You are here

Our betting glossary includes definitions for terms related to online sports betting, and general phrases in betting and gambling.
Click on the letter link below for definitions of the betting terms beginning with that letter.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | UV | W | X | Y | Z |

A

Accumulator
Or Parlays is a multiple wager. To win an accumulator players must win all consecutive wagers within the bet.

Across the Board
In horse racing this to place a wager on a horse to win/place and show.

Action
A bet of any kind if valid is deemed action.

Ajax
UK definition of betting terms.

Ante Post
Or Futures, are wagers placed for a future sports event predicting the outcome of the event. Usually these types of bets give the player better odds. 

Arbitrage
Allows a player to back both sides and guarantee a win due to a variation of odds available. 

ATS
Against the Spread

B

Backed
Is a bet selection for example of a team or player that has proven very popular or had strong support. 

Bad Beat
Losing under what may be determined as unusual or unexpected events.

Bookie
Slang term for a bookmaker.

Bettor
US term for someone betting, The equivalent to the UK Punter.

Betting Line
Any type of priced wager. 

BR
Abbreviation of Bankroll

Buck
A wager for $100

Buying Points
The ability to move the set line. The player get the chance to pay to move the line in his/her favor. 

Buy Price
Refers to Index and Spread betting as quoted by the bookmaker.

C

Chalk
The favorite.

Circled Game
Is a game where the maximum bet allowed is limited by the lines men.

Closing line
Is the final list offered for points spread before the start of the event.

D

Daily Double
In horse racing this is a bet which the player can pick the winning horses of two selected races. 

Dead Heat
In horse racing this is when two horses are declared winners as they finish equal.

Dividend
Is the payout on any bet placed.

Dog
Or most known as the Underdog is the opposite to the favorite of a game. 

Double
Is a wager on two different events or two different parts of an event.

Double header
Is the term for two teams who play two separate games in the same day.

Draw
When the outcome of an event finishes evenly.

E

Each Way
Is a UK term when selecting a team to win and secure a place.

F

Favorite
The expected winner of an event. The opposite to the Underdog.

Fixed Odds
Making a wager with fixed odds means that the odds will not change and will remain the same until the settlement of the bet.

G

Gambler
The bettor/punter.

Grand Slam
The biggest tournament events in tennis. Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open. 

Grand Salami
Refers to Ice Hockey wagers and the total amount of goals scored in one day. Players can wager on over/under bets.

H

Handicap
Or the Spread is a bet that reduces the points for the favorites in a match and gives extra points to the Underdog to even the odds out. 

Hang Sheng
Is Asian Spread betting.

Home Team
The team who is playing at their own stadium. 

House
Is a slang for the bookmaker.

I

Index betting
Is a term used for point spread betting.

J

Juice
The bookmaker commission. Also known as vigorish, vig or the edge. 

L

LBO
Abbreviation for Licensed Betting Office UK.

Line maker
The person that sets the betting lines at the bookmaker.

Listed pitchers
A bet which determines which pitchers will pitch in the game. 

Long odds
Odds which are greater than 1,000

M

Margin
Is the amount that a competitor finishes in front of another competitor. 

Moneyline
Are odds that shows the player how much they have to wager in order to win. A minus sign next to the odds indicates how much you have to wager in order to win $100. The plus sign next to the odds demonstrates what amount you will win for every $100 wagered.

N

Neutral site
Is a stadium where no sides of the team has a home advantage. 

No action
Means a wager where no money is won or lost.

O

Odds
Is when the bookmaker provide a calculation of the chance of a team winning. It also includes the bookmaker's edge.

Odds against
Is when odds are greater than evens.

Off the board
The term used for a game that a bookmaker refuses to accept any wagers on.

Overlay
Proposition odds that favor the bettor over the house.

Over/Under
A type of bet that the player can choose to wager over or under the priced amount for how many scores both teams in a match will make.

P

Parlay
A multiple bet or an accumulator. Where the player can place more than one bet in one wager. All wagers within the bet must win for the Parlay to payout. 

Past Post
Any bet made after an event has started.

Payout
Any winnings or returns. 

Pick'em
or pick is when neither of the teams are favored to win. 

Points spread
Also referred to as handicap. These are the points given to the underdog to even out the odds with the favorite in the game.

Postponed
When n event has been cancelled and is rescheduled.

Price
Or odds, are the chances of a team winning as decided by the bookmaker.

Prop
Is a special bet and is also known as Proposition bet. These are unique odds set by the bookmaker on alternative odds such as politics, movies, music etc. 

Punter
The UK term for a bettor or a player.

Puppy
Another word for the underdog.

Push
Is a draw or a tie in an event when there is no winner selected.

R

Rained out
Cancelled game due to bad weather. 

Round Robin
One wager with 10 bets inside or a series of Parlays. This involves three selections on different sports events. 

Run Down
Complete betting information including lines, dates times. 

Run line
In Baseball a run line is when the spread is used instead of the moneyline.

S

Score
When a player wins a lot of money. 

Scratch
In horse racing when a horse is withdrawn from the specific race before it begins the horse is scratched.

Stake
A term for a bet.

Straight bet
Is a bet made on just one team or competitor. 

Super Bowl
The biggest American Football tournament.

T

Tie
Is a push or a draw in match or event. No money is won or lost as the finishing place was equal to the number of points set out by the lines men. 

Tipster
A person who offer advise and tips on events. 

Total
Is a bet placed on the total amounts of points or goals scored by any team in an event. The player may wager if the total amount will be over or under the total given.

U

UEFA
Governing body of European Soccer.

V

Vigorish
This is the house edge or juice as it is also called. This is the commission that bookmaker will charge. 

VS
Versus is abbreviated in sport events.

W

Win only
Or straight bet and also known as moneyline bet is a wager on the team to win a game. 

Wise guy
A bettor who is well informed in sports wagering.

Y

Yankee
Is a bet split into eleven smaller bets and consists of four selections.