More Sports Terminology – Sports Betting Glossary
Scott Morris | November 26, 2014
We often use terminology on here that might be a bit foreign to some of our readers. Therefore, we felt the need to explain some of the betting types and terms that some of you may not understand. We hope this post will clear up any confusion you may have. Good luck with your sports bets!
Action: When no pitcher in a baseball game is specified or the amount wagered on a specific game.
In a sentence- “There’s a ton of action on the Lakers tonight.”
ATS (Against the Spread): The amount of points you are being given or taken away when betting on a team.
In a sentence- “The Giants lost ATS because they didn’t cover the 3 points.”
Bad Beat: A loss that you weren’t expecting.
In a sentence- “I can’t believe the Browns choked that game away and cost me $100. What a bad beat!”
Book: A sportsbook
In a sentence- “I’m headed to the book in a few to place some bets.”
Bookmaker: The place or person that sets the lines and takes your bets.
In a sentence- “I really like this bookmaker.”
Buck: A $100 wager.
In a sentence- “I’ve got a buck on Oakland.”
Canadian Line: A combination of the moneyline and point spread on a hockey game.
In a sentence- “I took the Canadian line in the Flyers game tonight.”
Chalk: Picking a favorite.
In a sentence- “I expect the Big Ten Tournament to be all chalk.”
Cover the spread: When a team wins by more points than the spread.
In a sentence- “Miami covered the 4-point spread by winning 24-18.”
Dime Bet: A $1,000 bet
In a sentence- “I’ve got a dime on the Knicks tonight.”
Dog (or underdog): The team that isn’t expected to win.
In a sentence- “Cleveland is a big dog tonight against Pittsburgh.”
Edge: When a bettor has an advantage over the house.
In a sentence- “I believe my skills give me an edge when betting on sports.”
Even Money: A wager that pays out twice as much as the initial bet (1:1 odds).
In a sentence- “I’m getting even money on the Bears against Minnesota.”
Exotic: A bet that is different than regular straight bets such as a parlay or teaser.
In a sentence- “I love betting the exotics on NFL games.”
Favorite: The team or athlete expected to win.
In a sentence- “I have the most success when betting on the favorites.”
First Half Bet: A wager placed on the outcome of the first half of a game.
In a sentence- “I really like Lakers first half line.”
Futures: Wagers based on future outcomes such as winning the World Series, usually bets placed prior to the start of the season or a series/tournament.
In a sentence- “I’m loving the futures odds on the Cowboys.”
Getting Down: Placing a wager
In a sentence- “I’m going to get down on this Dodgers/Giants game.”
Handicapping: The art of predicting the outcome of a game or event.
In a sentence- “I’m getting real good at handicapping basketball games.”
Hedge a Bet: Betting against a team you’ve already wagered on in order to ensure a parlay is a guaranteed winner.
In a sentence- “I’m hedging my bet by wagering on Arkansas tonight so that I am guaranteed to make money in the event my parlay doesn’t win.”
Lines: Another way to say “odds”.
In a sentence- “The line on this game is perfect.”
Moneyline: Betting on a team to win, with no point spread involved.
In a sentence- “I’m taking the moneyline on the Giants.”
Over/Under: A bet based on the total points scored in a game.
In a sentence- “The over on the Cowboys/Packers game is tempting.”
Pick ‘em: A game where there is no favorite or underdog.
In a sentence- “The Cavaliers/Spurs game is a pick ‘em.”
Prop Bet: A different kind of bet that may involve the winner of a coin toss, total yards by a running back, etc.
In a sentence- “My favorite Super Bowl prop bet is to bet on the coin toss.”
Runline: The spread in a baseball game.
In a sentence- “I like the runline on the Royals against Detroit.”
Taking the Points: Betting on the underdog.
In a sentence- “I like Green Bay and I’m taking the points.”
Wiseguy: A skilled handicapper.
In a sentence- “John is a true wiseguy because he always seems to know how to handicap games.”
