Ultimate Sports Gambling Dictionary

1st 5 innings: A bet in baseball lines as to the winner of the game had the game ended at the close of 5 innings. This bet is impliedly a bet of how one starting pitcher will fair against the opposing starting pitcher. This is baseball's version of a halftime line.

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Action: (1) action is bets recieved on a particular team/play (i.e., "the book is receiving a lot of action on Dallas." (2) action in a baseball play is a bet that is not dependent on the listed starting pitchers actually starting the game (the alternative is "listed pitchers" if the listed pitchers do not start the game then the bet is voided and the wager is returned to the gambler.

Against the Spread - (see "spread" below) - as opposed to taking a team straight up (or on the moneyline) , a play is made on a team in a sporting event either with points added to that teams final score or points subtracted from that teams final score.

Arbitrage - the act of betting on one side in an event at one sportsbook and then locating another sportsbook with a different line wherein if a bet is made on opposing sides at each sportsbook, then a profit is made regardless who wins the event.

Bet - an agreement between two people that a person can or can not make a proper prediction regarding the outcome of an event, if incorrect then something of value is forfieted, if correct the something of value is recieved

Book or Bookie - see "Sportsbook" below.

Bonus - an incentive given to a gambler to sign up and make a deposit with a sportsbook.

Dog - a team in a sporting event who is believed to be likely to lose the event (oftentimes referred to as the "underdog")

Fade - to play the oppossite side of another person or side (the opposite of "tail")

Favorite - a team in a sporting event who is believed to be likely to win the event.
(oftentimes referred to as the "fav")

Free Play - a type of bonus given by Sportsbooks, which may have listed limitations. The Free Play is stated in dollar amounts. When a Free Play is given to a player, the player can usually bet some or all of the free play on various events (some books require that the entire free play be placed on one wager). If the Free Play bet wins, then the proceeds are added to the play's balance. If the free play loses, then the free play is taken away and nothing is added or subtracted from the player's account

Gamble - the act of risking something of value on the condition of the result of a future event the result of which is unknown.

Halftime Line - a bet usually in basketball or football as to who will be leading in the game at halftime, alternatively a bet can be made on the 2nd half of the event. The 2nd Half bet is a bet on who will win the total of the points in the third and fourth quarters, not a bet made at halftime as to the actual score of the event.

Handicap - the act of analyzing all potential variables in a sporting event to attempt to predict the winner or more specifically by how many points, runs, goals, etc that one team or player will defeat another team or player.

Handicapper - one who handicaps (also known as a capper)

"If" Bet - a wager that is contigent on the result of another wager. Stated as Follows: "If Houston +3 ($100 to win $90.91) then Place $190.91 on Tennessee -5). An "If" Bet is usually used when a gambler has limited funds, but still wishes to make numerous wagers.

Juice - (see vigorish or vig) - a fee, usually a percentage, that is charged by a sportsbook for the service of permitting a bettor to bet.

Juiced - a line is juiced (written as -115 or -120) when a book has recieved two much action (bets) on particular side (play). The line becomes juiced theoretically to discourage bets on a particular side.

Let down - a perception by a gambler that a team will not perform as well as it usually performs or that the team will not perform as well as it did in the previous week in the upcoming week as it expended all of its efforts in the previous week.

Line - also refered to as the spread; - the amount of points that are either added to or subtracted from the loser of the event OR the number of points that are added to/ or subtracted from the the winner of the event.

Line Movement - the change in the line or spread due to the amount of money being wagered on a particular team or total.

Line Shop (or shopping) - the act of a gambler having open accounts at numerous sportsbooks and then wagering on an event with the sportsbook that has the most favorable line to his wager.

Listed Pitchers - in baseball (opposite of an action bet), the bet is only live(counts) if the pitchers listed as the starting pitchers actually start the game. If a bet is made as "listed pitchers" and one of the two listed pitchers does not start then the amount risked is returned to the gambler.

Middle - the act of betting both sides of the same event and winning both bets. For example, a bet in a Football Game of Dallas vs. Houston of Houston +3. Later in the week the line changes to Houston -3 a second Bet is then made on Dallas +3. In the event that Houston wins by 2 points, then both bets are won.

Moneyline - the act of betting or wagering on a team without the point spread(or spread), also referred to as taking a team "straight up". If a bet is made on the Favorite on the moneyline a reduced return on the wager is provided, if a bet is made on the Dog on the moneyline a larger return on the wager is provided.

Odds: (1) the probability of the liklihood of an event occuring as opposed to the liklihood of an event not occuring
(2) the ratio that a sportbook pays a winning gambler based upon the amount wagered.

Off the Board (OTB) - a game that is no longer offered or is available for wagers; general a game or a particular wager goes OTB due to either (1) new information released regarding an injury or (2) the book recieves too much action on one side without an understanding as to why the action is being recieved in large amounts in a short period of time.

Over - See Total. A wager made on the Total points of both teams at the end of a game to be over a certain number. Alternatively the the wager can be on an individual team's total points.

Parlay - a combination of two or more bets that results in a higher payout (as opposed to the payout of individual bets. All events chosen in the parlay must win for the wager to win.

Pleaser -

Point Spread: see "spread"

Push - a result of a wager that is neither a win or a loss; also known as a tie; in a wager on the moneyline the game itself ends in a tie; in a wager against the spread, the result of the game with the spread is a tie. If a wager ends in a push then the amount wagered is returned to the player

Public Play - (also referred to as a Joe Public; see square play) when a majority of the general betting public wagers on a particular side of an event.

Quarter Line - a bet usually in Football or Basketball as to the the total points scored by each team in that particular quarter. This differs from halftime lines as in halftime lines the 2 quarters are considered. This bet looks exclusively at the points scored in a particular quarter of an event.

Return on Investment (ROI) - a percentage which indicates the return on investment in sports betting, the ROI is determined by dividing the total amount won by the total amount bet. A negative ROI is determined by dividing the total amount lost by the total amount bet. A higher ROI is desired.

Reverse Bet - is a series of "IF" bets going forward and in reverse.

System: a method used to handicap a game, usually the system is the same for every game regardless of the opponents.

Spread: a number of points offered to be added to one team to equalize the odds of winning bet. also referred to as "point spread"

Sportsbook - An entity or person who accepts wagers on both sides of an event, which charges a fee (referred to as "vig" or "vigorish") to the winners of each bet.

Square - an uneducated gambler or the casual gambler

Square Play - a wager that is in agreement with the general betting public

Straight or Straight up - a bet on a team in a sporting event that does not utilize the spread or point spread. This is a bet solely on a team to win the game.

Steam Play -

Tail: The act of following another gambler or service and making picks identical to the other gambler or service.

Teaser: a parlay with a lesser payout because additional points are given to the sides played.

Tout - a person or company that provides picks on sporting events in exchange for payment from its customers.

Total - a wager on the TOTAL points of both teams scored in a game. Alternatively a wager can be made on a team total, which a particularly teams total points in a game. The wager is either OVER the Total offered or UNDER the Total offered by the sportsbook.

Trap Game - (1) a seemingly less important game for a team that is immediately before or immediately after or sandwiched between two games that are rivalry or important games. The seemingly less important game is percieved as a trap game because the team will look past that game or will let down after an important win. (2) a wager is a trap if it is perceived by the gambler that the line is "off" or not correct; it is believed by the gambler that the line is off and the sportsbook is attempting to trick the gambler into a trap

Trend - the likelihood of a certain result based upon previous results of similarly situated teams.

Under- See Total. A wager made on the Total points of both teams at the end of a game to be under a certain number. Alternatively the the wager can be on an individual team's total points.

Underdog - see "dog" above

Unit - a unit is a measurement of how much is bet (wagered) on a game. A unit is usually utilized on sports gambling forums and presented by services. Some gamblers bet $5 per game and some bet $100 per game. A service will state "Bet 3 units on a certain team." Indicating that you should bet 3 times your normal bet amount.

Wager - See "bet" above