Sports Betting Terms

 Action – A bet or wager.

Against the spread – The result of a game including the point spread.

Backdoor – A losing bet managing to barely cover the spread at the end of the game

Bad Beat – A bet that looks like the bettor is going to win but doesn’t.

Book (Sportsbook) – A place where someone can bet on the outcome of sporting events.

Buck – A $100 bet.

Buy it up – Adding ½ a point to a spread. Example:  From 2.5 to 3, 3 to 3.5.

Chalk – The favorite.

Consensus  – Percentage of the betting public on each side of a game. Some bettors will bet against the “public money” (whichever team more bettors have placed their bets on).

Cover – A win against the point spread.

Dime – A bet of one thousand dollars

Dog – The team Sportsbooks predict will lose the game

Dollar – A bet of one hundred dollars

Edge – A bettor’s advantage.

Even (Even Money) – You will double your bet in a win.

Favorite – The team linesmakers favor to win the game.

Future bets – A high upside bet on events that will happen further in the future – Example:  Win World Series, Make Playoffs, Win Division, Win Conference.

Handle – The total amount of money wagered on something.

Handicapping – The research and analysis that goes into deciding what or who to bet.

Hedging – Betting opposite of a previous bet to guarantee yourself some sort of profit.  This typically happens at halftime.

Hook – A half-point in the spread

In-game wagers – Bets made after a game started.

Juice – A % of the bet the sports bettor pays the Sportsbook.

Limit – The maximum a Sportsbook permits you to bet on a single event.

Linesmaker – Someone who set the opening line on a game.

Lock – Sorry.  This isn’t real.  There is no such thing.

Long Shot – A large underdog with a high return to the sports bettor to win

Moneyline bet – A bet made if a team will win or lose outright with no point spread.

Nickel – A five-hundred dollar bet

Oddsmaker – Someone who sets the opening line on a game.

Off the Board – A game that no bets can be placed on

Over – A prediction total points scored in the game will go over the set line

Parlay – A bet that requires you to choose and win multiple games for a higher payout. You lose the bet if any of the games you choose lose.

Pick’em – A game without a declared favorite or underdog.

Point spread – Margin of victory or defeat set by oddsmakers to ensure a win.  Favorites must win by more than the margin to win.  Underdogs must lose by less than the margin to win.

Puckline – This spread is specific to Major League Baseball.  The favorite has to win by more than 1 run to cover and the underdog has to lose by less than 2 runs to cover.

Prop bets – A bet on anything that happens in an event that is not the points spread or total points scored.

Push – This results in your bet being refunded to you in full.

Runline – This spread is specific to Major League Baseball.  The favorite has to win by more than 1 run to cover and the underdog has to lose by less than 2 runs to cover.

Sharp – A smart professional sports bettor.

Steam – High volume of bets causes the betting line to move in one direction.

Taking the points – Betting an underdog against the spread.

Teaser – A bet that requires you to choose and win multiple games for a higher payout and gives you a set amount of points in the direction you choose. You lose the bet if any of the games you choose lose.

Total bet (over/under) – A bet on the combined number of points scored by both teams in a game, including overtime/extra innings.

Under – Predicting the total points scored in the game will be less than the

Underdog – The team Sportsbooks predict will lose the game

Wager – Betting a sum of money on the outcome of an event