Martingale – A system of betting based on doubling your bet each time until you win. Match – A game of defined length with 2 or more contestants or teams. Match Betting – A bet on the outcome of a match; MLB – Major League Baseball (USA). MLS – Major League Soccer (USA). Monkey – Slang for £500. Morning Line – An advance forecast. Sports Betting terms may seem confusing at first, but the meaning of a term helps paint the picture to your story. Below is a list of key betting terms you're more than likely to come across at some point in your life when reading about or discussing a particular contest you're interested in wagering on.
Below is a list of sports betting terms, definitions and slang words.
Action: A wager of any kind and the total amount of money being wagered on any game. In baseball wagering, this means placing a bet regardless of the listed pitchers.
ATS: “Against the Spread”. The outcome of using a point spread. Ex. The Giants were a -7.5 favorite to win and actually won the game by 8. This means they won “against the spread”.
Bankroll: The total amount of money the bettor plans to gamble with.
Bet: Any wager that is risked on the outcome of any sporting event or any event for that matter.
Buck: A $100 bet. Vegas online casino.
Chalk: A team or player that is favored to win.
Chalk Player: A player who mostly wagers on favored teams and rarely bets on underdogs.
Circled Game: A game where the maximum bet is reduced and cannot be included in parlays or teasers. Betting action is limited due to uncertainties of key injuries, weather conditions or rumors regarding a team.
Cover: To win a bet against the point spread.
Daily Double: A horse racing wager where a player must pick the horses to win in each of two designated races.
Dead Heat: When two horses finish in a tie.
Dime bet: A $1000 wager.
Dog: The team or player predicted to likely lose a game or matchup. The dog always has a + sign on lines and point spreads. Also known as the underdog.
Dog Player: A bettor who usually bets on underdogs.
Dollar Bet: A $100 wager.
Double Action: An “if bet” that is processed if the precedent bet wins, ties or cancels.
Edge: An advantage.
Even Money: A wager on which neither side lays any juice or vigorish. The odds are even for both teams.
Exacta: The first two horses to place in a race.
Exotic Wager: A bet such as first half, second half, futures, run lines or money line wagers.
Exposure: The amount of money the bookmaker will risk losing on a game or race.
Favorite: The team or player expected to win an event. The odds reflect the extent to which the choice is favored.
First Half Wager: A bet placed on only the first half of a game.
Furlong: A unit of distance used in horse racing equal to 1/8 of a mile or 220 yards.
Futures: Odds posted on an event or outcome taking place some time in the future, such as the Super Bowl, World Series, the Stanley Cup and the NBA Championship.
Gross Win: The amount of winnings before subtracting the expenses.
Grand Salami: The grand total of goals scored in all hockey games of the day. It can be wagered to go Over or Under the total.
Half Time Bet: A bet placed only on the second half of the game. ( Includes Overtime).
Handicapper: One who handicaps, studies, rates and wagers on sporting events or horse races.
Handicapping: Studying and predicting the outcome of sporting events.
Handle: The total amount of bets taken.
Hedging: Placing a bet on the opposite side in order to cut losses or guarantee a profit from the same previous wager.
Hold: The percentage the house wins.
Hook: A half-point in pointspreads.
Hot Game: A game that draws a significant amount of action on one side by professional handicappers.
Juice: The bookmaker’s commission, also known as vigorish.
Laying points: Betting the favorite by giving up points.
Laying the price: Betting on the favorite by laying moneyline odds.
Limit: The maximum amount a bookmaker will allow you to bet before he changes the odds and/or the points.
Lines: The current odds or pointspread on any particular sporting event.
Linemaker: The person who establishes the original and subsequent betting lines.
Listed Pitchers: When betting on baseball, a wager placed that pitchers scheduled to start a game, actually start. If they don’t, the bet is voided.
Lock: A sure winner.
Longshot: A team or horse unlikely to win or have a chance at winning.
Middle: To win both sides of the same betting proposition. Betting the favorite team at -2 1/2 with one sportsbook and then taking +3 1/2 with another one. The game ends up with the favorite winning by exactly 3 points, you have then “middle the game”. A favorite betting method of “wise guys”.
Moneyline: Odds expressed in terms of money. The amount you must bet to win 100 in favorites or the amount you win on underdogs. Whenever there is a (-) minus you lay that amount to win a hundred dollars, where there is a plus (+) you receive that amount for every hundred dollars wagered.
Move The Line: A player pays an additional price to receive a half-point or more in his favor on a pointspread.
Nickel: A $500 wager.
Nickel Line: A line where the juice is 5%.
No Action: A bet in which no money is won or lost. A cancelled or voided wager.
Off the Board: A game on which bets are no longer accepted.
Mgm Sports Betting
Official Lines: The line that the sports books use for wagering purposes.
Overlay: When the odds of a given propositon are more in favor of the bettor than the house.
Over/Under: The combined scores of both teams competing in a game being wagered on. Betting whether the total score will be over or under the expected posted total.
Parlay: A single bet including two or more teams in which all teams must win or cover for the bettor to win and receive higher payouts.
Perfecta: In horse racing, a wager in which the player selects the two horses in a race to finish in 1st and 2nd places in exact order.
Pick’em Game: A game which neither team or betting option is the favorite. Also called a “pick”.
Place: A horse racing wager in which a horse finishes first or second.
Pleasers: A pleaser is a group of NFL side straight bets combined into one bet.
Pointspread: The handicap, or head start, which the favorite gives to the underdog for betting purposes.
Press: To bet or wager a larger amount than usual.
Price: The odds or pointspread.
Push: A pointspread that ties or combined scores of the two teams that tie the total.
Proposition Bet: A wager on a particular aspect of a game, such as how many touchdowns will be scored, etc.
Quinella: In horse racing, a wager in which the player selects the two horses in a race to finish in 1st and 2nd places in any order.
Reverse: In horse racing, to ask for a second exacta wager which specifies two horses in reverse order of the first exacta wager.
Round Robin: A series of three or more teams in 2-team parlays.
Run Down: A line update. All the lines for a specific date, sport, time, etc.
Run Line: In baseball, a spread used instead of a moneyline. Usually set at 1 either way.
Scratch: In horse racing, a horse that has been withdrawn from a race before the start. Wagers on this horse are voided.
Show: A horse racing bet in which you collect if the horse finishes first, second or third.
Sides: The names of the two teams playing: the underdog and the favorite.
Sided: When one side of a betting proposition wins and opposite side ties.
Single: A bet on a single result or outcome.
Single Action: An “if bet” that is processed only if the precedent bet wins.
Spread: An abbreviated form or another word for a point spread.
Square: Unsophisticated or unknowlegable gambler.
Straight Bet: A bet on one team or player.
Taking the points: Betting on the underdog and taking the advantage in the point spread.
Taking the price: Betting an underdog and accepting money odds.
Teaser: A bet on two or more teams where the line on each team is adjusted in the favor of the bettor by a fixed number of additional points. Like a parlay bet, all selections must be correct for the teaser to win.
Ticket: Any Wager.
Total: The combined number of points scored by both teams during a game, including overtime.
Totals Bet: A bet in which the bettor speculates that the total score of both teams will be more or less than the line posted.
Trifecta: A horse racing bet in which a player selects three horses in one race to finish first, second and third in exact order.
Under: A bet in which the total points scored by two teams will be under a certain amount.
Underdog: The team perceived to likely end up losing. The team given points in a pointspread.
Value: Getting the best available odds on a betting proposition.
Vigorish: The commission paid to the sportsbooks.
Wager: Any bet.
Wise Guy: A well-informed and knowledgeable handicapper or bettor.
Like many other industries, the sports betting world has its own jargon and many terms, lingo can be confusing. Our Sports Betting 101 Glossary provides a quick and simple definition of often-used terms that you may read on VegasInsider.com or hear at your local sportsbook.
Sports Betting Resources and Terms
Action: Any bet.
Added Game: A matchup that is not part of the daily betting rotation. 'Added Games' are often make-up or rescheduled games that were expected to be played on a previous date. In pro baseball, it's likely Game 2 of an unscheduled double-header from a rainout.
Alternate lines: Some sportsbooks may offer different (or alternate) point spreads that pay different odds for the same game. These provide bettors more options to wager on certain games.
ATS: Against the spread
Arbitrage: Savvy bettors who try to scalp the market by playing both sides of a particular matchup, with hopes of cashing a middle. The hope is to guarantee getting money back regardless of the outcome.
Bankroll: The total amount of money a bettor can spend on a betting app.
Beard: Messenger bettor, used at brick and mortar casinos and sportsbooks if the real bettor wishes to remain anonymous.
Beef: Dispute
Betting Trends: Stats that show the total amount of money wagered on a game
Sports Betting Websites
Buck: $100
Buying Points: Paying additional money to move the point-spread in a direction of your preference. Often used in football, bettors will buy 'on' or 'off' key numbers to avoid losing by a point or two.
Chalk: Favorite in a game by a large margin
Chalk Eater:Bettor who is known for betting on the favorites consistently
Churn: The effect of betting and rebetting money, similar to Arbitrage
Circle Game: Game where action is limited due to uncertainties about weather, injuries, etc
Cover: Win by more than the point-spread
Dime: $1,000
Dollar: $100
Dog: Abbreviation for Underdog, team expected to lose the game
Draw: A tie, used often in Soccer and sometimes in Boxing or Mixed Martial Arts
Earn: Practical hold percentage
Edge: Advantage
Even Money: When a selection has no juice or vig involved. A $100 wager will win $100, while normal wagers would make bettors lay $110 to win $100.
Exotic Bet: Action other than a straight bet or parlay, often unusual bets you won't see in many places. Can be listed under prop bets in sportsbooks.
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.
Favorite: The team in a sports betting matchup that is expected to win. In football and basketball, the favorite gives points while in moneyline sports, the favorite has to lay a higher price in order to cash a ticket.
Figure: Amount owed by or to a bookmaker
Firing: Betting a lot. A player who is 'firing' is wagering large sums
Fractional Odds: Not used commonly in the United States. These are odds used mainly in Europe. Odds are listed in fraction form (1/10) instead of as a moneyline (-100).
Futures: Wagers where bettors can invest in the future outcome of a team to win a particular event, even if it isn't in the near future. Example – bettors often choose a team to win the World Series or Super Bowl and receive higher payouts based on the numbers from the oddsmakers depending on how far out the event is.
Grand Salami: A popular NHL wager where bettors handicap the total number of goals scored in all games for one day. Some sportsbooks may offer alternate versions for home, away, or periods of games during the day. Some sportsbooks may offer a similar bet for runs in Major League Baseball but this is mostly used in hockey.
Gross Win: Win before expenses
Handicapper: One who studies sports and predicts outcomes of teams and players.
Play fluffy favourites online. Handle: Total amount of bets taken
Hedge: Bet the opposite of your original wager in order to reduce the amount of action you have on a game
Hold: The percentage the house wins
Hook: Half point in point-spreads, as in 'lost by the hook'
Home Field Advantage: Edge the home team is expected to have as a result of familiarity with the playing area, favorable demographics and effect of travel on the visiting team
Hoops: Basketball
Hot Tip: Information the bookmaker is not yet privy to
In-Game Wagering: The ability to bet on a sporting event after the game has already started and until it concludes.Also known as live betting.
Sports Betting Terms And Phrases
juice: Bookmaker's commission, most often refers to the 11 to 10 football bettors lay on straight wagers; vigorish
Key Numbers: Most often heard in pro football, the key numbers are the most common margins of the final outcome. The key numbers in the NFL are 3, 7 and 10 points.
Layoff Bet: A wager made by one bookmaker with another to help balance his action and reduce his potential risk or losses
Limit: Bet the opposite of your original wager in order to reduce the amount of action you have on a game
Line: The betting proposition on a game and/or payoff odds on the bet
Live Betting: See In-Game Wagering. Becoming more popular as most betting apps seem to have this feature now.
Lock: An easy betting win.
Long Shot: Large underdog
L3, L5, L10: Last Three, Last Five, Last 10
Marker: Credit offered at Casinos.
Moneyline: Used often in sports like baseball, hockey and soccer -- these odds are set on the straight up winner of the matchup. There is no point-spread with moneylines. Just pick the winner!
Middle: To win both sides of a game. For example, if you bet the underdog +3 1/2 and the favorite - 2 1/2 and the favorite wins by 3, you've MIDDLED the book. The book has BEEN MIDDLED.
Neutral Site: Arena, court or field where neither side has a home field advantage. For example the Super Bowl most years.
Nickel: $500
Odds: Numbers used to determine the favorite and underdog of a sporting match. Unless the game is a pick 'em, there is always a favorite or underdog.
O/U: Over/Under
Off the Board: Game where bets are no longer being accepted. This often happens when there is unknown about a key player's injury status.
Overlay: When the odds on a proposition are in favor of the bettor rather than the house
Parlay: A bet with two or more teams where all the teams must win for the bettor to be successful. The more events in a parlay, the more money there is to cash in on but the harder it becomes to win the wager.
Past Post: To make a bet after an event has started
Pick or Pick'em: A game where neither team is favored
Point-Spread: A number or line set by oddsmakers to provide an advantage or disadvantage based on the margin of victory or defeat for the teams in the matchup. There is always a favorite (-) and an underdog (+). The most popular type of betting in the United States, mainly used in both football and basketball.
Practical Hold Percentage: The amount won by a bookmaker divided by the total amount booked
Press: To bet a larger amount than usual
Public Dog: When betting trends lean heavily to an underdog
Public Trends: Betting Percentages showing money and ticket count for games
Puppy: Underdog
Push: Tie. The bettor doesn't win or lose money, almost as if the bet didn't happen (Parlays not included).
(ROI): Return on Investment.The amount of money you win on a wager, or your return on your investment or stake.
Reverse-Line Movement: When a line (point-spread) moves in the opposite direction of the betting percentages. Some pundits believe you can follow sharp money with reverse-line movement, especially when the trends and lines differ drastically.
Round Robin: A series of parlays. A three-team round robin consists of one three-team parlay and three two-team parlays
Rundown: Line update
Run-Line: A popular pro baseball wager where the favorite (-1.5) must win by two plus runs to win or the underdog (+1.5) must win or lose by less than two runs to win.
Runner: See Beard
Score: To win a lot of money
Scratch: Withdraw or cancel
Sports Betting Slang
Sharp bettors: Money wagered by bettors be that a sportsbook operator respects. Sharp money often comes from large wagers placed by professional bettors. It should be noted that not all large wagers are considered Sharp.
Side: To win one side and tie the other. For example, if you lay -2 1/2 and take 3 on the same game and the favorite wins by 3 you have SIDED the book. The book has been SIDED
Steam: When the odds change because of the money wagered on a game or participant is primarily one-sided for a team. Some bettors will chase the steam thinking the other bettors know something they may not but instead they are just mostly all following the trend.
Straight Bet: A bet on just one team
Sucker Bet: Bet with a large house edge
system: When bettors and handicappers develop angles based on historical or seasonal stats.
Take a Price: Bet the underdog, take the points
Tapped Out: Broke, busted, common result of pressing
Teaser: A wager used in football and basketball that allows bettors to combine two or more selections together while adjusting the points on those selections.
Tissue Price: The initial odds offered by the sportsbook. This price is usually considered a much fairer deal for the bettor.
Toke: A tip or gratuity
Toss Up: Game where the line is close to a pick-em and either side is expected to win.
Tout Service: A business that sells opinions on sporting events
Trend: Daily, Weekly and Seasonal angles that bettors and handicappers often follow or fade in their wagers.
Triple Sharp: The sharpest of the sharp, (Note: There is no such term as 'Double Sharp')
Unit/s:Amount bet on a game.
Wager: A bet
Win Totals: A future wager that allows bettors to handicap the number of victories and losses of a team during the course of a regular season.
Underdog: The team in a sports betting matchup that is not expected to win. In football and basketball, the underdog receives points while in moneyline sports, the 'dog can net a positive return if it wins.
Underlay: When the odds on a proposition are in favor of the house
Value: An overlay
Wire-to-Wire Commonly seen in the NBA, a bet where a team will lead after every quarter for the entire game.