Betting Glossary-Sportsbetting Glossary

Sports Betting Glossary

IslandCasino has created the following sports betting glossary for your convenience. It has all the definitions for sports betting terms and the appropriate sports betting words or phrases for the gambling acronyms. If you come across a sports betting term, gambling acronym or casino definition that isn't in our glossary, contact us and we'll add it and give you a free money suggestion bonus.

A
ACTION	A bet
ATS	Against the spread
ANGLES	It refers to a particular team or the league as a whole
AOPR	Stands for Average Opponent Power Rating

B
B.R.	Bankroll
BAD BEAT	Tough loss
BEARD	Messenger bettor
BEEF	Dispute
BET	To risk money, or anything of value, on the outcome of a sporting event
BET LIMIT	Amount of money a bookmaker will accept on a particular wager
BOOK	Person, or establishment, that accept bets
BOOKIE	Especifically the person who accepts sports bets
BOOKMAKER	Bookmaker is the term most often used when referring to somebody who operates legally
BUCK	$100

C
CHALK	Favorite
CHALK EATER	Favorite bettor
CHURN	The effect of betting and re-betting money
CIRCLED GAME	Game where action is limited due to uncertainties about weather, injuries, etc.
COVER	Win by more than the point spread

D
DEGENERATE	Compulsive gambler
DIME	$1,000
DOG	Team or individual expected to lose the event
DOLLAR	$100

E
EARN	Practical hold percentage
EARLY MONEY	wagers that come in as soon as the betting lines are made available to the public to wager on
EDGE	Advantage
EVEN MONEY	Wager in which a bettor risks the same amount as they stand to win
EXOTIC BET	Action other than a straight bet or parlay.
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.

F
FADE	A wager against a particular person
FAVORITE	Team or individual that is expected to win a particular event
FIGURE	Amount owed by or to a bookmaker.
FIRING	Betting a lot. A player who is "firing" is wagering large sums.
FIRST HALF BET	Wager that will have the outcome decided on the basis of the halftime score
FLEA	An annoying human parasite who wants something for nothing; a $2 bettor who expects to be rewarded for his action.
FORM	What performance is to be expected according to how a team looks on paper.
FRANKLIN	$100

G
GAMBLING	Risk money or anything of value, on the outcome of a sporting event
GET DOWN	Make a bet
GROSS WIN	Win before expenses

H
HALF TIME BET	Place a bet at halftime of a game against a new point spread posted by the bookmakers
HANDICAP	Analyze an event for gambling purposes
HANDICAPPER	One who studies sports and predicts outcomes.
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 pointspreads, 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.

I
IF BET	Wager that is placed only if a certain outcome of a seperate wager occurs
J
JUICE	Bookmaker's commission, most often refers to the 11 to 10 football bettors lay on straight wagers; vigorish.

L
LAY A PRICE	Bet a favorite, lay the points.
LAYING	Wagering on a favorite and thereby laying (giving) points or odds to the opposing side
LAYOFF BET	A wager made by one bookmaker with another to help balance his action and reduces his risk on one side or one horse.
LIMIT	Maximum bet accepted by the house before the price will be changed.
LINESMAKER	Person who sets point spreads or odds on upcoming sporting events
LINE	The betting proposition on a game and/or payoff odds on the bet.
LONGSHOT	Large underdog

M
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.
MONEYLINE	betting on the winner of a contest where the point spread cannot be used, where the bettor only needs to pick the winner

N
NEUTRAL SITE	Arena, court or field where neither side has a home field advantage.
NICKEL	$500

O
ODDS	Various point spreads or money lines on any given contest
ODDSMAKER	A person who creates odds on sporting events, but does not accept wagers
OFF THE BOARD	Game where no bets are being accepted.
OPENING LINE	The initial point spread or money line offered by the sportsbook to bettors
OUT	Bookmaker, usually refers to an illegal bookmaker.
OVER	Means to exceed the posted over/under (total) on a particular sporting event
OVERLAY	When the odds on a proposition are in favor of the bettor rather than the house.

P
PARLAY	A bet with two or more teams where all the teams must win for the bettor to be successful.
PAST POST	To make a bet after an event has started.
PICK or PICK'EM	A game where neither team is favored.
PLAYER	Bettor, gambler.
PRACTICAL HOLD PERCENTAGE	The amount won by a bookmaker divided by the total amount booked.
PRESS	To bet a larger amount than usual.
PRICE	Line
PUPPY	Underdog
PUSH	Tie

R
RISK	Amount of money laid on a game or event
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
RUNNER	See Beard

S
SCALPER	One who attempts to profit from the differences in odds from book to book by betting both sides of the same game at different prices.
SCORE	To win a lot of money.
SCRATCH	Withdraw; cancel
SHARP	Wise guy
SHIL	Person who promotes a sport service or sportsbook for compensation without acknowledging the fact
SHORTSTOP	A small bettor.
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.
SMART MONEY	Money wagered by intelligent bettors
SPORTSBOOK	Establishment that accepts wagers on sporting events
SQUARE	Unsophisticated gambler.
STEAM	Heavy action on one side.
STIFF	Bettor who does not pay their debts
STRAIGHT BET	A bet on just one team.
SUCKER BET	Bet with a large house edge.
SYNDICATE	Collection of gamblers who pool all of their efforts together in an attempt to beat the sportsbooks
SYSTEMS	Refers to specific formulas used to determine a team to bet on in a sporting event

T
TAKE A PRICE	Bet the underdog, take the points.
TAPPED OUT	Broke, busted, common result of pressing.
THEORETICAL HOLD PERCENTAGE	The edge the bookmaker would have IF the odds guaranteed him a constant commission regardless of the outcome.
TOKE	A tip or gratuity.
TOSS UP	Game where the line is close to pick-em.
TOUT SERVICE	A business that sells opinions on sporting events.
TRIPLE SHARP	The sharpest of the sharp. (Note: There is no such term as "Double Sharp").

U
UNDER	Pick a team or event to go under the total of points for a period of time or the whole event
UNDERLAY	When the odds on a proposition are in favor of the house.