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.