Sports
Betting Glossary
Action-
Is normally known as having money in a game (bet), but when you
wager on baseball and you choose action, it means that you don't
mind which pitchers are starting the game.
Bad
Beat- Tough loss
Beard-
Messenger bettor
Beef-
Dispute Buck- $100
Chalk-
Favorite
Chalk
Eater- Favorite bettor
Churn-
The effect of betting and rebetting money
Circle
Game- Game where action is limited due to uncertainties about
weather, injuries, etc.
Cover-
in by more than the pointspread
Dime-
$1000
Dollar-
$100
Earn-
Practical hold percentage
Edge-
Advantage
Exotic
Bet- Action other than a straight bet or parlay
Figure-
Amount owed by or to a bookmaker
Get
Down- Make a bet
Gross
Win- Win before expenses
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
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 the familiarity with the arena and effect of travel
on the visting team.
Hoop-
Basketball
Hot
Tip- Information the bookmaker is not yet privy to
Juice-
Bookmaker's commission, most often refers to the 11 to 10 football
bettors lay on straight wagers; vigorish
Lay
A Price- Bet a favorite, lay the points
Limit-
Maximum bet accepted by the house before the price will be changed
Line-
The betting proposition on a game and/or payoff odds on the bet
Longshot-
Large underdog
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.
Minus
Pool- In pari-mutuel wagering, when after the take is extracted,
there is not enough money left to pay winning patrons the minimum
bet. The track must then make up the difference. Mutuel- Price
paid on a winning pari-mutuel wager
Neutral
Site- Arena, court, or field where neither side has a home
field advantage
Nickel-
$500
Off
The Board- Game where no bets are being accepted
Out-
Bookmaker, usually refers to an illegal bookmaker Overplay- 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
Past
Post- To make a bet after an event has started Pick or Pick'em-
A game where neither team is favored Player- Bettor or gambler
Practical
Hold Percentage- The amount won be a bookmaker divided by
the total amount booked
Press-
To bet a larger amount than usual
Price-
Line
Puppy-
Underdog
Push-
Tie Round Robin- A series of parlays.
A
three team round robin consists of three two-team parlays.
Rundown-
Line update
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
Side-
To win one side and tie the other. For example, if you lay -2
1/2 and take 3 on the smae game and the favorite wins by 3 you
have SIDED the book. The book has been SIDED.
Square-
Unsophisticated gambler
Steam-
Heavy action on one side
Straight
Bet- A bet on just on team
Sucker
Bet- Bet with a large house edge
Take
A Price- Bet the underdog, take the points
Tapped
Out- Broke, busted, common result of pressing
Theorical
Hold Percentage- The edge the bookmaker would have IF the
odds guaranteed him a constant commission regardless of the outcome
Toss
Up- Game where the line is close to pick-em
Tout
Service- A business that sells opinions on sporting events
Underlay-
When the odds on a proposition are in favor of the house
Value-
An overlay
Vigorish-
Juice
Wiseguy-
Established and successful sports bettor
