If you’re new to sports betting, you’ve likely come across a few unfamiliar sports betting terms. Learning these sports betting terms will help you become a more skilled sports bettor and avoid common betting mistakes.
This list features terminology that you’ll see on when betting with online betting platforms, traditional sportsbooks, and casinos. Learn these terms today to start betting like a seasoned professional!
Sports Betting Terms in Alphabetical Order
- Sports bettors might feel they have an edge on a book if they think its lines aren't accurate. Even money: Odds that are considered 50-50. You put up $1 to win $1.
- As with most things in life, the world of wagering has a lot of terms and slang that represent something specific within the sports betting universe. Knowing the lingo will help you understand what people are talking about and make you feel like you can talk the talk before you try to walk the walk.
Action: A bet or wager.
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. The high-stakes world of gambling has given us many common terms and phrases. From 'gimmick' to 'blue chip,' here are some words for when you hit the jackpot. For when you need to go double or nothing.
Against the Spread (ATS): The result of a bet including the point spread.
Bad Beat: A bet that is a winner for most of the game but loses in the end. Usually by a last second score by the opposing team.
Bankroll: The amount of money a bettor has available for betting.
Betting Line: The point spread, money line, or total that a bet must cover to win.
Bookmaker: A place where a person can make a wager (also called bookie).
Buck: A $100 bet.
Buying Points: A player paying an additional amount to receive half of a point or more in their favor on a point spread game.
Chalk: The favorite in a particular betting scenario. The opposite of an underdog.
Contrarian: A person who “fades the public” and takes the opposite of the majority of bettors.
Cover: The act of winning a point spread bet.
Dime: A $1000 bet.
Dime Line: A line where the “juice” or “vig” is 10%.
Double Bet: A wager for twice the size of one’s usual wager.
Edge: The advantage a bettor has before placing a wager.
Even Money: A wager that pays out exactly the amount you bet. No “juice” or “vig.”
Exotic: Any wager other than a straight bet or parlay. Also known as a “prop bet.”
Exposure: The maximum amount of money a sportsbook stands to lose on a particular event.
Fading The Public: Betting on the team or player that the majority of the public is against.
Favorite: The team or player that is expected to win a game or match.
Field: In “prop bets, the field refers to an accumulation of all the teams or players that are not specifically listed.
First Half Bet: A bet placed only on the first half of the game.
Future Bet: A bet on events that will happen further in the future. Such as who will win a division or a championship well in advance.
Grand Salami: The Over/Under total for how many points, goals, or runs will be scored across all games in a specific league on a certain day.
Handicapper: A person who studies, researches, and wagers on sporting events.
Handle: The total amount of money wagered on a game by every bettor for a particular book.
Hedge: Betting opposite of a previous bet to guarantee winning at least a small amount of money, or to cut losses.
Hook: A half-point in the spread.
In-Play: Bets made after a game has started. Also known as “live-betting.”.
Juice: The bookmaker’s commission on a losing bet. Also known as “vigorish” or “vig.”
Laying Points: Betting the spread on the favorite by giving up points.
Linemaker: The person who established the betting lines for a sportsbook. Also known as an “Oddsmaker.”
Longshot: A team, player or horse perceived to be unlikely to win. A large “underdog,” usually with a high payout.
Middle: When you bet on both sides of a game and have an opportunity to win both bets.
Moneyline: A bet made if a team will win or lose outright with no point spread.
Move the Line: A player pays an additional price to receive half a point or more in his favor on a point spread game.
Nickel: A $500 bet.
Odds: The likelihood of the outcome occurring.
Outlaw Line: The earliest line in sports betting. An overnight line. Also known as “opening line.”
Over/Under: Also known as the “total”. This refers to the total amount of points, goals or runs that will be scored in a particular game or match.
Parlay: A bet with two or more teams in which all teams must win or cover for the bettor to win and receive a higher payout.
Pick’em: When neither team is favored. There is no spread.
Point Spread: The predicted scoring differential between two opponents set by a sportsbook.
Prop Bet: A bet on something other than the outcome of a game. Such as passing yards, or points scored by an individual player.
Public Betting Percentage: The percentage of public bettors on a particular bet. Used to “fade the public.”
Puckline: A term for the “spread” in a hockey game. Almost always 1.5.
Puppy: Slang term for “underdog”.
Push: When neither team covers the spread, no one wins the bet and all bets are refunded.
Reverse-Line Movement: Betting line movement that contradicts the public betting percentages. This indicates that “sharp” money is taking the opposite of the public.
ROI “Return On Investment”: A performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency of a bet.
Round Robin: A series of three or more teams in 2-team parlays.
Runline: Same as the “puck line” in hockey, the “runline” refers to baseball. Almost always 1.5 as well.
Runner: A person who places bets for another person. Also known as a “beard”.
Sharp: A very successful professional sports bettor. Known for winning.
Sides: The names of the two teams playing. The underdog and the favorite.
Square: A beginner sports bettor. Opposite of a “sharp.”
Steam Move: When a line starts to move rapidly. Usually due to heavy betting on one side.
Taking the Points: Betting an underdog against the spread.
Taking the Price: Betting the underdog and accepting money odds.
Teaser: A type of parlay in which you adjust the point spread or total of each individual play. Results in a lower payout.
Ticket: Also known as a “bet slip.” A receipt given to a bettor that shows the bet, odds, and potential winning payout amount.
Total: The combined amount of runs, points or goals scored by both teams during a single game.
Tout: A person who sells their picks or their sports betting expertise to others.
Underdog: The team or player not expected to win the game or match.
Units: A standard monetary measurement of how much you typically bet.
Vigorish: The bookmaker’s commission on a losing bet. Also known as “vig” or “juice.”
Wager: A bet placed at a sportsbook.
Wiseguy: A well-informed handicapper.
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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
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.
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.
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).
Betting Terms Explained
(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
Sports Gambling Terms And Phrases
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
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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.
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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.
Sports Betting Terms Explained
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.