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ACTION |
The amount of money being wagered on a game. |
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BAD BEAT |
A hard loss. |
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BOOKIE |
A person or organization that sets the lines and books the bets in sports. |
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BANKROLL |
The amount of money the player plans to gamble. |
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BEARD |
A messenger bettor. Someone who places bets on behalf of another person so that the bookmakers will not know the identity of the actual bettor. |
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BEEF |
A Dispute |
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BUCK |
A $100 wager. |
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CHALK |
The team favored to win. |
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CHALK PLAYER |
A person who usually wagers on the favored teams. A.K.A Favorite Freddie, chalk eater |
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CIRCLE GAME |
A game where the betting action is severely limited due to uncertainties about key injuries, inclement weather conditions, or unsubstantiated rumors regarding a team. |
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COVER |
To win by more than the pointspread. |
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DEGENERATE |
A compulsive gambler. |
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DIME BET |
A $1000 wager. |
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DOG |
The underdog in any betting proposition. A.K.A. Puppy |
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DOG PLAYER |
A person who usually bets on the underdog. |
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DOLLAR BET |
A $100 wager. |
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DOUBLE BET |
A wager twice the amount of one's normal wager. |
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EARN |
The practical hold percentage |
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EDGE |
An advantage |
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EVEN MONEY |
A wager on which the odds are 1-1. |
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EXOTIC BET |
A bet other than a straight bet or parlay |
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EXPOSURE |
The amount of money the house will risk losing on a game or race. |
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EXTENSION |
The amount of money the house theoretically stands to lose on a game or race. |
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FIGURE |
Amount of money owed to or by a bookmaker. |
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FIRING |
Wagering huge sums of money. |
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FLEA |
An annoying person who wants something for nothing. One who expects to be comped for a $2 wager. |
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FORM |
The performance expected of a team according to how they look on paper. |
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FUTURE BET |
Bets accepted well in advance of the events. |
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GETTING DOWN |
Making a bet. |
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GOING DOWN |
Losing a bet or bets. |
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GROSS WIN |
The amount of winnings before subtracting the expenses. |
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HANDICAPPER |
A person who studies sports and predicts its outcome. |
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HEDGING |
Betting on the opposite side in order to cut losses or guarantee winning a minimal amount of money. |
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HOLD |
The percentage the house wins. |
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HOLDING YOUR OWN |
Neither winning or losing, just breaking even. |
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HOOK |
A half point in pointspreads. |
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HOOKED |
Losing a bet by exactly one-half a point. |
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HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE |
The edge the home team is expected to have as a result of familiarity with the playing area, fan support, and the effect of travel on the visiting team. |
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HOOPS |
Another term for Basketball. |
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HOT GAME |
A game that draws a significant amount of action on one side by knowledgeable handicappers. |
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HOT TIP |
Insider information that the bookmaker cannot divulge. |
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JUICE |
Bookmaker's commission, also known as the vig or vigorish. |
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LAYING THE POINTS |
Betting on the favorite. A.K.A. lay a price |
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LAYOFF BET |
A bet made by one bookmaker with another in order to balance the action and reduce the risk on one side. |
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LIMIT |
The maximum bet accepted by a house or bookmaker before he changes odds and/or the points. |
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LINE |
The listed odds on a game and/or payoff odds on the bet. |
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LINEMAKER |
The person who establishes the original and subsequent betting lines. |
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LOCK |
A sure winner. |
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LONGSHOT |
A large underdog where the odds of winning is quite steep. Hence the term "Not by a longshot". |
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"THE MAN" |
The Bookmaker. |
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MIDDLES |
To win both sides of a game. |
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MONEY LINE |
The odds expressed in terms of money. |
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NEUTRAL SITE |
Venue of a sporting event where neither side has a home field advantage. |
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NEWSPAPER LINE |
The betting lines appearing in the daily newspapers. |
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NICKEL |
A $500 wager. |
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ODDSMAKER |
The same as a linemaker. |
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ODDS ON FAVORITE |
A horse, team or individual so favored by the public that the odds are less than even. |
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OFF THE BOARD |
A game on which no bets are accepted. |
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OFF LINES |
The difference of amount the Las Vegas pointspread has compared with the computerized mathematical line. |
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OFFICIAL LINE |
The line that the bookmaker uses for wagering purposes. |
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OUT |
An illegal bookmaker |
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OUTLAW LINE |
An early line which is not an official line |
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OVERLAY |
When the odds of a given proposition are more in favor of the bettor than the house. |
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OVER & UNDER |
A wager for the total score by both teams will more or less than the total posted by the sports book. |
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PARLAY |
A bet with two or more teams where all the teams beat on must win in order for the bettor to win the wager. |
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PAST PERFORMANCE |
What has occurred previously to the forthcoming games. |
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PAST POST |
To make a bet after the event has begun. |
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PICK'EM GAME |
A game where team is favored. |
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PLAYER |
A bettor, or gambler |
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POINTSPREAD |
The amount of points the bettor must give to take on any given game. |
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POST TIME |
The scheduled starting time. |
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PRACTICAL HOLD PERCENTAGE |
The amount won by a bookmaker divided by the total amount booked. |
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PRESS |
Betting a larger amount than usual. |
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PRICE |
The odds or pointspread. |
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PROPOSITION BET |
A wager on a particular aspect of the game such as how many field goals will be made. |
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PUPPY |
The underdog. |
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PUSH |
Where neither team wins and all money is returned to the bettors. |
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ROUND ROBIN |
A form of parlay betting in which we wager various combining team wagers. A 3-team robin is team 1 to 2, 1 to 3, and 2 to 3. 4-team robin is team 1 to 2, 1 to 3, 1 to 4, 2 to 3, 2 to 4, and 3 to 4. 5-team, etc. |
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RUN DOWN |
A line update. |
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RUNNER |
A.K.A. Beard |
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SCALPER |
A person who attempts to profit from the differences in odds from book to book by betting both sides of the same game at different prices. |
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SCORE |
To win big. |
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SCRATCH |
To withdraw or cancel a wager. |
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SCOUTS |
Person(s) who study team plays and/or practice and report findings to handicappers. |
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SIDE |
Winning one side of a wager and tieing the other side. |
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SMART MONEY |
Sides that are bet on by the more knowledgeable handicappers. |
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SPORT PLAYER |
A person who waits for what he thinks is an unusually strong wager. |
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SQUARE |
Unsophisticated gambler. |
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STAR |
Rating. |
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STEAM |
When heavy action occurs on one side. |
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STRAIGHT BET |
A bet on just one team. |
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THE STORE |
Bookie. |
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STUCK |
Behind, losing, buried, down for the week. |
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SUCKER BET |
Betting on the underdog. |
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TAKE A PRICE |
Bet the underdog, take the points. |
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TAPPED OUT |
Broke, busted, common result of pressing. |
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THEORETICAL HOLD PERCENTAGE |
The edge the bookmaker would have if the odds guaranteed him a constant commission regardless of the outcome. |
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TOKE |
A tip or bonus. |
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TOSS UP |
A game where the line is close to pick-em. |
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TOUT SERVICE |
A business that sells opinions on sports or horse wagers. |
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TRIPLE SHARP |
The sharpest of the sharp. |
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UNDERLAY |
Having the odds of a proposition lean in favor of the house. |
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VALUE |
Getting the best available odds on a betting proposition. |
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VIRGORISH |
The commission the bookmaker receives. |
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WAGER |
Any Bet. |
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WISE GUY |
A sophisticated and successful sports bettor. |
