who establishes the original and subsequent betting lines.

Listed Pitchers

In sports gambling a listed pitcher is a baseball bet which will be placed only if both of the pitchers scheduled to start a game actually start. If they don’t, the bet is canceled.

Longshot

In sports wagering this is a team or horse perceived to be unlikely to win.

Middle

To win both sides of the same contest in sports betting event. Wagering on the underdog at one point spread and the favorite at a different point spread and winning both sides.

Money Line

Odds expressed in terms of money. With money odds, whenever there is a minus (-) you lay that amount to win a hundred dollars, where there is a plus (+) you get that amount for every hundred dollars wagered.

Move the Line

A player pays an additional price to receive half a point or more in his favor on a point spread game.

Nickel

$500.00, in on a sports gambling wager.

Nickel Line

A sports wagering line where the juice is 5%.

No Action

A wager in sports betting in which no money is lost nor won.

Oddsmaker (Horseracing)

A person who sets the betting odds. (Sportsbooks or Bookies don’t set the odds. Most major sportsbooks use odds set by Las Vegas oddsmakers.)

Off the Board

In sports betting this is a game on which the bookmaker will not accept action.

One Dollar

$100.00 in sports betting action.

Outlaw Line

Term for the earliest line in sports betting. This is an overnight line which only a handful of players are allowed to bet into.

Over

In sports gambling the “over” is a sports bet in which the bettor guesses that the combined point total of two teams will be above a specified total.

Parlay

In sports wagering, a bet with two or more teams in which all teams must win or cover for the bettor to win and receive higher payouts.

Parlay (Horseracing)

(Also, Accumulator) A multiple bet. A kind of ‘let-it-ride’ bet. Making simultaneous selections on two or more races with the intent of pressing the winnings of the first win on the bet of the following race selected, and so on. All the selections made must win for you to win the parlay.

Pick ‘em

When neither team is favored. Also called a “pick” in sports betting terms.

Point Spread

In sports betting this is the predicted scoring differential between two opponents as quoted by a sports book.

Press

In sports betting this means to wager a larger amount than usual.

Price

Sports betting term for the odds or point spread.

Prop (Proposition Bet) Bet

In sports gambling this is a special wager offered by the sports book on unique and various topics. These wagers can be on sporting events, politics, and even trial outcomes. The wagers use the money line format of pay off odds and might included who scores the first touchdown in the super bowl, who will win the next presidential election, or whether or not O. J. will be found guilty.

Puckline

A puckline for sports wagering is giving odds of a goal spread instead of using a Canadian Line in hockey, where both a goal spread and money line are played.

Puppy

The underdog.

Push

When the contest ends with no winner or loser for wagering purposes.

Round Robin

In sports betting this a series of three or more teams in 2-team parlays.

Run Down

In sports gambling this is all the lines for an specific date, sport, time, etc.

Run Line

In baseball a spread used instead of the money line.

Runner

One who places bets for another when it comes to sports betting.

Scouts

Person(s) who waits for what he thinks is an unusually strong wager. AKA. Sports Player.

Sharp

When it comes to sports betting a sharp is a sophisticated or professional gambler.

Sides

In sports betting, the names of the two teams playing: the underdog and the favorite.

Single Action

An “if bet” in sports gambling that is processed only if the precedent bet wins.

Spread

A spread in sports wagering is the predicted scoring differential between two opponents as quoted by a sports book. See “point spread.”

Square

A novice when it comes to sports betting.

Steam

In sports betting steam is when a line starts to move rapidly. Most “steam games” do not necessarily reflect objective circumstances, but are games that a mass of bettors are drawn to for some reason.

Store

A bookie or sports betting establishment.

Straight Bet

In sports betting this is a wager on just one team or horse.

Taking the Points

When it comes to sports gambling this means betting the underdog and its advantage in the point spread.

Taking the Price

In sports wagering this means betting the underdog and accepting money odds.

Teaser

A teaser is a special type of parlay in sports betting in which you adjust the point spread or total of each individual play. The price of moving the point spread (teasing) is lower pay off odds winning wagers.

Ticket

A sports betting wager.

Tie

In sports betting a tie is a wager in which no money is lost nor won because the teams’ scores were equal to the number of points in the given line.

Total

The combined amount of runs, points or goals scored by both teams during the game, including the overtime.

Totals Bet

In sports gambling this is a proposition bet in which the bettor speculates that the total score by both teams in a game will be more or less than the line posted by the sports book.

Tout

Someone who sells their expertise on sports wagering.

Under

When it comes to sports betting a under is a wager in which the bettor guesses that the total points scored by two teams will be under a certain figure.

Underdog

The team perceived to be most likely to lose. Also known as the “dog” in sports betting terminology.

Value

In sports betting value means getting the best odds on a wagering proposition; the highest possible edge.

Vigorish

The bookmaker’s commission on a losing bet; also known as juice in sports betting.