Moneyline

The moneyline is one of the simplest forms of betting. It involves picking the outright winner of a game or event. Odds are displayed as either a positive or negative number:

• Negative Moneyline (-): Indicates how much you need to bet to win $100. For example, -150 means you need to bet $150 to win $100.
• Positive Moneyline (+): Indicates how much you will win if you bet $100. For example, +200 means you will win $200 on a $100 bet.

Point Spread

The point spread levels the playing field between two teams. The favorite is given a handicap, and the underdog is given an advantage:

• Favorite (-): Must win by more than the spread. For example, if the spread is -7.5, the favorite must win by 8 or more points.
• Underdog (+): Can lose by less than the spread or win outright. For example, if the spread is +7.5, the underdog can lose by 7 or fewer points or win the game.

Total (Over/Under)

Total betting involves wagering on the combined score of both teams in a game. You can bet on whether the total score will be over or under a specified number:

• Over: Bet that the combined score will be higher than the set number.
• Under: Bet that the combined score will be lower than the set number.

Parlay

A parlay is a single bet that links two or more individual bets, requiring all of them to win. Parlays offer higher payouts but are riskier since losing one bet means losing the entire parlay.

Teaser

A teaser allows you to adjust the point spread or total in your favor in exchange for a lower payout. It’s similar to a parlay, but with adjusted lines.

Prop Bet (Proposition Bet)

Prop bets focus on specific outcomes within a game that aren’t tied to the final score. These can include player performances (e.g., total yards by a quarterback), team statistics, or even quirky events like the length of the national anthem at the Super Bowl.

Futures

Futures bets are long-term wagers placed on events that will happen in the future, such as who will win the Super Bowl or the MVP award. These bets typically offer higher payouts due to the difficulty in predicting long-term outcomes.

Live Betting (In-Game Betting)

Live betting allows you to place bets on a game while it’s happening. Odds are constantly updated based on the current state of the game, making it an exciting way to engage with the action in real-time.

Juice (Vig or Vigorish)

Juice refers to the commission or fee that a sportsbook charges for taking a bet. It’s how sportsbooks make money. For example, if you bet $110 to win $100, the extra $10 is the juice.

Push

A push occurs when a bet results in a tie, neither winning nor losing. In this case, the bettor typically gets their original stake back. For example, if you bet on a team to cover a 7-point spread and they win by exactly 7 points, it’s a push.

Handicapper

A handicapper is an expert or analyst who provides betting advice, predictions, and picks. Many bettors rely on handicappers for insights and strategies to improve their betting success.

Bankroll

Your bankroll is the total amount of money you have set aside for betting. Proper bankroll management involves betting only a small percentage of your bankroll on each bet to minimize risk and ensure long-term participation.
Understanding these terms will enhance your betting experience and improve your chances of making informed decisions. Always remember to gamble responsibly and enjoy the thrill of the game!

Glossary

You don't need an advanced degree to understand the language of sports gambling. Just refer to this page when you see an unfamiliar word or phrase.

• Across the Board - A method of wagering on a horse to win, place and show.
• Action - A baseball wager where no pitcher is specified. Also refers to the number of bets being placed on a certain event.
• ATS (Against The Spread) - A method of referring to the result of an event that takes the pointspread into account. Also, the act of taking points rather than betting with the spread, or "laying" points.
• Bad Beat - A wager that loses unexpectedly.
• Beard - A friend or acquaintance used to place bets, to conceal the true identity of the real bettor.
• Book - An establishment that accepts bets on the outcome of sporting events.
• Bookmaker/Bookie - A person who takes wagers on sporting events.
• Buck - $100 (as in a "buck" bet).
• Buy (Points) - When a player pays an additional price to receive half a point or more in his favor on a pointspread game.
• Canadian Line - A combination pointspread and moneyline in hockey.
• Chalk - The favored team, athlete or horse.
• Chalk Player - Someone who usually only plays the favored teams, rarely betting on the underdogs. Also known as a "chalkeater."
• Circled Game - A game where the limits are lowered, or betting options are restricted, usually due to injuries.
• Cover - To beat the pointspread by the required number of points. When you win, you have "covered the spread."
• Dead Heat - When two or more horses finish in a tie.
• Dime - $1,000.
• Dime Line - A line where the juice is 10 percent.
• Dog - Short for "underdog."
• Dog Player - A bettor who mostly plays the underdog.
• Dollar - $100.
• Double Action - An "if bet" that is processed when the precedent bet wins, ties or cancels.
• Double Bet - A wager for twice the size of one's usual wager; also known as "double pop" or "doubling up."
• Edge - A person's advantage when it comes to sports betting.
• Even Money - A wager on which neither side lays any odds or vigorish.
• Exotic - Any wager other than a straight bet or parlay, also called a prop or proposition.
• Exposure - The maximum amount of money a sportsbook stands to lose on a game.
• Favorite - The team expected to win an event. The quoted odds reflect the extent to which the choice is favored.
• Fifty Cents - $50.
• Figure - The amount owed to or by a bookmaker.
• Final Four - The remaining four teams in the NCAA basketball tournament.
• First Half Bet - A bet placed only on the first half of the game.
• Futures - Bets placed on an event or outcome taking place some time in the future (e.g. betting during the season on the Super Bowl winner).
• Getting Down - Making a bet.
• Grand Salami - 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
• Half Time Bet - A bet placed only on the second half of the game.
• Handicapper - One who studies and rates sporting events.
• Handicapping - The attempt to predict the outcome of sporting events. Usually involves research.
• Handle - The total amount of money bet on an event or group of events.
• Hedging - Placing wagers on the opposite side in order to cut losses or guarantee a minimum amount of winnings.
• Hook - A half-point.
• Hot Game - A game that is drawing a lot of action on one side from knowledgeable handicappers.
• Juice - The commission the bookie earns.
• Laying the Points - Betting the favorite by giving up points.
• Laying the Price - Betting the favorite by laying money odds.
• Layoff - Money bet by a house with another bookmaker to reduce its liability.
• Limit - The maximum amount a bookmaker will allow you to bet before he changes the odds and/or the points.
• Lines - Another word for odds.
• Linemaker - The person who establishes the original and subsequent betting lines. Also known as "oddsmaker."
• Listed Pitchers - A baseball bet which will be placed only if both of the pitchers scheduled to start a game actually start. If they don't, the bet is cancelled.
• Lock - An easy winner.
• Longshot - A team, athlete or horse perceived to be unlikely to win.
• Middle - To win both sides of the same contest in a sports betting event. Wagering on the underdog at one pointspread and the favorite at a different pointspread and winning both sides.
• Moneyline - A wager where no pointspread is involved.
• Move the Line - A player pays an additional price to receive half a point or more in his favor on a pointspread game.
• Nickel - $500.
• Nickel Line - A sports wagering line where the juice is five percent.
• No Action - A wager in which no money is lost nor won.
• Off the Board - A game that the bookmaker is not offering action on at that moment.
• Outlaw Line - The earliest line in sports betting. This is an overnight line that only a handful of players are allowed to bet into.
• Over/Under - A bet on whether the combined total of the points/goals scored by the two teams will exceed or be less than a specified number.
• Parlay - A bet on two or more teams or outcomes where the original stake and winnings are reinvested on the next wager. All selections must be correct for the parlay to win. In the event of a push or a game cancellation, the parlay reverts to the next lower number (e.g. a 4-team parlay becomes a 3-team parlay).
• Pick 'em - A game where neither team is favored.
• Pointspread - The handicap, or head start, which the favorite gives to the underdog for betting purposes.
• Press - To wager a larger amount than usual.
• Prop (Proposition) Bet - A special wager offered by the sportsbook on unique and various topics. These wagers can be on sporting events, politics, and even trial outcomes. The wagers use the moneyline format of payoff odds and might include who scores the first touchdown in the Super Bowl, who will win the next presidential election, or whether or not someone on trial will be found guilty.
• Price - The odds or pointspread.
• Puckline - Giving odds of a goal spread in hockey instead of using a Canadian Line, where both a goal spread and moneyline are played.
• Puppy - The underdog.
• Push - When a contest ends with no winner or loser for wagering purposes.
• Round Robin - A series of three or more teams in 2-team parlays.
• Run down - All the lines for a specific date, sport, time, etc.
• Runline - In baseball, a spread used instead of the moneyline.
• Runner - One who places bets for another.
• Scouts - Person(s) who waits for what he thinks is an unusually strong wager. Also known as a "sports player."
• Sharp - A sophisticated or professional gambler.
• Sides - The two teams or athletes playing - the underdog and the favorite.
• Single Action - An "if bet" that's processed only if the precedent bet wins.
• Spread - An abbreviated form of "pointspread."
• Square - A novice when it comes to sports betting.
• Steam - When a line starts to move rapidly. Most "steam games" do not necessarily reflect objective circumstances, but are games that draw a mass of bettors for some reason.
• Store - A bookie or sports betting establishment.
• Straight Bet - A wager on just one team, athlete or horse.
• Taking the Points - Betting the underdog and its advantage in the pointspread.
• Taking the Price - Betting the underdog and accepting money odds.
• Teaser - A bet on two or more teams where the line on each team is adjusted in the favor of the bettor. Like a parlay, all selections must be correct for the teaser to win.
• Ticket - A sports betting wager.
• Tie - A wager in which no money is lost nor won because the teams' scores were equal to the number of points in the given line.
• Total - The combined amount of runs, points or goals scored by both teams during the game, including the overtime (see Over/Under).
• Totals Bet - A proposition bet in which the bettor speculates that the total score by both teams in a game will be more or less than the line posted by the sportsbook.
• Tout - Someone who sells his/her expertise on sports wagering.
• Under - A wager that the total points scored by two teams will be under a certain figure.
• Underdog - The team perceived to be most likely to lose. Also known as the "dog" for short.
• Value - Getting the best odds on a wagering proposition; the highest possible edge.
• Vigorish - The bookmaker's commission on a losing bet; also known as "juice" or "vig" for short.
• Wiseguy - A well-informed or knowledgeable handicapper or bettor.