Glossary

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V

A

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Asian Handicap:

  A wager that allows for setting goal advantage/disadvantage for a team. Read More

B

• Bad Beat:

  An unexpected, often last moment loss of a wager.

• 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.

• Betting Exchange:

  An alternative to bookmaker, where player doesn't buy odds from the bookie, but rather from other players.

• Betting Limits:

  Some bookmakers determine limits on minimum/maximum (most commonly maximum) amount on each wager. Check our Bookmaker reviews to learn more.

• Book/Bookmaker/Bookie:

  An establishment that generates odds for events and accepts wagers. Read More

• 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

• 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.

• Canadian Line:

  A term in hockey, which is a combination of moneyline and pointspread.

• Chalk:

  Also known as a Favorite. The team/athlete/horse that is more likely to win.

• Chalk player:

  One that usually bets on the favored teams.

• Clean Sheet:

  A betting market that allows player to select the number of goals a team will accept during a match.

• Correct Score:

  A betting market, in which the final result the match is bet on.

• Cover:

  To cover the spread means to win or to beat the pointspread by the required number of points.

D

• 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).

• Decimal odds:

  A way of displaying odds, typically used in Europe. Read more

• Dog Player:

  A player that mostly bets on the underdog.

• Dog/Underdog:

  The team that is considered unlikely to win, therefore with higher odds.

• 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.

• Doubles:

  A combo with 2 selections. Both must be successful in order to get a return.

• 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

• 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).

• Edge:

  A term used in sports betting to denote a person's advantage.

• European Handicap:

  A betting market where one of the teams is given a goal advantage/disadvantage. Unlike Asian handicap, there are 3 possible outcomes. 

• Even Money:

  A wager that returns a profit equal to the stake. Odds of 2.00.

• Exposure:

  The maximum amount of money a bookmaker can lose in a particular game.

F

• Favorite:

  Also known as Chalk. The team expected to win.

• Final Four:

  The remaining 4 teams in the NCAA basketball tournament.

• First Goal Minute:

  A type of bet, predicting the exact timing of the first goal, regardless of which team scores it.

• 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.

• First Half bet:

  A bet placed only for the result of the first half of a game.

• Fixed Odds:

  Odds that are pre-determined, meaning that the expected profit can be calculated at the time of placing the bet.

• Fractional Odds:

  A particular way of displaying odds that is used in the UK. Read more.

G

• Getting Down:

  Placing a Bet.

• 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

• Half Time/Full Time:

  Predicting the result of a match at half-time and the final result. Learn all about HT/FT betting

• 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.

• Handle:

  The total amount of money that is staked on an event (group of events).

• 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

• Hedging:

  Placing bets on opposite outcome in order to minimize losses.

• 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

• 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

• Lay:

  Betting on something not to happen, for instance on a team not to win a game. Usually used in betting exchanges.

• Live Betting:

  Betting during the game with odds varying and changing, as the game progresses.

• 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

• Martingale:

  Betting system with doubling stake every time a bet is lost. Read more.

• Mobile betting:

  A feature that enables bettors to place bets via their phones/tablets.

• 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.

• Multi corner:

  A type of wager where the player predicts whether the number of corners will exceed the limit set by the bookmaker.

N

• No offer:

  Conditions, in which the bookmaker cannot offer odds for a particular event.

• Non runner:

  A participant who has registered to run in a race, but eventually does not do so. Often for horses.

O

• Odds:

  The bookmakers prediction of the chance a competitor will win (adjusted to include profit). Read about Betting odds in detail

• Outcome:

  The result of a game.

• 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).

• Overlay:

  An event, where the player believes that the chances are higher than the given odds. Often used in horse racing.

• Overround:

  Bookmaker profit margin.

P

• 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.

• Parlay:

  Also known as accumulator or combo bet. A bet including multiple selections, in which all must win for the player to get return.

• 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.

• Pick'em:

  A game with no favorite/underdog.

• Picks:

  Predictions to bet on, chosen by experts. Also known as tips.

• Point Spread:

  Point advantage given to a particular team, to make betting more attractive. Also known as Line or Handicap.

• Price:

  Odds.

• Punter:

  Also called Bettor. A person who places bets.

• Push:

  When an event ends with no winner. The return of stake due to event cancellation or draw.

R

• Roundabout:

  A system of 3 bets over 3 selections.

S

• Score bet:

  A bet, in which the punter predicts final score and either the first or the last scorer.

• Shortening the Odds:

  The bookmaker's reduction of the odds, to reduce exposure. Happens as a result of heavy betting.

• Spread Betting:

  Also known as action line or moneyline. A bet, in which the result of an event is predicted.

• Stake:

  The amount placed as a bet.

• Super Yankee:

  Also known as a Canadian. A system of 26 bets with 5 selections.

• Sure Bet:

  Betting that ensures profit. Can be done by combination of odds. See also Arbitrage Betting or read more

T

• Three-way:

  Also known as 1x2. A bet with 3 possible outcomes - win, draw or lose. Read more about 1x2 betting

• Tips:

  Also called picks. Expert predictions to bet on.

• Tipster:

  An expert who gives tips and advices on betting.

• 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

• 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).

• Underdog:

  Also called Dog. The team that is not likely to win.

V

• Value Betting:

  Wagering when the player believes that the odds, set by the bookmaker are much higher than they should be. Read more.