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Created page with "This page contains a list of common sportsbetting terms, definitions, and abbreviations. It should be noted that most terms are not universal and only used in certain countrie..."
This page contains a list of common sportsbetting terms, definitions, and abbreviations. It should be noted that most terms are not universal and only used in certain countries.
== Glossary ==
A list of sportsbetting terms and their definitions. Visit each term's respective wiki page for a detailed explanation and examples if required.
<onlyinclude>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; margin: auto;"
|- style="background-color:#eaecf0;"
|style="width: 15%"| '''Term'''
|'''Definition'''
|-
|[[Accumulator]]
|A betting ticket where multiple bets are combined. Each individual bet selection must win for the accumulator to win. Also known as a [[parlay]] or [[multiple]].
|-
|[[Action]]
|
|-
|[[Against the spread]]
|A bet on the [[point spread]]. Also a team's record when factoring in each game's respective spread.
|-
|[[Alternate line]]
|[[Spread]]s or [[total]]s that are higher or lower than the standard market. These will have odds that are shorter or longer than -110.
|-
|[[American odds]]
|A format for displaying odds based on a $100 base figure. Popular in the United States.
|-
|[[Arbitrage]]
|Using the difference of odds offered at multiple sportsbooks to bet on both sides of a market to guarantee profit.
|-
|[[Asian handicap]]
|Positive or negative goal handicap applied to each side of a soccer match based on each team's perceived strength.
|-
|[[ATS]]
|Abbreviation for [[against the spread]].
|-
|[[Bad beat]]
|Losing a bet that appeared to be a certain winner.
|-
|[[Bonus]]
|Sign up rewards offered by betting sites to attract new customers.
|-
|[[Book]]
|Abbreviation for [[bookmaker]].
|-
|[[Bookie]]
|Alternate version of [[bookmaker]].
|-
|[[Buying points]]
|Obtaining a more favorable [[spread]] or [[total]] by taking lower payout odds.
|-
|[[Bookmaker]]
|An individual, establishment, or website that accepts sports bets.
|-
|[[Buck]]
|A $100 bet.
|-
|[[Canadian line]]
|A hockey spread. Also known as a [[puckline]].
|-
|[[Chasing]]
|Trying to win back lost money. Normally occurs by betting on late games.
|-
|[[Chalk]]
|The team that is [[favorite|favored]] to win a given match.
|-
|[[Closing line]]
|The final [[widely available line]] offered at the time the event begins.
|-
|[[Commission]]
|Bookmaker margins applied to betting markets to grant house advantage. Also known as [[vig]].
|-
|[[Cover]]
|A team covering their point spread. Either a favorite winning by more points than the spread, or an underdog losing by less.
|-
|[[Dart]]
|A randomly placed bet without any research.
|-
|[[Decimal odds]]
|An odds format where odds are displayed with a decimal number. Popular in Europe.
|-
|[[Dime]]
|A $1,000 bet.
|-
|[[Dime line]]
|A [[ten cent line]]; betting lines with a 10-cent margin between the odds of the favorite and underdog. (example: -140 vs. +130)
|-
|[[Dog]]
|The underdog of a match. The team that is not favored to win.
|-
|[[Edge]]
|One's betting advantage over a given market.
|-
|[[Even money]]
|A bet that would yield a 1:1 return on initial investment. A $100 risk provides $100 profit.
|-
|[[Expected value]]
|The amount of money a bettor should expect to net if they were to place a given bet an infinite amount of times. May also refer to the true value of a given betting market.
|-
|[[Favorite]]
|The side that the betting market views as being the probable winner. The betting odds will reflect how much that side is favored.
|-
|[[Fractional odds]]
|Betting odds displayed in fractional form, such as league or championship winner.
|-
|[[Future]]
|Odds for an event that will take place in the coming weeks or months.
|-
|[[Grand salami]]
|A bet on the combined goals/runs scored for every game that day. Examples: Home teams -2.5 runs or Total goals scored under 75.5.
|-
|[[Handicap]]
|A number set by [[oddsmaker]]s to counter the perceived difference in competing team's skill level. Also known as [[spread]].
|-
|[[Handicapper]]
|A bettor who forecasts the true outcomes of sports matches through math projections in order determine market [[advantage]] and bet accordingly.
|-
|[[Handle]]
|The amount of action a sportsbook has taken on a given betting market.
|-
|[[Hedge]]
|A bet placed on the other side of
|-
|[[Juice]]
|Betting margins or commission applied to a market by a bookmaker
|-
|[[Kelly Criterion]]
|Bankroll management technique which sizes bets according to perceived market advantage.
|-
|[[Laying points]]
|Placing a bet on the [[favorite]] [[against the spread]].
|-
|[[Limit]]
|The maximum bet size a [[sportsbook]] will take on a given market.
|-
|[[Line]]
|Another word for odds. Commonly used in the US to describe a match's [[point spread]].
|-
|[[Livebetting]]
|Wagering on a match that is already in progress. Livebetting is offered by many sportsbooks for popular events.
|-
|[[Lock]]
|A bet that a sportsbettor believes is guaranteed to win.
|-
|[[Longshot]]
|A bet that has a small probability of winning but yields a large potential return.
|-
|[[Margin]]
|The commission a bookmaker applies to their lines to generate house advantage.
|-
|[[Middle]]
|Using line movement (often as the match is progressing) to bet against an earlier wager to guarantee all outcomes.
|-
|[[Moneyline]]
|A bet on which team will win a match outright. Abbreviated [[ML]].
|-
|[[Moose]]
|Another term for a [[bad beat]]; a bet that appeared to be a certain winner but lost suddenly.
|-
|[[Multiple]]
|European term for a [[parlay]] bet.
|-
|[[Nickel]]
|A $500 bet.
|-
|[[Odds]]
|A numerical expression used to denote the return from winning a given bet.
|-
|[[Odds format]]
|Different ways of displaying betting [[odds]]. The most common formats are [[American odds|American]], [[Decimal odds|Decimal]], and [[Fractional odds|Fractional]].
|-
|[[Oddsmaker]]
|An individual responsible for setting [[lines]] at a [[sportsbook]].
|-
|[[Off the board]]
|A market or match that a sportsbook is not currently accepting bets on. Often due to a sudden player injury report. Abbreviated [[OTB]].
|-
|[[OTB]]
|Acronym for [[off the board]].
|-
|[[Over]]
|A bet on the combined points or goals scored by both teams being greater than the [[total]].
|-
|[[Parlay]]
|Combining multiple bets together on one ticket for a larger payout. Each individual bet must win.
|-
|[[Payout]]
|The total return from winning a bet. Includes both initial risk and profit.
|-
|[[Pick]]
|An event where the [[point spread]] is set at 0. Also called '''pick'em'''.
|-
|[[Point spread]]
|A numerical expression used to represent the perceived difference in skill between two competing teams. The [[favorite]] has a negative spread (-5.5) and the [[underdog]] has an equal but positive spread (+5.5).
|-
|[[Price]]
|The [[odds]] or [[line]] of a given match.
|-
|[[Prop bet]]
|A bet on a market other than a [[moneyline]], [[spread]], or [[total]].
|-
|[[Public]]
|Term used to describe casual or recreational gamblers.
|-
|[[Push]]
|A bet that ends in a draw with the initial risk refunded. For example, a team with a -14 spread winning by exactly 14 points.
|-
|[[Run line]]
|A [[point spread]] for a baseball game. Run lines are usually set at 1.5 due to the low scoring nature of the sport.
|-
|[[Selling points]]
|Betting on a [[spread]] or [[total]] that has a lower chance of winning but higher payout odds.
|-
|[[Sharp]]
|A knowledgeable sports-bettor who bets based on his or her perceived advantage over a given market.
|-
|[[Sportsbook]]
|A place that accepts sports bets. Either in-person at a casino or online at a betting site.
|-
|[[Spread]]
|A numerical expression used to represent the perceived difference in skill between two competing teams. The [[favorite]] has a negative spread (-5.5) and the [[underdog]] has an equal but positive spread (+5.5).
|-
|[[Square]]
|A novice sports bettor. Squares frequently bet on "obvious" markets such as popular [[favorites]] and [[over]]s.
|-
|[[Steam]]
|A large amount of wagers made quickly on one side of a betting market that moves the line.
|-
|[[Straight bet]]
|Placing a single bet on one individual outcome.
|-
|[[Taking points]]
|Betting on the [[underdog]]'s [[point spread]].
|-
|[[Teaser]]
|A [[parlay]] bet where [[spread]]s and [[total]]s are
|-
|[[Ten cent line]]
|
|-
|[[Total]]
|A bet placed on the combined number of points or goals scored by both teams. Sometimes called ''over/under'' and ''O/U''.
|-
|[[Tout]]
|Someone who sells picks or betting information. Usually a scammer.
|-
|[[Under]]
|A bet on the combined points or goals scored by both teams being less than the [[total]].
|-
|[[Underdog]]
|The side of a given market that is perceived as having a lower chance of winning.
|-
|[[Upset]]
|When a large [[underdog]] wins the match outright.
|}
</onlyinclude>
== Abbreviations ==
A list of common sportsbetting abbreviations and their associated meaning.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; margin: auto;"
|- style="background-color:#eaecf0;"
| '''Abbreviation'''
|'''Associated Term'''
|-
|ATS
|Against the spread
|-
|EV
|Expected value
|-
|ML
|Moneyline
|-
|O
|Over
|-
|O/U
|Over/Under
|-
|PL
|Puckline
|-
|RL
|Runline
|-
|TT
|Team total
|-
|U
|Under or Unit
|-
|WTD
|Week-to-date
|-
|YTD
|Year-to-date
|}
__FORCETOC__
== Glossary ==
A list of sportsbetting terms and their definitions. Visit each term's respective wiki page for a detailed explanation and examples if required.
<onlyinclude>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; margin: auto;"
|- style="background-color:#eaecf0;"
|style="width: 15%"| '''Term'''
|'''Definition'''
|-
|[[Accumulator]]
|A betting ticket where multiple bets are combined. Each individual bet selection must win for the accumulator to win. Also known as a [[parlay]] or [[multiple]].
|-
|[[Action]]
|
|-
|[[Against the spread]]
|A bet on the [[point spread]]. Also a team's record when factoring in each game's respective spread.
|-
|[[Alternate line]]
|[[Spread]]s or [[total]]s that are higher or lower than the standard market. These will have odds that are shorter or longer than -110.
|-
|[[American odds]]
|A format for displaying odds based on a $100 base figure. Popular in the United States.
|-
|[[Arbitrage]]
|Using the difference of odds offered at multiple sportsbooks to bet on both sides of a market to guarantee profit.
|-
|[[Asian handicap]]
|Positive or negative goal handicap applied to each side of a soccer match based on each team's perceived strength.
|-
|[[ATS]]
|Abbreviation for [[against the spread]].
|-
|[[Bad beat]]
|Losing a bet that appeared to be a certain winner.
|-
|[[Bonus]]
|Sign up rewards offered by betting sites to attract new customers.
|-
|[[Book]]
|Abbreviation for [[bookmaker]].
|-
|[[Bookie]]
|Alternate version of [[bookmaker]].
|-
|[[Buying points]]
|Obtaining a more favorable [[spread]] or [[total]] by taking lower payout odds.
|-
|[[Bookmaker]]
|An individual, establishment, or website that accepts sports bets.
|-
|[[Buck]]
|A $100 bet.
|-
|[[Canadian line]]
|A hockey spread. Also known as a [[puckline]].
|-
|[[Chasing]]
|Trying to win back lost money. Normally occurs by betting on late games.
|-
|[[Chalk]]
|The team that is [[favorite|favored]] to win a given match.
|-
|[[Closing line]]
|The final [[widely available line]] offered at the time the event begins.
|-
|[[Commission]]
|Bookmaker margins applied to betting markets to grant house advantage. Also known as [[vig]].
|-
|[[Cover]]
|A team covering their point spread. Either a favorite winning by more points than the spread, or an underdog losing by less.
|-
|[[Dart]]
|A randomly placed bet without any research.
|-
|[[Decimal odds]]
|An odds format where odds are displayed with a decimal number. Popular in Europe.
|-
|[[Dime]]
|A $1,000 bet.
|-
|[[Dime line]]
|A [[ten cent line]]; betting lines with a 10-cent margin between the odds of the favorite and underdog. (example: -140 vs. +130)
|-
|[[Dog]]
|The underdog of a match. The team that is not favored to win.
|-
|[[Edge]]
|One's betting advantage over a given market.
|-
|[[Even money]]
|A bet that would yield a 1:1 return on initial investment. A $100 risk provides $100 profit.
|-
|[[Expected value]]
|The amount of money a bettor should expect to net if they were to place a given bet an infinite amount of times. May also refer to the true value of a given betting market.
|-
|[[Favorite]]
|The side that the betting market views as being the probable winner. The betting odds will reflect how much that side is favored.
|-
|[[Fractional odds]]
|Betting odds displayed in fractional form, such as league or championship winner.
|-
|[[Future]]
|Odds for an event that will take place in the coming weeks or months.
|-
|[[Grand salami]]
|A bet on the combined goals/runs scored for every game that day. Examples: Home teams -2.5 runs or Total goals scored under 75.5.
|-
|[[Handicap]]
|A number set by [[oddsmaker]]s to counter the perceived difference in competing team's skill level. Also known as [[spread]].
|-
|[[Handicapper]]
|A bettor who forecasts the true outcomes of sports matches through math projections in order determine market [[advantage]] and bet accordingly.
|-
|[[Handle]]
|The amount of action a sportsbook has taken on a given betting market.
|-
|[[Hedge]]
|A bet placed on the other side of
|-
|[[Juice]]
|Betting margins or commission applied to a market by a bookmaker
|-
|[[Kelly Criterion]]
|Bankroll management technique which sizes bets according to perceived market advantage.
|-
|[[Laying points]]
|Placing a bet on the [[favorite]] [[against the spread]].
|-
|[[Limit]]
|The maximum bet size a [[sportsbook]] will take on a given market.
|-
|[[Line]]
|Another word for odds. Commonly used in the US to describe a match's [[point spread]].
|-
|[[Livebetting]]
|Wagering on a match that is already in progress. Livebetting is offered by many sportsbooks for popular events.
|-
|[[Lock]]
|A bet that a sportsbettor believes is guaranteed to win.
|-
|[[Longshot]]
|A bet that has a small probability of winning but yields a large potential return.
|-
|[[Margin]]
|The commission a bookmaker applies to their lines to generate house advantage.
|-
|[[Middle]]
|Using line movement (often as the match is progressing) to bet against an earlier wager to guarantee all outcomes.
|-
|[[Moneyline]]
|A bet on which team will win a match outright. Abbreviated [[ML]].
|-
|[[Moose]]
|Another term for a [[bad beat]]; a bet that appeared to be a certain winner but lost suddenly.
|-
|[[Multiple]]
|European term for a [[parlay]] bet.
|-
|[[Nickel]]
|A $500 bet.
|-
|[[Odds]]
|A numerical expression used to denote the return from winning a given bet.
|-
|[[Odds format]]
|Different ways of displaying betting [[odds]]. The most common formats are [[American odds|American]], [[Decimal odds|Decimal]], and [[Fractional odds|Fractional]].
|-
|[[Oddsmaker]]
|An individual responsible for setting [[lines]] at a [[sportsbook]].
|-
|[[Off the board]]
|A market or match that a sportsbook is not currently accepting bets on. Often due to a sudden player injury report. Abbreviated [[OTB]].
|-
|[[OTB]]
|Acronym for [[off the board]].
|-
|[[Over]]
|A bet on the combined points or goals scored by both teams being greater than the [[total]].
|-
|[[Parlay]]
|Combining multiple bets together on one ticket for a larger payout. Each individual bet must win.
|-
|[[Payout]]
|The total return from winning a bet. Includes both initial risk and profit.
|-
|[[Pick]]
|An event where the [[point spread]] is set at 0. Also called '''pick'em'''.
|-
|[[Point spread]]
|A numerical expression used to represent the perceived difference in skill between two competing teams. The [[favorite]] has a negative spread (-5.5) and the [[underdog]] has an equal but positive spread (+5.5).
|-
|[[Price]]
|The [[odds]] or [[line]] of a given match.
|-
|[[Prop bet]]
|A bet on a market other than a [[moneyline]], [[spread]], or [[total]].
|-
|[[Public]]
|Term used to describe casual or recreational gamblers.
|-
|[[Push]]
|A bet that ends in a draw with the initial risk refunded. For example, a team with a -14 spread winning by exactly 14 points.
|-
|[[Run line]]
|A [[point spread]] for a baseball game. Run lines are usually set at 1.5 due to the low scoring nature of the sport.
|-
|[[Selling points]]
|Betting on a [[spread]] or [[total]] that has a lower chance of winning but higher payout odds.
|-
|[[Sharp]]
|A knowledgeable sports-bettor who bets based on his or her perceived advantage over a given market.
|-
|[[Sportsbook]]
|A place that accepts sports bets. Either in-person at a casino or online at a betting site.
|-
|[[Spread]]
|A numerical expression used to represent the perceived difference in skill between two competing teams. The [[favorite]] has a negative spread (-5.5) and the [[underdog]] has an equal but positive spread (+5.5).
|-
|[[Square]]
|A novice sports bettor. Squares frequently bet on "obvious" markets such as popular [[favorites]] and [[over]]s.
|-
|[[Steam]]
|A large amount of wagers made quickly on one side of a betting market that moves the line.
|-
|[[Straight bet]]
|Placing a single bet on one individual outcome.
|-
|[[Taking points]]
|Betting on the [[underdog]]'s [[point spread]].
|-
|[[Teaser]]
|A [[parlay]] bet where [[spread]]s and [[total]]s are
|-
|[[Ten cent line]]
|
|-
|[[Total]]
|A bet placed on the combined number of points or goals scored by both teams. Sometimes called ''over/under'' and ''O/U''.
|-
|[[Tout]]
|Someone who sells picks or betting information. Usually a scammer.
|-
|[[Under]]
|A bet on the combined points or goals scored by both teams being less than the [[total]].
|-
|[[Underdog]]
|The side of a given market that is perceived as having a lower chance of winning.
|-
|[[Upset]]
|When a large [[underdog]] wins the match outright.
|}
</onlyinclude>
== Abbreviations ==
A list of common sportsbetting abbreviations and their associated meaning.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; margin: auto;"
|- style="background-color:#eaecf0;"
| '''Abbreviation'''
|'''Associated Term'''
|-
|ATS
|Against the spread
|-
|EV
|Expected value
|-
|ML
|Moneyline
|-
|O
|Over
|-
|O/U
|Over/Under
|-
|PL
|Puckline
|-
|RL
|Runline
|-
|TT
|Team total
|-
|U
|Under or Unit
|-
|WTD
|Week-to-date
|-
|YTD
|Year-to-date
|}
__FORCETOC__