A
Accountant
A term used by some players for bookmaker, i.e., bookie.
Ace
Used to describe a person who is trustworthy.
AFC
An acronym for the American Football Conference in the National Football League (NFL).
Action
A wager is deemed “action” once it is valid. An example of “no action” would be a baseball game being rained out in the first inning, rendering it invalid. Also, referring to the total amount wagered within a specific time period. For example, 10 bets of $20 each amounts to $200 in action.
Agent A middleman who places players into a sportsbook for a commission.
Ahead
A point during play where the player is winning, i.e., the value of his wins exceeds his losses.
Ajax
UK term for betting tax.
American Line
A hockey line expressed as goals (as opposed to a money line).
Angle
Any questionable deception or ruse by a player to unduly influence the outcome and thereby increase his expectations. A player with an angle, even though technically legal, is not often welcome among polite company.
Arbitrage
A variation in odds that enables a player to back both sides and guarantee a win.
B
Backdoor Cover
Meaningless points scored to cover the spread, by a team that is likely to lose.
Backer
A person or group of persons who provides the bankroll for a particular player but remains behind the scenes.
Bad Beat
A tough, unforeseen loss when an underdog hand surprisingly wins the pot against the odds against seemingly better hands. This term is often used to imply that the winner of the pot had no business being in the pot at all, or to suggest dumb luck played a large part in the win. This term may also be applied to a situation where winning points are scored against a wager in the dying seconds of a game, or the favored horse loses by a nose, after leading all the way.
Bank
A gaming establishment or player that acts as the banker during a game or series of games and uses their own money to cover bets. The term also refers to a bankroll.
Banker
A punter’s “sure thing”, a lock. In permutation bets, the banker is a selection that must win to guarantee returns.
Bankroll
The total available wagering funds held by the player.
Basic Strategy
A playing system adopted by a player with the idea of optimizing his edge over the house in the longer term.
Beard
A person who places bets through another player to hide his identity from a sportsbook or odds-maker.
Beef
A dispute or claim involving a player and his bookmaker.
Bet
The amount of money a player voluntarily risks on cards, sports or other games. The bet can be in the form of cash, chips or vouchers. Also see, wager.
Bettor
A person who places or has a bet (US). A bettor is also called a player in the US and a punter in the UK.
Bet Spread
The ratio between the maximum and minimum bet size. A player who uses $50 maximum bets and $5 minimum bets is using a 10:1 bet spread.
Betting Limit
The set minimum and/or maximum amount of money that the player can wager on a single bet. The player cannot bet less than the minimum or more than the maximum amount posted.
Blow Back
A loss of gains/profit after enjoying a plus in the winnings column.
Book
A sportsbook or betting establishment that sets odds and accepts wagers on the outcome of sporting events. Also refers to a bookmaker’s tally of amounts bet on each event, and the odds necessary to assure him of a profit.
Bookie
A short term for bookmaker, i.e., the person or shop accepting bets.
Bookmaker
A (UK) person who is licensed to accept wagers on the outcome of various gaming events. Such wagers are based on odds provided to the player by the bookmaker. The equivalent term commonly used in the US is sportsbook.
Bottle
Slang for odds of two-to-one in the UK.
BR
An abbreviation for bankroll.
Break-Even Point
The point at which a player’s bets approximately equal the payoffs received.
Buck
A bet of $100 in US funds. A buck is also known as a dollar or a one dollar bet.
Buy
To buy points in order to change the point spread or over/under to the player’s advantage. Points are purchased on a half-point interval scale. For each half-point purchases, the juice increases by 10 per cent.
Buy Price
The higher figure quoted by an index bookmaker in spread or index betting.
C
Canadian
A multiple bet consisting of 26 bets (10 doubles, 10 trebles, 5 4-folds and 1 5-fold) with 5 selections in different events (also known as a “Super Yankee”).
Canadian Line
A hockey line expressed as a money line.
Carpet
UK slang for odds of three-to-one. Also known as “tres” or “gimmel”.
Chalk
The favored team, side, contestant or horse in a sports event.
Chalk-Eater/Chalk-Player
A player who tends to wager only on the favorites, rarely on the underdogs.
Chartwriter
A statistician who compiles records and writes comments describing the performance of each horse or player.
Circled Game
When the sportsbook limits the action it’s prepared to take on a particular event, usually due to uncertain weather, significant injuries or unconfirmed rumors regarding a contestant or team.
Clone Joint
A sportsbook that moves lines to conform with other sportsbooks.
Cover
To bet the point spread by the required number of points. If a wager is made in this way, the player is said to have covered the spread and stands to win an event by more points than he laid, or lose by fewer points than he had taken.
Credit Player
A sportsbook customer who has been given an individual wager limit and can play against that limit on a credit basis. Normally, the credit player belongs to an agent’s package.
D
Degenerate
A term for a compulsive gambler.
Dime
A wager sum of $1000. Also known as a Dime Bet.
Dime Line
A slang term used to indicate the 10-cent money line or juice, i.e., the money line in which the bookmaker’s vigorish/vig/commission amounts to 10 per cent.
Dollar
The sum of $100.00. Also known as a Dollar Bet.
Double Action
Used in if-bet plays to specify win, tie or cancel.
Doubleheader
Two baseball games on the same day between two teams. In racing, it is two racing performances programmed during one day.
Due For
A term referring to a contestant or team that is considered to be overdue for a win or loss in their next contest or sports event. Therefore, the “due for” wager is a favorite strategy of many players.
E
Earn
Practical hold percentage, i.e., the total amount won by a bookmaker divided by the total amount booked.
East Coast Line
A term used mainly in ice hockey, which has a split-goal line, e.g. The Detroit Red Wings favored over the Vancouver Canucks (1-1 ½) as opposed to a spread-plus-money line (-1/2 -180).
Edge
An advantage over an opponent or the house in any wager. It can also be the advantage the casino has on any given wager.
Even Money (General)
A bet that pays the player the same amount that he wagered plus his original wager. Shown as a ratio of 1:1. Neither side lays any odds.
Exotic Wager
Action other than a straight wager, e.g. teasers, futures, round robins, etc.
Expected to Win Rate
A percentage of the total amount of money wagered that a player can be expected to win or lose over time.
Exposure
The amount of money the player or book stands to lose on any action.
Extension
The amount of money the book theoretically risks losing on an event.
F
Favorite
The team, side, horse or contestant competing in any given event considered to have the best chance to win.
Fifty Cents
A wager for $50.
Final Four
The last four teams in the annual NCAA men’s basketball championship tournament.
Firing
To wager large sums of money.
Fixed
A slang term referring to the outcome of a race, contest or game that has been illegally pre-determined.
Flat Joint
Describes any dishonest gambling establishment or game.
Flea
A derogatory term describing players who wager little and expect something for nothing.
Foots
A slang term sometimes used to refer to the game of soccer. Also known as footy.
Form
The expected performance of contestants or teams according to how well they look on paper.
Front Money
A player’s deposit with the house in order to establish credit to place bets against that money.
Futures
A type of wager made, or lines/odds posted, on an event or outcome that will be determined in the future, for example on which team will win the Super Bowl. The player making the ante post or future wager often will enjoy better odds for having done so.
G
Get Down
Make a wager.
G-Note
A $1000 bill.
Going Down
Losing a wager or series of wagers.
Grand
$1000. It can be in the form of a G-note, smaller bills, chips or vouchers.
Grand Salami
A wager on the total number of goals scored in all of the hockey games (NHL) played in a single day.
Grinder A player who wagers small money.
Gross Win
Winnings before expenses.
H
Half-Time Bet
A wager placed on the first or second half of a football or basketball game.
Handicapper
The official who decides the weights to be carried in events, and the grading of horses. Also, a person who analyzes, studies and rates sporting events.
Handle T
otal amounts of wagers taken.
Hedge
To wager the opposite of your original wager in order to reduce your exposure.
High Roller A big bettor.
Holding Your Own
The result of breaking even, i.e., neither winning nor losing, during a wager, or series of wagers.
Home Field Advantage
The edge the home team is expected to have as a result of playing on home turf. For example, the home team would normally be more familiar with the playing area, enjoy greater fan support and avoid the effects of travel endured by the visiting team.
Home Run Hitter
A player who makes big plays despite taking maximum risks.
Home Team
The team playing in its own home town; it is usually listed below the visiting team.
Hook
A half-point added to football and basketball point spreads, as in 3.5, or 3 and a hook.
Hooked
The loss of a wager by exactly a half-point.
Hoops
Slang term referring to the game of basketball.
Hot
A player who is on a winning streak, or a slot machine that is paying out.
Hot Game
A game which is attracting a good deal of action, on one side, by skilled handicappers.
Hot Tip
Wagering information/data not yet in the hands of the bookmaker.
I
IBF
Acronym for International Boxing Federation.
Interference
Intentional physical contact that obstructs or impedes the running of horses or players in a game.
J
Juice
The bookmaker’s commission. Often refers to the 110/100 players lay on straight wagers on football games. Juice is also known as vigorish or vig.
K
Kick It To raise the bet.
L
Layoff Wager (Bet)
A wager made by one bookmaker with another bookmaker to help him balance his action and reduce his risk.
Lay the Odds
To wager more money on a proposition than one hopes to win.
Lay the Points
A wager on a favorite in a point-spread event.
Lay the Price
A wager on a favorite in a money line event.
Leak
To lose part or all of one’s winnings due to questionable gambling habits. See also blow back.
Limit
The maximum wager accepted by the house or bookmaker before the odds, points or price will be changed. Essentially, it is a cap on the amount a player can wager.
Line
Refers to the listed odds, points, money line or point spread for any given event.
Linemaker
The person who establishes the original and subsequent betting lines for an event.
Listed Pitcher (LP)
The pitcher or pitchers listed by Las Vegas odds makers as probable starting pitchers for a scheduled baseball game.
Live One
A derogatory term for an inexperienced, bad or loose player who has lots of money to lose. Also known as a mark, fish, provider and sucker.
Long Odds
Relatively small odds given that an event will occur.
Long Shot
An extreme underdog.
M
Make-up figure
When you withdraw funds, the make-up figure is the amount you are required to deposit before you are eligible for bonuses again.
March Madness
The annual NCAA men’s basketball championship tournament.
Middle(s)
To win both sides of the same betting proposition. For example, placing a wager on the favorite team at 2 1/2 with one bookmaker, then taking +3 1/2 with another bookmaker. When the game ends up with the favorite winning by exactly three points, the player has “middled” the game. Middling is a favorite betting method of “wise guys”.
Middler
A player who tends to middle his bets.
MLB
An abbreviation for Major League Baseball.
Money Line
Odds expressed in terms of money. It refers to the amount the player must risk to win $100, or the amount the player wins on a wager of $100. The team being wagered on simply has to win the game. Payoffs are based on true odds rather than fixed odds.
N
NBA
An abbreviation for National Basketball Association.
NCAA
An abbreviation for National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Neutral Site
An arena, court, ring, rink or field where neither side has a home-field advantage.
Newspaper Line
The lines which appear in various daily newspapers. These lines are only approximate and can be inaccurate and misleading.
NFC
An acronym for National Football Conference.
NFL
An acronym for National Football League.
NHL
An acronym for National Hockey League.
Nickel
A $500 wager.
NIT
An acronym for National Invitational Tournament (college basketball).
No Action
The situation where no wagers can be accepted by the house because a game has already started. Also, all sporting events must be played on the date and site as scheduled unless otherwise specified. Any event postponed, rescheduled or moved to another site will automatically constitute “No Action”.
O
Oddsmaker
The person who establishes the original and subsequent betting lines for an event. Also known as the linesmaker.
Odds On Favorite
A horse, team or contestant so favored by the public that the odds for the event are less than even.
Off the Board
A game on which the bookmaker accepts no action.
Off Lines
The amount the Las Vegas point spread differs from the lines of other sports betting sites, which have derived their data from various computer-software systems.
Official Line
The line the bookmaker uses for wagering purposes. The line produced in Las Vegas is often referred to as the official line; however the line the bookmaker offers the player is actually the official line. Many smart players compare the Las Vegas official line to that of their local bookmaker to ensure they get every possible edge.
Out
A bookie (bookmaker).
Outlaw Line
An early line that is not an official line. Often, linemakers will invite specially selected players to wager into the outlaw line before entering the line to the public. The linemakers respect these experts and use their input to create a final opening number. This process is called ironing, or flattening, the line.
Overtime
The continuation of a game that is tied at the end of regulation time, until a winner is determined or the maximum specified overtime periods have expired.
Over/Under Wager
A wager on whether the combined total of the points/goals scored by two competing teams will exceed, or be less, than a specified number.
P
Pari-Mutuel Wagering
A term taken from the French language that means “betting among ourselves”. In practice, it amounts to making wagers in which winnings are taken from the total amount of money in play. Pari-Mutuel wagering ensures that the player cannot wager against the track, but only against the other players.
Parlay
A combination or multiple wager on two or more teams. In order for the player to win a parlay, all of his selections must win in each game. If the game results in a tie, or is postponed or cancelled, the parlay is automatically reduced by one selection.
Past Performance
An accurate record of the performance of specific teams, horses or contestants when participating in sports events similar to those scheduled.
Penny Line
A money line which is adjusted in increments of one cent at a time.
PGA
An acronym for Professional Golfers’ Association.
Pick’em Game
A game where no team is favored. The player takes a pick and lays 11 to 10.
Point Spread
A margin, in points or goals, given to an underdog taking part in an event, usually to give the underdog a head start. It is the predicted scoring differential between the contestants or teams concerned.
Post Up (Player)
A sportsbook customer who has deposited money with the house in the form of an active account and plays with that balance.
Press
To wager a greater amount than usual.
Pressing
Wagering winnings along with the original bet. A player is pressing a bet when he lets winnings ride.
Price
The money line, odds or point spread on the favorite in a sports event. Also the pot odds a player gets in poker on a draw or call.
Probability
A branch of mathematics measuring the likelihood an event will occur. Probabilities are expressed as numbers between zero and one. The probability of an impossible event is zero, while an event that is certain to occur has a probability of one.
Proposition Bet
A wager on a specific aspect of an event such as the number of field goals, free throws, etc., that will be made during a game.
Puck Line
A wager on ice hockey that combines both a handicap/spread and odds.
Puck
Slang term for the game of ice hockey. Also, the disc-like object in ice hockey with which players try to score goals.
Push
A tie hand between a book and a player where no money changes hands because the final score of a game is exactly the same as the point spread or total points (combined scores of both teams).
R
Rain Out
An event cancelled because of bad weather.
Rollover
Refers to the number of times you need to wager funds before a withdrawal of funds in order to keep your bonus winnings.
Round Robin
A way to enter multiple parlays at one time. Allows you to select between three and eight picks and combine them in parlays of two to six teams (e.g. You can have three two-team parlays).
Rundown
A read out of all of the lines to a customer by the sportsbook.
Run Line
Refers to a baseball bet in which the bettor can either take the favorite (for example, -1.5 runs) or take the underdog (for example, +1.5 runs).
Running Bad
A term for a player on a losing streak.
Running Good
A term for a player on a winning streak.
Ryder Cup
A golf tournament between American and European golfers that takes place every two years.
S
Scalper
One who attempts to profit from the differences in odds, from book to book, by wagering both sides of the same game at different set prices.
Score
To win a great amount of money due to successful wagering.
Scout
A person who studies the performance and potential of teams, horses or contestants, and reports the pertinent findings to handicapper(s).
Scratch
To withdraw, cancel or call off a wager.
Second-Half Bet
A wager placed on the second half of a football or basketball game.
Sharp
A wise guy.
Short Odds
The odds for an event that has a good chance of occurring.
Shortstop
A term that refers to people who make small wagers.
Side
The percentage of money bet on the point spread of the game, not on the actual outcome of the game.
Sides
The names of the two teams playing the underdog and the favorite.
Single Action
To specify a win-only in an if-bet type wager.
Smart Money
Money wagered on sides by knowledgeable handicappers.
Soft Line A wagering line that is not current with the true posted line; a line that has been adjusted or moved as a result of action but doesn’t reflect the true line as posted.
Splash Around
To play more loosely than one should.
Sport Player
A player who might wait for an unusually strong wager.
Spread (Lines)
Short form for point spread on a game.
Spread Wager
An abbreviated term for point spread.
Spread Limit
A fixed betting structure in which a player may bet any amount, within a set range, on every betting round. A typical spread limit structure is $2-6, where a player may bet as little as $2 or as much as $6 on every betting round.
Square
An unsophisticated player.
Stake
Money used to wager on the success or failure of a particular event.
Stanley Cup
Trophy awarded to the winners of the NHL championship series.
Steam
When a betting line on a selection starts to move quite rapidly, usually due to a rapid increase in the number of players wagering on it. Most steam games do not necessarily reflect the right side, but are sides where the majority of players have decided to focus their attention and action.
Steaming
To be playing badly and wildly, often while emotionally upset.
Straight Bet (Wager)
A wager on a specific horse or team, in a single designated race or game, to win at the given odds. This is the simplest and most common bet. Also see Single Bet, and Win (Bet).
Straight Wager (Bet)
A single straightforward wager on a selected side, or over/under. The team wagered on must win by the point spread given at the time of the wager.
Stuck
A depressing condition experienced by players who feel behind, buried, losing or down for the week, sometimes as a result of losing a substantial amount of money.
Sucker
A player who has lots of cash, but lacks the basic skills to win. Also see, mark, live one, fish, and provider.
Sucker Bet
A wager that overwhelmingly favors the bookmaker or house.
Sudden Death
An overtime period of play where the first contestant to score is declared the winner of the event.
Super Bowl
NFL championship game.
System
A method of wagering that is usually based on a mathematical formula and is used by a player to get an edge.
T
Take a Price
A wager on the underdog in a money line event.
Take the Odds
To wager less money on a proposition than one hopes to win.
Take the Points
A wager on the underdog in a point spread event.
Teaser
A bet on two or more teams where the line on each team is adjusted in favor of the player. Like a parlay, all selections must be correct for the teaser wager to payoff.
Ten-Cent Line
The money line difference (10 cents) between what a player lays with the favorite or takes back with the underdog.
Thirty-Cent Line
The money line difference (30 cents) between what a player lays with the favorite, or takes back with the underdog.
Tie
When a game officially ends with neither side winning.
Toss Up
A game where the line is close to pick ’em; a game where no team, or betting option, is a clear favorite.
Totals
The total combined number of runs/points/goals scored by the two teams opposed in a sports event, including those scored in overtime.
Tout
A person who either sells or gives away his selections on games, races or contests.
Tout Service
A business that sells opinions of sporting events.
Triple Sharp
A very strong player who also happens to be a wise guy.
Tweener
A book that derives its numbers by taking the middle point between the numbers calculated by all other books.
Twenty Cent Line
The money line difference (twenty cents) between what a player lays with the favorite, or takes back with the underdog.
U
Underdog
The team, side or contestant in any given event considered the least likely to win.
Underlay
A bad bet. An underlay occurs when the odds of a particular wagering proposition are lower than they should be, i.e. they favor the house. In such circumstances, players often bet that an event will take place but without justification.
V
Value
An overlay, i.e., getting the best odds on a wager.
Variance
A measure of the extent to which winnings and losses fluctuate over a period of time. Variance is not necessarily a measure of how well someone may play. However, the greater the variance, the greater the fluctuations between winnings and losses.
Vigorish
The fee or commission paid to a bookmaker (bookie) or taken by the house. Also known as Vig or Juice.
VIP
Acronym for a big bettor deemed worthy of full complementary treatment, i.e., RFB.
Visitor
The team playing away from its home town; its name is usually listed above that of the home team.
Void
Invalid with no result.
W
Wager
The amount of money a player voluntarily risks on a game. The wager can be in the form of cash, chips or vouchers.
WBA
An acronym for World Boxing Association.
WBC
An acronym for World Boxing Council.
Wise Guy
A well-informed, knowledgeable and successful sports handicapper or player.
WNBA
An abbreviation for Women’s National Basketball Association.
World Series
A best-of-seven championship playoff series to determine the best team in Major League Baseball.