A |
| ACTION |
The amount of money being wagered on a game. |
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B |
| BAD BEAT |
A hard loss. |
| BOOKIE |
A person or organization that sets the lines and books the bets in sports. |
| BANKROLL |
The amount of money the player plans to gamble. |
| 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. |
| BEEF |
A dispute. |
| BUCK |
A $100 wager. |
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C |
| CHALK |
The team favored to win. |
| CHALK PLAYER |
A person who usually wagers on the favored teams. A.K.A Favorite Freddie, chalk eater. |
| 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. |
| COVER |
To win by more than the point spread |
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D |
| DEGENERATE |
A compulsive gambler. |
| DIME BET |
A $1,000 wager. |
| DOG |
The underdog in any betting proposition. A.K.A. Puppy |
| DOG PLAYER |
A person who usually bets on the underdog. |
| DOLLAR BET |
A $100 wager. |
| DOUBLE BET |
A wager twice the amount of one's normal wager. |
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E |
| EARN |
The practical hold percentage. |
| EDGE |
An advantage. |
| EVEN MONEY |
A wager on which the odds are 1-1. |
| EXOTIC BET |
A bet other than a straight bet or parlay. |
| EXPOSURE |
The amount of money the house will risk losing on a game or race. |
| EXTENSION |
The amount of money the house theoretically stands to lose on a game or race. |
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F |
| FIGURE |
Amount of money owed to or by a bookmaker. |
| FIRING |
Wagering huge sums of money. |
| FLEA |
An annoying person who wants something for nothing. One who expects to be comped for a $2 wager. |
| FORM |
The performance expected of a team according to how they look on paper. |
| FUTURE BET |
Bets accepted well in advance of the events. |
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G |
| GETTING DOWN |
Making a bet. |
| GOING DOWN |
Losing a bet or bets. |
| GROSS WIN |
The amount of winnings before subtracting the expenses. |
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H |
| HANDICAPPER |
A person who studies sports and predicts its outcome. |
| HEDGING |
Betting on the opposite side in order to cut losses or guarantee winning a minimal amount of money. |
| HOLD |
The percentage the house wins |
| HOLDING YOUR OWN |
Neither winning or losing, just breaking even. |
| HOOK |
A half point in pointspreads. |
| HOOKED |
Losing a bet by exactly one-half a point. |
| 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. |
| HOOPS |
Another term for Basketball. |
| HOT GAME |
A game that draws a significant amount of action on one side by knowledgeable handicappers. |
| HOT TIP |
Insider information that the bookmaker cannot divulge. |
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J |
| JUICE |
Bookmaker's commission, also known as the vig or vigorish. |
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L |
| LAYING THE POINTS |
Betting on the favorite. A.K.A. lay a price |
| LAYOFF BET |
A bet made by one bookmaker with another in order to balance the action and reduce the risk on one side. |
| LIMIT |
The maximum bet accepted by a house or bookmaker before he changes odds and/or the points. |
| LINE |
The listed odds on a game and/or payoff odds on the bet. |
| LINEMAKER |
The person who establishes the original and subsequent betting lines. |
| LOCK |
A sure winner. |
| LONGSHOT |
A large underdog where the odds of winning is quite steep. Hence the term "Not by a longshot". |
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M |
| MAN |
The Bookmaker. |
| MIDDLES |
To win both sides of a game. |
| MONEY LINE |
The odds expressed in terms of money. |
| NEUTRAL SITE |
Venue of a sporting event where neither side has a home field advantage. |
| NEWSPAPER LINE |
The betting lines appearing in the daily newspapers. |
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N |
| NICKEL |
A $500 wager. |
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O |
| ODDSMAKER |
The same as a lines maker. |
| ODDS ON FAVORITE |
A horse, team or individual so favored by the public that the odds are less than even. |
| OFF THE BOARD |
A game on which no bets are accepted. |
| OFF LINES |
The difference of amount the Las Vegas pointspread has compared with the computerized mathematical line. |
| OFFICIAL LINE |
The line that the bookmaker uses for wagering purposes. |
| OUT |
An illegal bookmaker. |
| OUTLAW LINE |
An early line which is not an official line. |
| OVERLAY |
When the odds of a given proposition are more in favor of the bettor than the house. |
| OVER & UNDER |
A wager for the total score by both teams will more or less than the total posted by the sportsbook. |
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P |
| 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. |
| PAST PERFORMANCE |
What has occurred previously to the forthcoming games. |
| PAST POST |
To make a bet after the event has begun. |
| PICK'EM GAME |
A game where team is favored. |
| PLAYER |
A bettor, or gambler. |
| POINTSPREAD |
The amount of points the bettor must give to take on any given game. |
| POST TIME |
The scheduled starting time. |
| PRACTICAL HOLD PERCENTAGE |
The amount won by a bookmaker divided by the total amount booked. |
| PRESS |
Betting a larger amount than usual. |
| PRICE |
The odds or pointspread. |
| PROPOSITION BET |
A wager on a particular aspect of the game such as how many field goals will be made. |
| PUPPY |
The underdog. |
| PUSH |
Where neither team wins and all money is returned to the bettors. |
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R |
| 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. |
| RUN DOWN |
A line update. |
| RUNNER |
A.K.A. Beard. |
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S |
| 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. |
| SCORE |
To win big. |
| SCRATCH |
To withdraw or cancel a wager. |
| SCOUTS |
Person(s) who study team plays and/or practice and report findings to handicappers. |
| SIDE |
Winning one side of a wager and tying the other side. |
| SMART MONEY |
Sides that are bet on by the more knowledgeable handicappers. |
| SPORT PLAYER |
A person who waits for what he thinks is an unusually strong wager. |
| SQUARE |
Unsophisticated gambler. |
| STAR |
Rating. |
| STEAM |
When heavy action occurs on one side. |
| STRAIGHT BET |
A bet on just one team. |
| STORE |
Bookie. |
| STUCK |
Behind, losing, buried, down for the week |
| SUCKER BET |
Betting on the underdog. |
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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 bonus. |
| TOSS UP |
A game where the line is close to pick-em. |
| TOUT SERVICE |
A business that sells opinions on sports or horse wagers. |
| TRIPLE SHARP |
The sharpest of the sharp. |
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U |
| UNDERLAY |
Having the odds of a proposition lean in favor of the house. |
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V |
| VALUE |
Getting the best available odds on a betting proposition |
| VIGORISH |
The commission the bookmaker receives. |
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W |
| WAGER |
Any Bet. |
| WISE GUY |
A sophisticated and successful sports bettor. |
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