Term |
|
Definition |
Action |
|
A bet |
BM |
|
Bookmaker |
BR |
|
Bankroll |
Back door |
|
A 'cover' that occurs in the waning moments of a game |
Bad beat |
|
Losing under unusual circumstances |
Beard |
|
A runner; one who places a bet for another |
Beef |
|
A dispute over the outcome of a bet |
Bow-wow |
|
An underdog |
Chalk |
|
A favorite |
Circled game |
|
A contest on which betting limits are reduced (injuries
and weather are the primary reasons for games to be circled) |
Cover |
|
A pointspread win |
Degenerate |
|
A compulsive gambler |
Dime |
|
$1,000 |
Dollar |
|
$100 |
Earn |
|
Percentage hold |
Exotic |
|
Any wager other than a straight bet or parlay (also referred
to as a proposition or prop) |
Exposure |
|
The maximum amount of money a sports book stands to lose
on a game |
Figure |
|
Amount owed to or by a bookmaker |
Form |
|
A tabloid used for horse racing data |
Getting down |
|
Placing a bet |
Handicapper |
|
A person who studies factors such as statistics, injuries,
weather and news to predict the outcome of games |
Handle |
|
Total amount of money wagered |
Hedge |
|
To reduce amount of action by wagering on the opposite side
of a previous bet |
Hook |
|
A half-point |
Juice |
|
Amount of commission kept by the house (also referred to
as vigorish or vig) |
Laying a price |
|
Playing a favorite |
Layoff |
|
Money bet by a house with another bookmaker to reduce its
liability |
Limit |
|
Maximum amount of money accepted for one wager |
Line |
|
The odds on a game (also referred to as price) |
Lock |
|
A surefire winner (there really is no such proposition) |
Matador |
|
A cover that occurs in the waning moments of a game (also
referred to as a back door cover) |
Middle |
|
Betting both sides of a game at different prices with the
hope of winning both wagers (An example: if a bettor played Maryland (minus-4)
and Duke (plus-6), and Maryland won, 100-95, he would win both bets
-- or "catch a middle") |
Mush |
|
A bettor who is bad luck |
Nickel |
|
$500 |
Off the board |
|
A game on which bookmakers are not accepting wagers (generally
because of injuries) |
Overlay |
|
A situation in which the odds on a game favor the bettors
rather than the house |
Parlay |
|
One bet ticket written with at least two wagers (all must
win for the ticket to cash) |
Past post |
|
To place a wager after an event has started |
Pick'em |
|
A game with no favorite (the straight-up winner also would
win bets) |
Price |
|
The odds on a game |
Puppy |
|
The underdog |
Push |
|
A tie |
Round robin |
|
A single ticket with comprised of more than one parlay |
Rundown |
|
A list of odds on a particular day's games |
Runner |
|
One who places bets for another |
Scalper |
|
Someone who bets both sides of a game |
Score |
|
A big win |
Sharp |
|
A sophisticated or professional sports bettor |
Square |
|
A novice sports bettor |
Steam |
|
Heavy action on one side of a game |
Straight bet |
|
One wager (as opposed to a parlay) |
Sucker bet |
|
Parlays, teasers or exotics (anything bookmakers use to
entice squares to bet more) |
Taking a price |
|
Betting an underdog |
Tapped out |
|
Broke from gambling |
Teaser |
|
A sucker wager that allows bettors to add and subtract points
from posted odds |
Tout service |
|
A company that sells selections on games (most in the United
States are dishonest) |
Underlay |
|
A situation in which the odds on a game favor the house
rather than bettors |
Value |
|
An overlay |
Vigorish |
|
Amount of commission kept by the house (also referred to
as juice or vig) |
Wise guy |
|
A professional sports bettor |
