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Sports Betting Glossary
Sports Betting Glossary
Sports Betting Glossary
Sportsbook School 101 is designed to instruct the discerning sports player in the basics of sports gambling.   The Sportsbook School 101 Glossary is a comprehensive list of definitions of sports terminology, a valuable resource to the sports betting beginner and a handy reference tool to the experienced player.
 
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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 
Glossary of Sports Betting Terms
 
A
 
ACCOUNTANT
What some players call their bookmaker
 
ACCUMULATER
(see also: Parlay, If-Come) A multiple wager.  Simultaneous
selections on two or more games with the intent of pressing the
winnings of the first win on the bet of the following game selected, etc. 
All selections made must win in order to win the accumulator
 
Across the board:
A term generally used in horse racing when betting on a horse to win, place & show
 
Action:
A wager of any kind is deemed action if valid. Different rules apply in different sports as to whether a wager is action or no action (e.g., baseball wagers are action when the game goes beyond 4 1/2 innings.
 
Action points:
In an action point wager the customer is paid for every point his team covers the point spread, or is charged for every point his team does not cover – plus 10%. The player determines the amount for each point, and sets a point cap, usually from 10 to 50 points
 
Agent:
A person who places customers into a book for a commission.
 
Alpo:
The underdog (see Underdog).
 
Arbitrage:
Where a variation in odds available allows a player to back both sides and guarantee a win.
 
B
 
Back Door:
Occurs when a team that has no real chance of winning, yet covers the pointspread.
 
Backed:
As in a “backed” team. One that is heavily wagered by many bettors
 
Bad Beat:
Occurs when a bettor loses a game he thought he had won. Opposite of “Back Door Cover”.
 
Banker:
Highly expected to win. The strongest choice in a multiple selection in a parlay or accumulator.
 
Beard:
A friend or acquaintance or other contact who is used to place bets so that the bookmaker will not know the identity of the actual bettor. Many top handicappers and persons occupying sensitive positions use this method of wagering.
 
Beef:
A dispute with your bookie about the accuracy of a wager.
 
Book:
An establishment that accepts wagers on the outcome of horse racing and sporting events.
 
Bookie:
Short for bookmaker.
 
Bookmaker:
An individual who accepts wagers on the result of an event based upon the provision of odds to the customer.
 
Bow-Wow:
A slang term for underdog.
 
Buck:
Refers to $100. Same as “Dollar”.
Buying Points:
The player can buy points to their advantage in complete games for football and basketball, on the side or total. In football, when buying off or on to a three-point spread, there is an extra 10% charge on the juice.
C
Chalk:
The favored team or horse.
 
Chalk Eater:
An individual who usually wagers only on favored teams, rarely betting on the underdogs.
 
Circled Game:
A game where the maximum bet is limited. The sportsbook or bookmaker places a limit on the amount of action they are prepared to take on the game. This is most often due to doubts about key players, key injuries, inclement weather or unsubstantiated rumors regarding a team.
 
Closing Line:
The final list of point spreads offered before game time.
 
Cover:
To win the game by more points than laid, or to lose by less points than taken. A pointspread win.
 
D
 
Dime:
A reference to $1,000, as in a “dime bet”.
 
Dividend:
The agreed payout or return on any bet.
 
Dog:
Short for “underdog”.
 
Dog Player:
One who mostly plays the underdog.
 
Dollar:
A reference to $100, as in a “dollar bet”.
 
Double Bet:
A wager for twice the size of one’s usual wager; also known as “double pop” or “doubling up”.
 
Due For:
A streak team that is overdue for a win or a loss; many bettors like to play “due for” situations.
 
Draw:
When competitors in an event finish evenly, as in boxing.
 
E
 
Earn:
Practical hold percentage.
 
Edge:
An advantageous betting position; could be to the player or the house.
 
Even Money:
A wager on which a side lays no juice or vigorish.
 
Exotic Wager:
Any wager other than a straight bet, i.e., parlays, teasers, if bets, reverses, round robin, round robin box reverses, etc.
 
Exposure:
The amount of money the house actually stands to lose on a game or a race.
 
Extension:
The amount of money the house theoretically will risk losing on a game or a race.
 
F
 
Favorite:
The team or individual the sportsbooks rate most likely to win that contest or event. Typically, it is the team or individual on which the most money is wagered.
 
Field:
1) All the individual competitors in an event 2) Odds offered on non-listed (outsiders) players, teams or horses collectively called the Field.
 
Figure:
The amount in your online betting account; or what you won or lost last week.
 
Firing:
A player who is frequently betting large sums.
 
Fixed Odds:
Regardless of how much the odds may fluctuate, they are fixed at the time of the wager.
 
Flea:
A player who wagers minimally, but who expects to be rewarded as one who places larger wagers.
 
Form:
1) Short for Racing Form 2) When horses perform according to their past performance, they are said to “run to form”.
 
Futures:
Odds posted on the winners of various major sports championships in advance of the event, including but not limited to the Super Bowl, World Series, Stanley Cup and the NBA Championship.
 
G
 
Getting Down:
Making a wager.
 
Grand:
Reference to $1,000.
 
Grand Salami:
The total number of goals scored in all the hockey events for a given day. The player may wager on either over or under the total, or “grand salami”.
 
Grand Slam:
The four major tennis tournaments – Australian Open, Wimbledon, French Open, US Open. Also, the four major golf tournaments – The Masters, US Open, British Open, PGA Championship.
 
H
 
Handicapper:
An individual who analyzes various factors leading to an event (e.g., weather, injuries, statistics) and who predicts outcomes.
 
Handle:
Total amount of money wagered on an event.
 
Hedge:
To reduce the amount of action by wagering on the opposite side of an earlier wager, thereby reducing a potential loss or to guarantee a minimal profit.
 
Hold:
The percentage of the total handle that the house wins.
 
Home Field Advantage:
Edge the home team is expected to have as a result of familiarity with the playing area, favorable demographics, and the negative effect of travel on the visiting team.
 
Hook:
A half point in point spreads, as in “won by the hook”.
 
Hoops:
The game of basketball.
 
Hot Game:
A game that is drawing a lot of action on one side by knowledgeable handicappers.
 
I
 
If Bets:
A chain of straight plays, usually from two to five, where the player will have action on the second straight bet if the first play wins.
 
J
 
Juice:
The bookmaker’s commission, also known as vigorish or vig.
 
L
 
Layer:
Another term for bookie.
 
Layoff:
A bookmaker’s wager with another bookmaker, enabling the first bookmaker to eliminate excess action on one “side” or another, thereby reducing risk and balancing the book.
 
Limit:
Maximum wager accepted by the house for a given event.
 
Line:
The betting proposition on a game and/or payoff odds on the bet.
 
Linemaker:
The person who establishes the original and subsequent betting lines.
 
Listed Pitchers:
In baseball: players specify that one or both of the pitchers scheduled to start the game actually start. If they don’t, the bet is canceled.
 
Lock:
Almost a certain winning wager. An easy winner.
 
Long Shot:
A huge underdog.
 
M
 
Middle:
To win both sides of the same game by wagering based on a line difference. For example, betting the favorite at –2.5 with one bookmaker, then betting the underdog at +3.5 with another bookmaker. If the game ends with the favorite winning by 3 points, the player then “middled” the game; a favorite betting method of “Wise Guys”.
 
Money Line :
The amount that must be wagered to win $100, or the amount won for a $100 wager. The wager can be on any sport, but whomever wins the game or event wins the bet.
 
Morning Line:
The early release of odds on sports events, usually in reference to horse racing.
 
Mush:
A bettor who seems to bring bad luck wherever he goes.
 
MVP:
Most Valuable Player.
 
N
 
NBA:
National Basketball Association.
 
NCAA:
National Collegiate Athletic Association.
 
NFL:
National Football League.
 
NHL:
National Hockey League.
 
Neutral Site:
Arena, court or field where neither side has a home field advantage.
 
Newspaper Line:
The betting line which quite often appears in the daily newspaper; the lines are only approximate and quite often are totally misleading and inaccurate.
 
Nickel:
The total of five “dollars”, or $500.
 
O
 
Odds:
The sportsbook’s view of the chance of a competitor winning (adjusted to include the commission, or vigorish).
 
Oddsmaker:
An individual who sets the betting odds. (Sports books do not set the odds. Most major sportsbooks use odds set by Las Vegas odds makers).
 
Odds-On:
A wager with a minus sign, executed in reverse; the amount wagered to win $100.
 
Off The Board:
A game on which sportsbooks are not accepting wagers. Games may go “off the board” due to injuries to key players.
 
Online Betting:
A legal way to bet on sports over the internet that is secure and convenient.
 
Outlaw Line:
An overnight line not used by casinos or offshore establishments.
 
Outsiders:
Those contestants that are not expected to win. Same as “long shot”.
 
Out:
A source of betting, as in bookmaker; usually refers to an illegal bookmaker.
 
Overplay:
When the odds on a proposition are in favor of the bettor rather than the house; also, the odds on a horse that are greater than the morning line.
 
Over/Under:
A wager on whether the total points, runs or goals scored by the two teams will be over or under a specified number.
 
P
 
Parlay:
(also, accumulator) 1) A sport bet with two or more teams in which all teams must win or cover for the bettor to be successful and receive a premium payout; 2) a wager on two or more horse races in which the winnings are carried over to the next race.
 
Past Performance:
What has occurred previous to the forthcoming games.
 
Past Post:
A bet made after the start of a game or horse race.
 
Picks:
Betting selections usually made by a handicapper.
 
PK or Pick'em:
A game where neither team is favored; an even game in which the bettor takes his “pick” and lays 11/10 odds.
 
Place:
Finish in second place, usually in a horse race.
 
Player:
A bettor.
 
Pointspread:
Only used in football and basketball to make the game even by adding points to the score of the underdog or subtracting points from the favorite. The “line”; the handicap, or head start that the favorite gives to the underdog for betting purposes.
 
Press:
To bet a larger amount than usual.
 
Price:
The betting line; the odds or pointspread.
 
Puppy:
The underdog, or “bow-wow”.
 
Pucks:
The game of hockey.
 
Push:
A tie game, when the pointspread is factored in; neither side wins and all money is returned to the bettor.
 
R
 
Round Robin:
A series of three or more teams that form all possible combinations of two-team parlays (from 3 to 6 teams).
 
Rundown:
A summary updating the current betting lines.
 
Run Line :
A line used in baseball. The favorite is minus the runs, but usually combined with a positive money line; the underdog is plus the runs but the player must risk more to win less.
 
Runner:
One who places bets for another; a “beard”.
 
S
 
Scalper:
A player that lays a low number and takes a higher number, usually playing at no risk. Also, someone who sells tickets to certain events at prices considerably higher than face value.
 
Scamdicapper:
A handicapper (tout) who is untrustworthy, making false promises about win percentages.
 
Score:
A player’s big win.
 
Scouts:
Persons who study team plays and/or practice and report findings to handicappers.
 
Scratch:
To withdraw from or cancel an event; most often in horse racing.
 
Sharp:
A sophisticated or professional sports bettor; a “wise guy”.
 
Shorten:
Reference to odds getting shorter; that is, less attractive to the bettor.
 
Shortstop:
A small bettor.
 
Shut Out:
In horse racing; when the betting window closes while the bettor is waiting in betting line. Also, in sports betting, when the losing team does not score.
 
Single:
A straight bet on one selection to win one event or race; also known as a straight-up bet.
 
Smart Money:
Sides that are bet on by the more knowledgeable handicappers.
 
Sport Player:
A player who waits for what he thinks is an unusually strong wager.
 
Sportsbook:
The website or casino that accepts sports wagering.
 
Spread:
Short for “point spread”.
 
Square:
An unsophisticated gambler; a rookie.
 
Stanley Cup:
The trophy awarded to the NHL Champion.
 
Steam:
When a large amount of money moves to one side of a game and the betting line moves rapidly; most “steam games” do not necessarily reflect the “right side”, but are games that the mass of bettors somehow decide to key on.
 
Stone:
A bookie.
 
Store:
A sportsbook.
 
Straight Bet:
A single wager, as opposed to a parlay, for example.
 
Sucker Bet:
Exotic betting propositions that give the house a greater advantage.
 
T
 
Take A Price:
Bet on the underdog, taking the points.
 
Tapped Out:
Out of money; often the result of pressing or chasing.
 
Teaser:
A bet on two or more teams where the bettor can add or subtract points from the spread to make the bet stronger. All selections must match the selections to win the teaser.
 
Tips:
Selections and predictions of each competitors performance for an event from an expert or observer.
 
Toss Up:
A game where the line is close to pick-em.
 
Total:
The number a player bets either over or under, as in the total runs, points or goals scored in a game.
 
Tout Service:
A company or individual that either sells or gives away selections on sporting events.
 
U
 
Underlay:
When the odds on a proposition are in favor of the house.
 
Underdog:
Opposite of favorite; the team that receives a point start in a handicap.
 
Uniforms:
Officials, referees.
 
V
 
Value:
Getting the best odds on a wager.
 
Vigorish/Vig
The commission paid to a sportsbook or bookmaker; also called “juice”
 
W
 
Welch:
To fail to pay a gambling debt.
 
Win Only:
Betting on a competitor to win an event, also known as “Straight Out” or “Money Line” betting.
 
Wise Guy:
A professional sports bettor; one who plays the steam.
 
Wood:
Laying points.
 
Z
 
Zebras:
Referees.
Sportsbook School 101
  • How to bet on Auto Racing
  • How to bet on Football
  • How to bet on Hockey
  • How to bet on Baseball
  • How to bet on Soccer
  • How to bet on Golf
  • How to bet on Tennis
  • How to bet on Cycling
  • How to bet on Cricket
  • How to bet on Boxing
  • How to bet on Basketball
  • Telephone wagering
  • Global Sports Betting Industry
  • Horse Racing wagering guide
  • How betting lines are made
  • Responsible sports betting
  • Sports bet types
  • Sports betting glossary
  • Horse Racing glossary
  • Standard horse Racing rules
  • Sports Standard Rules
  • Internet sports betting
  • Tips for successful betting
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