Action
Bad Bet
Bankroll
The amount of money the player plans to gamble.
Beard
Bookie/Bookmaker
Also known as an out. One who receives bets from clients for a small profit margin. Assures a profit for themselves if half the money bet is on one team and half on the other.
Buck
A wager that is $100. Also known as a dollar bet.
Chalk
A team or horse that is favoured by one who wagers. Indicated by a minus sign (-).
Circled Game
A game with upper limits on bets, commonly due to injuries.
Cover
To wager on the spread with the necessary number of points.
Dime bet
Dog
The underdog or losing team. Indicated by a plus (+) sign.
Dog Player
A person who usually bets on the underdog.
Dollar Bet
Even Money
A bet where neither side place odds or juice/vigorish.
Final 4
Four teams in the NCAA Basketball tournament that have remained in final competition.
Firing
Wagering huge sums of money.
Futures
Wagers on future events during a particular season. Future odds constantly change throughout a season. The player receives the odds at the time the bet is made.
Handicapper
An individual who examines and rates sporting events.
Hedging
Betting on the opposite side in order to cut losses or guarantee winning a minimal amount of money.
Juice
Also known as vigorish. Commission made by the bookmaker.
Limit
The maximum bet accepted by a house or bookmaker before he changes odds and/or the points.
Lines
Lock
MLB
An acronym for Major League Baseball.
MVP
An acronym for the most valuable player. Leagues present MVP awards to the best regular-season and the most outstanding player either in championship games or series.
Middle(s)
To win both sides of one bet by wagering the favourite team with one bookmaker and the other team with a second bookmaker.
Money Line
Either the amount a player bets in order to win $100 or the amount one wins having bet $100.
NBA
An acronym for the National Basketball Association.
NCAA
An acronym for the National Collegiate Athletic Association
NFL
An acronym for the National Football League.
NHL
An acronym for the National Hockey League.
Nickel
Off the Board
A game where the bookie does not accept action.
Over/Under
A wager that the total points or goals scored by two teams will be either more or less than the number chosen in the wager.
Overlay
Occurs when the odds of a specific bet are higher than they should be.
Parlay
A wager on two or more teams or outcomes where the initial stake and winnings are carried over to the next wager. If a game is cancelled, the parlay goes to the next lower number. For example, a three-team parlay becomes a two-team parlay.
Pick'em Game
A game without a favourite team or betting selection.
Point Spread (Spread)
A head start given to the underdog by the favourite team for betting purposes.
Price
The point spread or odds.
Push
A game where the point spread is tied or the total scores of each team are the same.
Reverse Wager
Also known as an if win bet. If wager X wins, the bet moves to wager Y. If Y wins, the bet goes to wager X. But if either lose, the bet does not go to the other. If wager X wins, the bet goes to wager Y and if Y loses, the bet does not go to wager X.
Score
Scratch
To withdraw or cancel a wager.
Sided
Occurs when one betting side wins and the other side ties.
Single
A wager on only one result.
Stanley Cup
A championship hockey series for the NHL.
Straight Wager
A bet on the result of a single game. The most common type of sports wager.
Stuck
Behind, losing, buried, down for the week.
Sucker Bet
Super Bowl
The National Football League championship game.
Tapped Out
Broke, busted, common result of pressing.
Teaser
A wager including 2 or more teams and the line on each time is changed to favour the bettor. A parlay game mandates that all picks must be correct for the teaser to win.
Toke
Total
The summed number of goals scored by the two competing teams.
Tout Service
A business that sells opinions on sports or horse wagers.
Wise Guy
An expert handicapper or better.
World Series
The championship series of Major League Baseball