Sportsbook Glossary
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Accumulator
This is another term for parlay-.
Action
A valid Wager or bet. If a bet has action, it is a valid bet that will either win or lose. In Baseball a better can chose 'Action' meaning that it doesn't matter if the listed pitchers throw out the first pitch the wager will still be good. For an 'If' bet, action means that the wager continues on to the second bet if the first bet wins, ties, or if the game is canceled.
Added Game
An added game is one that is not part of the regular Las Vegas rotation. Added games usually involve smaller schools, where handicapping information is harder to obtain. Due to the lack of information, most bookmakers will 'Circle' the game to offset the lack of information.
AFC
American Football Conference (NFL)
AL
American League (MLB)
ALCS
American League Championship Series (MLB)
All-In
With all-in betting there are no refunds given for scratched or withdrawn competitors or teams in an event where a bet is placed. Should an event be cancelled then the amount bet will be refunded.
Ante Post
Another term for future wagers
ATS
Against the Spread or ATS refers to a bet involving the point spread instead of the actual result of the game.
Back Door Cover
When a team, usually out of the game, scores meaningless points to cover the spread; sometimes called a matador.
Bad Beat
A rough, unexpected, undeserved loss, a bad beat is often a result of an opponent's Back Door Cover.
Bankroll
The funds you have available for wagering.
Beard
Is a friend or partner of a sports bettor who places bets on behalf of the sports bettor to conceal the identity of the bettor.
Bet
To risk money on the outcome of an event.
Bet Limit
The maximum amount that can be placed on a particular event. Often books, after accepting the bet limit from a client, will adjust the lines in the books' favor and allow the client to exceed the limit.
Bettor
Is someone who places or has a bet. Often called a 'Punter' in the UK.
Board
List of available bets
Book
A book is a person or company that accepts wagers.
Bookie
Is a slang term for Book or Bookmaker
Bookmaker
See Book
Buck
Sports betting slang for a $100 wager
Buy (Points)
It is when a bettor will pay a premium to have the point spread move in his favor.
Canadian Line
the Canadian line is a combination spread and moneyline wager in hockey.
Chalk
Is a slang term for the favorite.
Chalk Player
Is a sports gambler who mainly bets on the favorite and rarely bets on the underdog.
Circled game
A circled game is a game that has lowered betting maximums and few betting options. Common reasons a game could be circled are inclement weather, an injury to a key player or rumors about a trade involving one of the teams.
Closing Line
The final list of point spreads offered before game time.
Cover
Is when a team wins on the point spread.
Cross Sport Parlay
Is a parlay that involves games from more than one league or sport.
Dime
Is sports betting slang term for a $1000 wager.
Dog
Slang for underdog
Dog Player
A dog player is one who usually bets on the underdog and rarely bets on the favorite.
Dollar
Like 'Buck' it's a slang for a $100 wager
Double action
An "if bet" in sports betting that is processed if the precedent bet wins, ties or cancels.
Double Bet
A double bet is a wager for twice the size of one's usual bet, also known as "double pop" or "doubling up."
Double Header
Two separate games played by the same teams on the same day.
Early Line
The first line posted for a game.
Edge
Any advantage or perceived advantage when sports betting.
Even Money
Is a bet that pays 1/1 with no Vig or juice.
Exotic
An Exotic is any wager other than a straight bet or parlay.
Exposure
The maximum amount of money a sports book stands to lose on a game.
Fade
To bet against a side.
Favorite
The competitor who is expected to win the event
Field
All of the individual competitors in an event or the group of the entrants whose odds are not individually listed to win an event, usually long shots. They are grouped together so that a bettor wins his field bet if any of the long shots win. Events with a large number of entrants, like golf or NASCAR, most often offer field betting.
FIFA
Fédération Internationale de Football Association
Fifty cents
Is slang for a $50 wager.
Final Four
The last four teams playing in the annual March Madness NCAA basketball national championship tournament
First half bet (1H)
Is a wager on only the first half of an event, most common in football and basketball.
Five Inning Line
Is a bet placed on only the first 5 innings of a baseball game.
Futures
Is a wager placed on the outcome of a future event such as the winner of the World Series or Super Bowl
Gamble
To risk money on the outcome of an event
Getting Down
is making a wager on an event.
Getting Value
is getting the best odds on a wager.
Grand Salami
An Over/Under wager on the grand total of goals scored in all the hockey games of the day
Grand Slam
The four most important tournaments in tennis: the Australian Open, the French Open, the US Open, and Wimbledon
The four major golf tournaments: The Masters, U.S. Open, British Open, PGA Championship (Professional Golf Association)
In baseball, a homerun with the bases loaded, scoring four runs.
Half time bet (2H)
A wager place on only the second half of an event, most common in football and basketball.
Handicap
Is another term for Point Spread
Handicapper
A person who studies, rates, and wagers on sporting events and/or races.
Handicapping
Is what a gambler does to predict the outcome of an event.
Handle
The total amount of money wagered on an event
Head-to-Head
A bet on the results between two or more participants in an event, such as golf or NASCAR, where the wagers are decided not by the outcome of the event but by who does better between the players in the wager
Hedging
is to wager the opposite way of a previous wager in order to cut losses or guarantee a minimum profit.
Hold
The percentage the house wins.
Home Team
The team playing in its own town
Hook
A hook is the half point added to a point spread.
Hot game
Is a game that is attracting a lot of action on one side by knowledgeable handicapper.
House
Is the Sportsbook or bookmaker
If Bet
A wager that links together two straight bets, where progressing to the second bet is dependent on the first bet winning. If the first bet wins, the second bet is placed; if the first bet loses, however, the second bet isn't placed.
Juice
The bookmaker's commission on a losing bet, also known as "vigorish."
Key numbers
Are the numbers that frequently affect the outcome of wagering. for example, 20% of all NFL games are decided by 3 points so 3 is a key number in the NFL.
Laying the Odds
"Laying Odds" means that you are wagering more money than you will win if your wager comes through. In such an instance a bettor believes himself to have a better than 50% chance of winning his bet.
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.
Limit
Is the maximum amount accepted by a sportsbook before the odds or points are changed.
Line
The current odds or point spread on a particular event.
Line Quality
A line may be normal, circled or sharp. A line would be circled due to injuries, weather or any other factor that causes the bookmaker to think the line may move drastically. Circled lines or circled games have restrictions on the maximum bet that will be accepted. A line would be sharp if the bookmaker expects the line to remain unchanged and there to be lots of wagering on that event. Sharp lines or sharp games have higher betting limits.
Lines maker
Is the person who establishes the first line or point spread for an event.
Listed Pitchers
A listed pitcher is a baseball bet that will be placed only if both of the pitchers scheduled to start a game actually start. If they don't, the bet is No Action
Lock
is a bet that is expected to be an easy winner.
Long Odds
Longshot, usually 10:1 odds or greater
Longshot
Is a competitor that has very little chance of winning.
March Madness
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship.
Margin
The amount a competitor in an event finishes in front of another competitor.
Middle
To bet both sides of a game at different prices, with the hope of winning both wagers
MLB
Major League Baseball
MLS
Major League Soccer
MMA
Mix Martial Arts
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.
Multi-Single
Are multiple single wagers placed at the same time
MVP
Most valuable player
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing
NBA
National Basketball Association
NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
Neutral Site
Arena, court or field where neither side has a home field advantage.
Newspaper Line
A sports line that appears in a daily newspaper
NFC
National Football Conference
NFL
National Football League
NHL
National Hockey League
Nickel
Slang for a $500 wager.
NIT
National Invitational Tournament
NL
National League (MLB)
NLCS
National League Championship Series
No action
A wager that is cancelled because the event didn't happen or certain conditions of the wager were not met.
Odds
The oddsmakers' prediction of the likelihood of a certain outcome of an event
Oddsmaker
A person who sets the betting odds and sells them to media outlets without taking action on them
Off the board
In sports betting this is a game on which the bookmaker will not accept action.
Offside
When action on an event is not balanced and the outcome could lead to a loss for the book.
Opening Line
The earliest line posted for a particular event.
Over
In sports gambling, the "over" is a sport's bet in which the bettor guesses that the combined point total of both teams will be above a specified total.
Overlay
When the odds on a proposition are in favor of the bettor rather than the house
Overtime (OT)
Extension to a tied contest at the end of regulation play that lasts until a winner is determined or maximum overtime periods expire.
Over/Under
A bet on whether the total points or goals scored by the two teams will be over or under a specified number
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.
Past Post
Action placed after the start of the event.
PGA
Professional Golfers' Association
Pick 'Em
An event where there is no favorite.
Player
Bettor, punter or gambler
Point spread
Also, know as the handicap, it's the number of points or goals allotted to one the underdog or taken from the favorite to even the chances of winning for both sides.
Postponed
The cancellation and rescheduling of an event for another date for any reason
Power Ratings
The strength of a team in comparison to another team
Press
To place a larger wager than usual
Price
The moneyline or point spread
Prop (Proposition) Bet
A wager on an outcome that is not directly related to the final score. Prop bets are often on statistical totals for players or individual teams as well as on the outcomes of current events such as reality TV or elections.
Puckline
Odds of a goal spread instead of using a Canadian Line in hockey, where both a goal spread and money line are played.
Push
When the contest ends with no winner or loser for wagering purposes
Punter
Bettor, player or gambler
Quarter Line
A bet placed on a specific quarter of a basketball or football game.
Rain out
A game that is cancelled due to bad weather
Referee
A person who has authority to make decisions about play in a sport Officials in some sports are known by a variety of other titles, including umpire, judge or linesman.
Return
The total amount you are paid on a winning wager.
Reverse
When you place a reverse bet, two 'If' bets are placed for you
one in the original order and the other in reverse order.
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
Is baseball's version of a point spread.
Ryder Cup
A golf tournament involving various match play matches in which every two years the top American and European golfers meet at venues alternating between the two continents. It was first competed for in 1927 and, until 1973, when Ireland was included, involved only the US and Great Britain. In 1979, it was expanded to include Europe.
Score
Win a lot of money.
To gain (1 or more points) in a game or contest
A usually numerical record of a competitive event
Scratch
Withdraw; cancel.
Sharp
A description of a sophisticated or professional sports bettor
Shutout
When a team fails to score during a game or contest
Sides
In sports betting, the names of the two teams playing; the underdog and the favorite
Single
Another term for a straight bet
Single Action
An "if bet" in sports gambling that is processed only if the precedent bet wins.
Sport Player
A bettor who waits for games and events that he's believes are very strong wagers.
Sportsbook
a person or company that accepts bets.
Spread
a short form of Point Spread
Square
A novice sports bettor
Stanley Cup
Best-of-seven series between the Eastern and Western conference champions in the NHL to determine the NHL Champion.
Standard Line
The line at which a money line, attached or otherwise, is set and is presumed to be at if not shown for a game or a spread.
Store
Another term for a Bookie
Straight bet
A single wager on a competitor to win or lose.
Straight-up
A bet that only requires the team to win without a point spread attached.
Super Bowl
One football game for the NFL Championship played between the winners of the American and National Football Conferences.
System
A method of betting, usually mathematically based, used by a bettor to try to get an advantage by looking for trends from past games in order to more accurately predict the outcome of future games.
Theoretical Hold Percentage
The edge the bookmaker would have if the odds guaranteed him a constant commission regardless of the outcome.
Taking the points
Betting on the underdog on the spread
Taking the price
Betting on the underdog on the moneyline
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 transaction record of your wager
Tie
See Push
Toss Up
A game where the teams are very close to even and the lines may as well be even; a pick 'Em.
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
Trends
Using the past to predict the future outcome of a team's results
True Odds
The real odds of something happening as opposed to what bookies offer
Two & Three Ball Betting
A golfing bet that involves predicting which player from either a group of two or three will shoot the lowest score over 18 holes. Usually found under the Golf Props section.
UEFA
Union of European Football Associations
UFC
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Under
an under is a wager in which the bettor guesses that the total points scored by two teams will be under a certain total.
Underdog
The team perceived to be most likely to lose. Also known as the "dog"
Underlay
When the odds on a proposition are in favor of the house.
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
Wager
To risk money on the outcome of an event
Win only
A type of 'If' bet where the wager continues on to the second bet only if the first bet wins. If the first bet is graded "Push" or "No Action" or the game is canceled altogether, your money is refunded.
Wise guy
A wise guy is the sports gambling term for a well-informed or knowledgeable handicapper or bettor.
WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
Wood
The Price of a very heavy favorite
World Series
Championship of Major League Baseball (MLB). The seven game final of the baseball playoffs between the AL and NL champions to determine the world champion.
X-Factor
An unknown or intangible that could affect the outcome of a game but can't be measured by the senses. It could be a newborn in the family, a death or the effect of crowd noise on adrenaline.
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