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.