Sportsbetting Terms

Action – the amount of money wagered by a player.

Added Game – a game that is not part of the regular Vegas rotation of games.

ATS – against the spread.

Beard – a third party used to place bets so the real identity of the bettor is hidden.

Book – a sportsbook.

Bookie – a person who accepts bets.

Buck – in sportsbetting, a $100 wager.

Buy – to buy points means paying an additonal amount to get a more favourable spread.

Canadian Line – a combination point spread and money line in hockey.

Cover – a pointspread win.

Dime – in sportsbetting, a $1000 wager.

Dime Line – a line where the juice is 10%.

Dog – the underdog in a sporting event.

Dollar – in sportsbetting, another name for a $100 wager.

Double Action – a bet that is only processed if a preceding bet wis, ties or cancels.

Even Money – a bet whose odds are 1/1.

Exotic – any wager other than a straight bet or parlay and also known as a proposition (prop).

Exposure – maximum amount a sportsbook stands to lose on a sporting event.

First half Bet – a bet made on on the first half of a game.

Future – a bet where the odds are placed in advance on the winners of a sporting event.

Getting Down – to make a sports bet.

Half Time Bet – a bet made on on the first half of a game.

Handicapper – a person who studies, rates and then bets on sporting events.

Handle – the total amount of bets taken.

Hedging – to place a wager on the opposite side to minimise a loss or guarantee a minimum amount of winnings.

Hook – a half point added to football and basketball betting lines.

Juice – the bookmaker’s commission on a losing bet, and also known as vigorish.

Layoff – a bet by a bookmaker with another bookmaker to reduce their exposure.

Limit – the maximum a person is allowed to bet before they change the odds and/or points.

Line – the current odds or point spread for each sporting event.

Longshot – wagering on a team that is not likely to win.

Money Line – odds expressed in monetary terms.

Nickel – in sportsbetting, another name for a $500 wager.

Off The Board – a game or event that a boomaker won’t accept bets for.

One Dollar – in sportsbetting, another name for a $100 wager.

Outlaw Line – the earliest line and usually only available to a small number of bettors.

Parlay – a bet with two or more teams where all teams must win or cover in order for the bettor to win.

Point Spread – the predicted difference in scores between two teams.

Proposition – also known as a prop. A special wager offer on unique events rather than a game or other sporting event.

Push – a bet where there is neither a winner or loser for the purposes of the bet.

Run Line – a spread rather than a money line in baseball.

Runner – a person who places bets on behalf of another person.

Sharp – a person who is considered a professional gambler.

Sides – the names of the team playing.

Single Action – an if bet that is only processed if the precedent bet wins.

Steam – when a line starts moving quickly.

Straight bet – a simple bet on one team.

Taking The Points – betting on the underdog and the associated point spread advantage.

Taking The Price – betting on the underdog and accepting the money odds.

Teaser – a special type of parlay where you can adjust the point spread in return for lower payoff odds.

Tie – when the teams’ scores are equal to the number of points in the line and no money is won or lost.

Under – a wager where the bettor estimates the total points scored by the two teams will be under a certain figure.

Underdog – the team most likely to lose a game.

Vigorish – the bookmaker’s commission on a losing bet, and also known as juice.

Wise Guy – an experienced and knowledgeable bettor.