Glossary

Betting Glossary

Action

A wager of any kind.

Book

A venue that accepts wagers on the results of horse races and sporting events.

Bookie

Person who takes clients bets.

Bankroll

Your available gambling money.

Beard

A friend, acquaintance, or other contact utilized to place bets to keep the actual bettor's identity hidden from bookmakers. Many professional handicappers and individuals in sensitive roles use this wagering method.

Buck

A $100 wager.

Buy Points

Buying Points allows you to adjust the point spread to reduce the points the favorite must cover or increase the points the underdog receives, applicable to both football and basketball. This requires an additional 10% fee for every ½ point bought in your favor. For NFL and NCAA football, there is an extra 15% charge when buying on or off 3 points, referred to as Key Points. If you buy through 3 points, the surcharge rises to 20%. Note: Basketball has no Key Points; the fee is a flat 10% per ½ point. For instance, if the Kansas City Chiefs (-3) are 3-point favorites, buying ½ point to make them 2.5-point favorites would require laying $125 to win $100.

Buy Point Table (Football Key Points)

Buy 1/2 point to 3		100/125
Buy 1/2 point off 3		100/125
Buy 1 point to 3		100/135
Buy 1 point off 3		100/135
Buy 1/2 point any other		100/120
Buy 1 point any other		100/130

Canadian Line

A mix of a point line and a moneyline in hockey.

Chalk

The favored team.

Chalk Player

A bettor who typically wagers on favored teams and seldom backs underdogs. Also referred to as Favorite Freddie.

Circle Game

A match where betting activity is heavily restricted. This usually happens in games involving significant injuries, bad weather, or unverified team rumors. Many bookmakers "circle" all Ivy League games.

Cover

To bet the spread by the exact number of points required. If this happens, you have "covered the spread".

Dime Bet

A $1000 wager.

Dog

The underdog in any betting scenario.

Dog Player

One who mostly plays the underdog.

Dollar Bet

A $100 wager.

Double Bet

A bet that is double the size of one's standard wager.

Due For

A team considered "due for" either a win or a loss; many bettors enjoy playing these "due for" situations.

East Coast Line

Primarily used in hockey, which features a split-goal line. For example, the NY Rangers (1 - 1 ½) are favorites over the Vancouver Canucks, differing from a goal spread plus moneyline (-1/2 -180).

Edge

Advantage.

Even Money

A wager where no vig or juice is charged.

Exotic Wager

Any bet that is not a straight bet, such as parlays, teasers, if bets, reverses, round robin, round robin box and reverses, etc.

Fixed

Point shaving. Never tell a client that a game is fixed!

Future Bet

Bets accepted well in advance.

Futures

Odds listed for the winners of major sporting championships before the event, such as the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Stanley Cup, and the NBA championship.

Getting Down

Making a wager.

Going Down

Losing.

Handicapper

An individual who analyzes and evaluates sporting events.

Handle

Total amounts of bets taken.

Hedging

Placing bets on the opposing side to minimize losses or secure a minimal guaranteed profit.

Holding Your Own

Neither gaining nor losing, essentially breaking even.

Hook

A half point included in football and basketball betting lines.

Hooked

Losing a wager by exactly half a point.

Hot Game

A game attracting significant action on one side from experienced handicappers.

Juice

The bookmaker's commission, also called vigorish.

Laying The Points

Betting on the favorite

Limit

The highest amount a bookmaker permits you to bet before adjusting odds and/or points. It is also the "cap" on your personal wagering limit.

Line

The displayed odds for a game (points or money line).

Linemaker

The individual who sets the original and subsequent betting lines.

Lock

Easy winner, can not lose.

Longshot

A team or horse with low chances of winning.

"The Man"

Bookie.

Middles

Winning both sides of a single betting proposition; for example, backing a favorite at -1.5 with one bookie and taking +3.5 with another; if the favorite wins by exactly 3 points, you have "middle the game"; a popular strategy among "Wise Guys".

Money Lline

A money line is available when there is no handicap, such as a point spread or run line, meaning the odds are not fixed. Payouts are calculated based on true odds rather than fixed ones. The favorite and underdog are assigned odds to win the match or fight.

The minus sign (e.g., -130) always denotes the favorite and the stake required to win $100. The plus sign (e.g., +110) always denotes the underdog and the profit earned on a $100 bet. Thus, based on the above money line, you wager $130 to win $100 on the favorite. For the underdog, a $100 bet yields $110.

Newspaper Line

The betting line frequently seen in daily newspapers. These lines are often approximate and can be completely inaccurate or misleading.

Nickel

A $500 wager.

Oddsmaker

The same as a line maker.

Odds On Favorite

A horse, team, or individual so heavily favored by the public that the odds are below even.

Off The Board

A game for which the bookmaker will not take bets.

Off Lines

The difference between the Las Vegas point spread and our computer-generated mathematical line.

Official Line

The line the bookmaker uses for betting. The Las Vegas line is often called the official line; however, the line your bookie offers is truly your "official line." Many sharp bettors track the Las Vegas official line to compare it with local bookies to see how much they are being "faded".

Outlaw Line

An early line that is not official. Line makers often permit specially chosen bettors to bet on the "outlaw line" before it is released to the public.

Winemakers respect these individuals and use their feedback to set the final opening number. This process is also known as "ironing" or "flattening" the line.

Overplay

An edge for the bettor where the price of a specific wager exceeds the actual probability of it winning.>

Over & Under

A wager on the combined score of both teams being over or under the total set by the sports book.

Parlay

All teams in the parlay must win for the bet to succeed; otherwise, it loses. 2-team parlays pay 13-5 odds. 3-team parlays pay 5-1 odds. 4-team parlays pay 8-1 odds.

Parlay Cards

Bets on at least 3 and up to 15 propositions; the more selections, the higher the potential payout.

Past Performance

Events that happened before the upcoming games.

Pick

Sometimes, there is no favorite in a game. In such cases, the game is considered a pick, and you can bet 10/11 (stake $110 to win $100) on either side.

Pick'em Game

No team is given a favorite status. Choose your side and lay 11 to 10.

Point spread

The point spread, frequently referred to as "the line," serves as a handicap to balance the odds against the favored team. The odds maker, or handicapper, assigns points (or goals) to the underdog strictly for betting contexts. Bettors are required to select either the favorite or the underdog. A minus sign designates the favorite (e.g., -8.5), while a plus sign indicates the underdog (e.g., +8.5). For betting calculations, the result is found by comparing the final game score to determine the difference between the two teams' totals, known as the point spread or simply the "spread".

For instance, the Green Bay Packers are listed as 8-point favorites against the Miami Dolphins (shown as -8 next to Green Bay on our "lines" page). If the final score is Green Bay 20, Miami 13, the actual margin is 7 points (20 minus 13). In this scenario, if you backed Miami (the "dog"), you would win, because Green Bay needed to win by at least 9 points to "cover the spread." Since Green Bay fell short by 2 points, a margin of exactly 8 would result in a "push" (analogous to a tie in Moneyline betting), meaning "no action" and the stake is returned to your available balance. If the handicappers set the line at a half-point (e.g., -8.5 for Green Bay), a push is impossible. In this case, there is always "action" regardless of the final margin. Typically, a $11 wager is required to win $10 ($21 returned to the winner), as 10/11 is the standard for point spread bets in most sports.

Post Time

The Schedule starting time.

Press

To bet a larger amount than usual.

Price

The odds or pointspread.

Proposition Bet

A bet placed on a specific detail of the match, such as the total number of field goals scored.

Puckline

Hockey wagers combine a handicap/spread with odds, a format known as the Puckline. Example line:

Boston		+1 (-110)
Detroit		-1.5 (-110)

The favorites are the Detroit Red Wings, who are giving up 1.5 goals to the Boston Bruins. For Detroit to win the bet, they must win the game by 2 goals. Placing this bet offers even money, meaning a $110 wager yields a $100 profit. If you are betting on Boston, you receive a 1.0 goal handicap; thus, if Detroit wins by exactly 1 goal, the result is a push. If the game ends in a draw or Boston wins, you win the bet. The odds remain at -110.

Push

If the game result matches the pointspread exactly, or if it is a tie when betting a moneyline, or if the final score equals the Sportsbook's posted total, the outcome is considered a "Push" or "No Action", and all wagers are refunded to the Available Account Balance.

Round Robin

A parlay betting format involving multiple combined team wagers. A 3-team robin consists of team 1 vs. 2, 1 vs. 3, and 2 vs. 3. A 4-team robin includes team 1 vs. 2, 1 vs. 3, 1 vs. 4, 2 vs. 3, 2 vs. 4, and 3 vs. 4. The pattern continues for 5-team robbins, etc.

Run Line

A line used when wagering on baseball.

Scouts

Individuals who analyze team gameplay and/or practices, then share their findings with handicappers.

Smart Money

Bets placed by more experienced and knowledgeable handicappers.

Sport Player

An individual who waits to place what they consider an exceptionally strong bet.

Steam

When a betting line shifts quickly; while most "steam games" don't always indicate the "right side," they are matches that the general betting public decides to focus on.

Score

To make a big win.

Scratch

To call off a wager.

Side

Occurs when one side of a wager wins while the other side ends in a tie.

Smart Money

Bets placed by more experienced and knowledgeable handicappers.

Sport Player

An individual who waits to place what they consider an exceptionally strong bet.

Star

Rating.

Steam

When a betting line moves very fast. Most "steam games" don't necessarily represent the "right side", but are matches where the majority of bettors choose to back one side.

The Store

Bookie.

Sucker Bet

A bet that is heavily unfavorable to the player, such as a public opinion game.

Taking

Betting on the underdog; accepting the available odds.

Totals

The sum of points, runs, or goals scored in a match; in baseball, if either of the two listed starting pitchers does not take the mound, the bet is automatically void.

Tout

An individual who sells their views on sports or horse racing bets.

Value

Securing the best available odds on a betting proposition; achieving the maximum possible edge.

Virgornish

The commission paid to the bookmaker.

Wager

Any Bet.

Wise Guy

A sophisticated gambler.

Wood

Laying points.