A
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Accumulator:
Also called combo and parlay. A type of bet that combines multiple events on a single bet slip. The player wins only if all events are successful.
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Across the Board:
Typically for horse racing,where win, place and show are being offered. It is a wager of equal amount for each outcome.
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Ante Post:
A bet that is placed prior to an event (at least a day, but can be months before the final result of an event). This bet is often about the champion of a particular organization.
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Arbitrage:
Arbitrage or 'surebet' means betting with a sure profit. The player uses the market imperfections to combine odds of different operators and thus secure a profit, regardless of the final outcome of the event. Read More about Arbitrage or Read More about Surebet Software.
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Asian Handicap:
A wager that allows for setting goal advantage/disadvantage for a team. Read More
B
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Bad Beat:
An unexpected, often last moment loss of a wager.
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Banker Bet/Bank Bet:
Banker bet is betting on the favorite to win, i.e. a profit is expected. It is also a term used in system bets, where a selection must win, or the entire coupon loses.
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Betting Exchange:
An alternative to bookmaker, where player doesn't buy odds from the bookie, but rather from other players.
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Betting Limits:
Some bookmakers determine limits on minimum/maximum (most commonly maximum) amount on each wager. Check our Bookmaker reviews to learn more.
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Book/Bookmaker/Bookie:
An establishment that generates odds for events and accepts wagers. Read More
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Bookings:
Also called Total cards. It is a betting market where a player can predict whether the sum of yellow/red cards is greater/less than the set limit.
C
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Canadian:
Also known as Super Yankee. A system of 26 bets on 5 selections: 10 doubles, 10 trebles, 5 four-folds and 1 five-fold accumulator. A player must win in 2+ of his selections in order to get a return.
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Canadian Line:
A term in hockey, which is a combination of moneyline and pointspread.
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Chalk:
Also known as a Favorite. The team/athlete/horse that is more likely to win.
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Chalk player:
One that usually bets on the favored teams.
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Clean Sheet:
A betting market that allows player to select the number of goals a team will accept during a match.
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Correct Score:
A betting market, in which the final result the match is bet on.
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Cover:
To cover the spread means to win or to beat the pointspread by the required number of points.
D
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Dead Heat:
Usually used for horses, when two or more competitors finish in a tie. Full odds are paid out for half stake (or a third if 3 competitors finish together).
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Decimal odds:
A way of displaying odds, typically used in Europe. Read more
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Dog Player:
A player that mostly bets on the underdog.
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Dog/Underdog:
The team that is considered unlikely to win, therefore with higher odds.
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Double Chance:
A bet where the player predicts 2 of the 3 possible outcomes (1,X,2). For instance in a game Read Madrid – Las Palmas, a player can bet on 1X if he is certain that Las Palmas cannot win.
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Doubles:
A combo with 2 selections. Both must be successful in order to get a return.
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Draw No Bet (DNB):
A betting market which eliminates the draw (returning the stake back in case of a draw, as if a bet was never placed). The player can bet for a home or away win. Read More
E
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Each Way:
Usually for horses, but also in football. The bet consists of 2 equal wagers – betting on a 'Win' and betting on a 'Place' (top 2,3,4 depending on the particular offering).
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Edge:
A term used in sports betting to denote a person's advantage.
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European Handicap:
A betting market where one of the teams is given a goal advantage/disadvantage. Unlike Asian handicap, there are 3 possible outcomes.
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Even Money:
A wager that returns a profit equal to the stake. Odds of 2.00.
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Exposure:
The maximum amount of money a bookmaker can lose in a particular game.
F
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Favorite:
Also known as Chalk. The team expected to win.
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Final Four:
The remaining 4 teams in the NCAA basketball tournament.
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First Goal Minute:
A type of bet, predicting the exact timing of the first goal, regardless of which team scores it.
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First Goal/First team to score:
A type of bet where the player predicts which team will score the first goal. The final result is irrelevant.
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First Half bet:
A bet placed only for the result of the first half of a game.
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Fixed Odds:
Odds that are pre-determined, meaning that the expected profit can be calculated at the time of placing the bet.
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Fractional Odds:
A particular way of displaying odds that is used in the UK. Read more.
G
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Getting Down:
Placing a Bet.
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Goliath:
A system of 247 bets on 8 selections: 28 doubles, 56 trebles, 70 4-folds, 56 5-folds, 28 6-folds, 8 7-folds and 1 8-fold.
H
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Half Time/Full Time:
Predicting the result of a match at half-time and the final result. Learn all about HT/FT betting
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Handicap:
A method used by bookmakers to make a one-sided event become more attractive for betting, where point advantage (e.g. goals) is given to a team.
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Handle:
The total amount of money that is staked on an event (group of events).
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Head to Head:
A bet where the player predicts which of 2 participants will finish with better results. Read more about Head-to-Head Betting
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Hedging:
Placing bets on opposite outcome in order to minimize losses.
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Heinz:
A system of 56 bets over 6 selections: 6 five-folds, 15 four-folds, 20 trebles and 15 doubles. 2 or more selections need to be successful in order to get a return.
I
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In the Money:
Describes the number of contestants on which money will be paid out to bettors (1st, 2nd, 3rd or sometimes also 4th place). Usually for horses.
L
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Lay:
Betting on something not to happen, for instance on a team not to win a game. Usually used in betting exchanges.
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Live Betting:
Betting during the game with odds varying and changing, as the game progresses.
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Lucky 15, 31, 63:
Multiple bets on resp. 4, 5 and 6 selections (15, 31 and 63 bets), where the player gets return even if only 1 of the selections is successful.
M
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Martingale:
Betting system with doubling stake every time a bet is lost. Read more.
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Mobile betting:
A feature that enables bettors to place bets via their phones/tablets.
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Money Line:
A way of displaying odds, used by Americans. Shows amount that needs to bet, in order to win $100 or the amount that can be won by betting $100.
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Multi corner:
A type of wager where the player predicts whether the number of corners will exceed the limit set by the bookmaker.
N
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No offer:
Conditions, in which the bookmaker cannot offer odds for a particular event.
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Non runner:
A participant who has registered to run in a race, but eventually does not do so. Often for horses.
O
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Odds:
The bookmakers prediction of the chance a competitor will win (adjusted to include profit). Read about Betting odds in detail
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Outcome:
The result of a game.
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Over/Under:
A betting market where the predicted total number of goals in a match is more or less than the limit set by the bookmaker (e.g. Over 2.5 goals, meaning 3 or more goals are scored, regardless of which team did the actual scoring).
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Overlay:
An event, where the player believes that the chances are higher than the given odds. Often used in horse racing.
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Overround:
Bookmaker profit margin.
P
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Pari-Mutuel:
Race gambling where all bets are pooled and winners are paid out according to the size of pool and number of total winners.
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Parlay:
Also known as accumulator or combo bet. A bet including multiple selections, in which all must win for the player to get return.
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Patent:
A system of 7 bets over 3 selections: 1 treble, 3 doubles and 3 singles. 1+ selections must be successful for a player to get return.
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Pick'em:
A game with no favorite/underdog.
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Picks:
Predictions to bet on, chosen by experts. Also known as tips.
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Point Spread:
Point advantage given to a particular team, to make betting more attractive. Also known as Line or Handicap.
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Price:
Odds.
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Punter:
Also called Bettor. A person who places bets.
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Push:
When an event ends with no winner. The return of stake due to event cancellation or draw.
R
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Roundabout:
A system of 3 bets over 3 selections.
S
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Score bet:
A bet, in which the punter predicts final score and either the first or the last scorer.
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Shortening the Odds:
The bookmaker's reduction of the odds, to reduce exposure. Happens as a result of heavy betting.
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Spread Betting:
Also known as action line or moneyline. A bet, in which the result of an event is predicted.
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Stake:
The amount placed as a bet.
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Super Yankee:
Also known as a Canadian. A system of 26 bets with 5 selections.
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Sure Bet:
Betting that ensures profit. Can be done by combination of odds. See also Arbitrage Betting or read more
T
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Three-way:
Also known as 1x2. A bet with 3 possible outcomes - win, draw or lose. Read more about 1x2 betting
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Tips:
Also called picks. Expert predictions to bet on.
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Tipster:
An expert who gives tips and advices on betting.
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Total points number:
A bet, in which the player predicts whether the total number of points will exceed the limit set by the bookie. Often used in basketball.
U
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Under (from Over-Under):
A bet in which a player sets the total number of points in a game not to exceed a certain limit set by the bookmaker (e.g. under 2.5 sets means that if the total sets are 3 or more, the bet loses).
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Underdog:
Also called Dog. The team that is not likely to win.
V
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Value Betting:
Wagering when the player believes that the odds, set by the bookmaker are much higher than they should be. Read more.
