Sports Betting Terms
This is a dictionary of all sports betting terminology used today. Ever wonder what a "Beard" does?
Accountant - a term used by some players for bookmaker (bookie).
Across the Board - a method of wagering on a horse to win, place and show.
Action - a wager of any kind.
Agent - a middleman who places players into a sports book for a commission.
Alpo - a dog, puppy or underdog, i.e., the team, side or contestant in any given event considered to be the least likely to win.
ATS - an abbreviation for: against the spread.
Back Door Cover - meaningless points scored to cover the spread, by a team that is likely to lose.
Bad Beat - a tough loss, e.g., when unwanted points are scored against your wager in the dying seconds of an event, or your horse loses by a nose, after leading all the way.
Beard - a messenger player, i.e., a player who plays on behalf of someone else.
Beef - a dispute or claim involving a player and his/her bookmaker.
Book - a sports book or betting establishment that sets odds and accepts wagers on the outcome of sporting events.
Bookie (Bookmaker) - a person, house or organization that takes players' bets.
BR - a bankroll.
Buck - a $100.00 wager.
Bonus whore - a player who opens an account in an online sports book, poker room, or casino in order to get a bonus.
Chalk - the favored team, side, contestant or horse in a sports event.
Chalk-Eater/Chalk-Player - a player who tends to wager only on the favorites, rarely on the underdogs.
Circle/Circled Game - an event where the wagering limit (the action) is severely limited, i.e., where the sports book lowers its' normal wagering limits due to uncertain weather, significant injuries, or unconfirmed rumors regarding a contestant or team.
Clone Joint - a sports book that moves its' lines to conform with other sports books.
Cover - to bet the point spread (spread) by the required number of points. If a wager is made in this way, the player is said to have covered the spread, and stands to win an event by more points than he/she laid, or lose by fewer points than he/she had taken.
Dead Heat - when two or more horses finish in a tie.
Degenerate - a term for a compulsive gambler.
Dime - the sum of $1000.00.
Dime Bet - a $1000.00 wager.
Dime Line - a slang term used to indicate the ten cent money line, i.e., the money line in which the bookmaker's vigorish/vig/commission amounts to ten percent. Also, it refers to the money line difference of ten cents that the player would lay with the favorite, or take back with the underdog (dog).
Dog - a term for underdog, Alpo or puppy, i.e., the contestant or team that gets the points.
Dog Player - a player who plays the dog, puppy, Alpo or underdog as a rule.
Dollar - the sum of $100.00.
Dollar Bet - a $100 wager.
Double Bet - a wager that is twice the amount of the player's usual wager.
Due For - a term referring to a contestant or team that is considered to be overdue for a win or loss in their next contest or sports event. The due for wager is a favorite strategy of many players.
Earn - practical hold percentage, i.e., the total amount won by a bookmaker divided by the total amount booked.
East Coast Line - a term used mainly in ice hockey, which has a split-goal line, e.g., Detroit Red Wings favored over Vancouver Canucks (1-1½) as opposed to a spread plus money line (-½ -180).
Edge - the advantage in any wager.
Even Money - a wager where neither side lays any odds, or vigorish.
Exacta, or Perfecta - horse betting terms referring to the method of betting on a horse race in which the first and second place horses are picked to cross the finish line in a specified order.
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