{"id":10797,"date":"2023-12-16T16:15:37","date_gmt":"2023-12-17T00:15:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wagers.com\/staging\/4285\/?page_id=10797"},"modified":"2024-10-10T12:12:21","modified_gmt":"2024-10-10T19:12:21","slug":"sports-betting","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wagers.com\/staging\/4285\/glossary\/sports-betting\/","title":{"rendered":"Beginner’s Guide to Sports Betting Vocabulary"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Understanding sports\u00a0betting terminology<\/a>\u00a0is crucial for anyone looking to get into the world of sports wagering. Whether you\u2019re a beginner or a seasoned bettor, having a comprehensive glossary of sports betting terms at your fingertips can greatly enhance your betting experience. Here\u2019s an evergreen guide to the most common sports betting terms, presented in an easy-to-understand format.<\/p>\n

Before diving into the specifics, let\u2019s summarize what you\u2019ll find in this sports betting glossary. You\u2019ll learn about terms like \u201cAction,\u201d which refers to placing a bet, and \u201cATS,\u201d which stands for Against the Spread. You\u2019ll understand what a \u201cBackdoor cover\u201d is and why a \u201cBad beat\u201d can be so frustrating. From \u201cChalk\u201d favorites to \u201cExotic\u201d wagers, this glossary covers the A-Z of sports betting lingo.<\/p>\n

Action<\/strong>: The term action refers to having a bet on a game or event. When you have action on a game, it means you have a stake in the outcome through a wager.<\/p>\n

Arbitrage<\/strong>: Arbitrage, sometimes called an arb for short, is a strategy where a bettor places bets on all possible outcomes of an event with different bookmakers, ensuring a profit regardless of the result due to the variation in odds.<\/p>\n

ATS (Against the Spread)<\/strong>: ATS stands for Against the Spread, which is a team\u2019s record in relation to the point spread. Betting ATS means you\u2019re wagering on the point spread and not just the outcome of the game.<\/p>\n

Backdoor Cover<\/strong>: A backdoor cover occurs when a late score in a game allows the underdog to cover the spread, affecting the betting result and often changing the outcome for bettors.<\/p>\n

Bad Beat<\/strong>: A bad beat is when a bet that seemed almost certain to win is lost due to an unexpected turn of events, often at the very end of a game.<\/p>\n

Beard<\/strong>: A beard is someone who places a bet on behalf of another person, concealing the true identity of the bettor.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Book<\/strong>: Short for sportsbook or bookmaker, a book is an establishment or person that accepts bets on various events.<\/p>\n

Bookie<\/strong>: A bookie is a person who accepts bets, often illegally, and typically charges a commission known as vig.<\/p>\n

Buying Points<\/strong>: Buying points means paying an additional fee to adjust the point spread in favor of the bettor, potentially making it easier to win the bet.<\/p>\n

Chalk<\/strong>: Chalk refers to the favorite in a game. Bettors who often wager on favorites are known as chalk bettors.<\/p>\n

Circle Game<\/strong>: A circle game is one with lowered betting limits, usually due to uncertainties like player injuries or adverse weather conditions.<\/p>\n

Closing Line<\/strong>: The closing line is the final betting line set before the start of an event.<\/p>\n

Consensus Pick<\/strong>: A consensus pick is the most popular betting choice among the public at any given time.<\/p>\n

Cover<\/strong>: To cover the spread means that a favorite wins by more points than the spread, or an underdog wins outright or loses by fewer points than the spread.<\/p>\n

Dime<\/strong>: In betting parlance, a dime is slang for a $1,000 wager.<\/p>\n

Dog<\/strong>: Short for underdog, a dog is a team or individual expected to lose a game or event.<\/p>\n

Dollar<\/strong>: A dollar is betting slang for a $100 wager.<\/p>\n

Edge<\/strong>: An edge is the advantage a bettor believes they have over the sportsbook.<\/p>\n

Even Money<\/strong>: Even money is a bet where the potential winnings are the same as the amount wagered, essentially a 50\/50 wager.<\/p>\n

Exotic<\/strong>: An exotic bet is any wager that is not a straight bet or parlay, often referred to as props or proposition bets.<\/p>\n

Favorite<\/strong>: The favorite is the team or individual expected to win an event, as indicated by the odds.<\/p>\n

Fixed<\/strong>: A fixed event is one where the outcome has been dishonestly predetermined.<\/p>\n

Futures Bet<\/strong>: A\u00a0futures bet<\/a>\u00a0is a long-term wager on the outcome of a season-long event, such as a championship.<\/p>\n

Halftime Bet<\/strong>: A halftime bet is a wager placed during halftime, adjusting the stakes based on the first-half performance.<\/p>\n

Handicapper<\/strong>: A handicapper is someone who studies and predicts the outcomes of sporting events.<\/p>\n

Handle<\/strong>: The handle is the total amount of money wagered on an event.<\/p>\n

Hedging<\/strong>: Hedging is the strategy of placing a bet on the opposite side of an original wager to minimize potential losses or guarantee a profit.<\/p>\n

High Roller<\/strong>: A high roller is a gambler who consistently places large bets.<\/p>\n

Hook<\/strong>: A hook is a half-point added to betting spreads, such as 7.5 instead of 7.<\/p>\n

In-Game Wagering<\/strong>:\u00a0In-game wagering<\/a>\u00a0is the act of betting on a game while it is in progress, with odds that change in real-time.<\/p>\n

Juice<\/strong>: Juice, also known as vig or vigorish, is the commission that bookmakers take on bets.<\/p>\n

Layoff<\/strong>: A layoff bet is one that a bookmaker places with another bookmaker to balance action and reduce risk.<\/p>\n

Limit<\/strong>: The limit is the maximum bet amount that a bookmaker will accept on a single wager.<\/p>\n

Lock<\/strong>: A lock is a bet that is perceived as a guaranteed win, although in reality, there is no such thing in sports betting.<\/p>\n

Middle<\/strong>: To middle a bet means to bet on both sides of a game, taking advantage of line movements, with the potential to win both bets.<\/p>\n

Moneyline<\/strong>: A moneyline bet is a wager on which team or individual will win a game outright, without a point spread.<\/p>\n

Mush<\/strong>: A mush is a bettor who is considered to be bad luck.<\/p>\n

Nickel: A nickel in betting terms is slang for a $500 wager.<\/p>\n

Oddsmaker<\/strong>: An oddsmaker is the person who sets the betting odds, which can be synonymous with a bookmaker.<\/p>\n

Off the Board<\/strong>: An event goes off the board when a bookmaker stops accepting bets on it, often due to uncertainties like key player injuries.<\/p>\n

Over\/Under<\/strong>: The over\/under is a bet on whether the total points, goals, or runs in a game will be over or under a specified amount.<\/p>\n

Parlay<\/strong>: A\u00a0parlay<\/a>\u00a0is a single bet that links together multiple individual wagers; all must win for the parlay to pay out.<\/p>\n

Pick\u2019em<\/strong>: A pick\u2019em is a game with no clear favorite or underdog, where the point spread is essentially zero.<\/p>\n

Point Spread<\/strong>: The point spread is the number of points by which the favored team is expected to beat the underdog.<\/p>\n

Proposition (Prop) Bet<\/strong>: A prop bet is a wager on a specific occurrence or non-occurrence within a game, separate from the final outcome.<\/p>\n

Push<\/strong>: A push is when a game or event ends right on the betting number, resulting in all bets being refunded.<\/p>\n

Return on Investment (ROI)<\/strong>: ROI is the expected amount of money to be returned from a bet, based on the odds and the amount wagered.<\/p>\n

Runner<\/strong>: A runner is a person who places bets for others, also known as a \u201cbeard.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sharp<\/strong>: A sharp is a professional and sophisticated sports bettor known for making smart bets.<\/p>\n

Spread<\/strong>: The spread, short for\u00a0point spread<\/a>, is the handicap given by the oddsmakers to level the playing field between two unevenly matched teams.<\/p>\n

Square<\/strong>: A square is a casual gambler who often makes bets based on gut feelings rather than using advanced strategies.<\/p>\n

Steam<\/strong>: Steam is a sudden, rapid movement in the betting line, usually caused by heavy betting on one side or by influential bettors.<\/p>\n

Straight Up<\/strong>: Straight up refers to the outright winner of a game, regardless of the point spread.<\/p>\n

Teaser<\/strong>: A\u00a0teaser<\/a>\u00a0is a type of parlay bet where the bettor can adjust the point spread in their favor, but this reduces the potential payout.<\/p>\n

Total<\/strong>: The\u00a0total<\/a>\u00a0is the combined score of both teams in a game, and bettors can wager on whether the actual total will be over or under the sportsbook\u2019s prediction.<\/p>\n

Tout Service<\/strong>: A tout service is a business that sells or gives away sports betting picks.<\/p>\n

Underdog<\/strong>: The underdog is the team or individual that is expected to lose an event.<\/p>\n

Vig\/Vigorish<\/strong>: Vig or vigorish is the commission or fee taken by a bookmaker on bets.<\/p>\n

Wager<\/strong>: A wager is another term for a bet.<\/p>\n

Welch<\/strong>: To welch is to fail to pay off a losing bet, which is highly frowned upon in the gambling community.<\/p>\n

Wiseguy<\/strong>: A wiseguy is another term for a sharp or professional bettor.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/main>