Betting Terms

Added Game - For sports betting, a game not part of Las Vegas regular rotation posted as an accommodation to customers.

ATS - "Against the spread," taking points rather than betting with the spread and laying points in sports betting.

Beard - In sports betting a beard is a friend or acquaintance who is used to place bets as to conceal the true identity of the real bettor.

Book - In sports gambling a Book is an establishment that accepts bets on the outcome of horse racing and sporting events.

Bookie - In sports wagering a person who accepts bets.

Buck - Sports betting term for a $100 wager.

Buy (Points) - In sports betting, a player pays an additional price to receive half a point or more in his favor on a point spread game.

Canadian Line - In sports betting the Canadian line is a combination point spread and money line in hockey.

Chalk - The favorite.

Chalk Player - In sports gambling this person is someone who usually only plays the favored teams, rarely betting on the underdogs.

Circled game - In sports wagering this is a game in which the betting action is reduced; usually occurs in added games, games with injuries, bad weather, propositions, or halves of games. These games cannot be included in parlays or teasers

Cover - In sports betting this term means a pointspread win

Dime - $1000.00 sports betting wager.

Dime Line - In sports betting a Dime line is a line where the juice is 10%.

Dog - In sports betting, the team perceived to be most likely to lose.

Dog Player - In sports gambling this term refers to one who mostly plays the underdog.

Dollar - $100, in sports wagering.

Double action - An "if bet" in sports betting that is processed if the precedent bet wins, ties or cancels.

Double Bet - In sports betting a double bet is a wager for twice the size of one's usual wager; also known as "double pop" or "doubling up."

Edge - A persons Advantage when it comes to sports betting.

Even Money - Sports betting term "Even money" is a bet whose odds are 1/1; a wager in which no vigorish or juice is laid.

Exotic - In sports gambling the term Exotic is any wager other than a straight bet or parlay - also called a prop or proposition.

Exposure - The maximum amount of money a sports book stands to lose on a game.

Favorite - In sports betting this it the team expected to win an event. The quoted odds reflect the extent to which the choice is favored.

Fifty cents - $50.00 of sports betting action

Figure - For sports betting, Figure is the amount owed to or by a bookmaker

First half bet - In sports betting this is a bet placed only on the first half of the game.

Future - In sports gambling odds are posted in advance on the winners of various major events including the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Stanley Cup, and the NBA Championship this is called a Future bet

Getting Down - sports wagering meaning making a bet.

Grand Salami - A sports betting term meaning the grand total of goals scored in all the hockey games of the day. It can be wagered to go Over/Under.

Half a dollar - $50.00 in sports betting action.

Half time bet - In sports betting this is a bet placed only on the second half of the game.

Handicapper - When it comes to sports betting a handicapper is one who studies, rates and wagers on sporting events and/or races.

Handicapping - In sports gambling this is the attempt to predict the outcome of sporting events.

Handle - A sports wagering term that means the total amount of bets taken.

Hedging - A sports betting term that means placing wagers on the opposite side in order to cut losses or guarantee a minimum amount of winnings.

Hook - In sports betting a Hook is a half point added to football and basketball betting lines.

Hot game - Sports betting term for a game which is drawing a lot of action on one side by knowledgeable handicappers.

Juice - The bookmaker's commission on a losing bet, also known as "vigorish."


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