10 cent line

In money line contests, a ten cent difference in the money lines between the favorite and the underdog.

20 cent line

In money line contests, a twenty cent difference in the money lines between the favorite and the underdog.

Action

Any wager; The total amount bet, either from the bettor's point of view or that of the house. In baseball, placing a bet no matter who pitches.

Added Game

A game not part of Las Vegas regular rotation posted as an accommodation to customers. This is always a straight bet.

AFC

American Football Conference

ATS

"Against the spread," taking points rather than betting with the spread and laying points.

Bet

Any wager.

Book

An establishment that accepts wagers on the outcome of horse racing and sporting events.

Buck

A $100 wager.

Buy

A player pays an additional price to receive half a point or more in his favor on a point spread game.

Canadian Line

A combination point spread and moneyline in hockey.

Chalk

A favorite.

Circled Game

A game where the maximum bet is restricted, usually due to injuries.

Cover

When a favorite wins by more than the required number of points.

Dime

$1000.00

Dime Line

A line where the juice is 10%.

Dog

The team perceived to be most likely to lose. See underdog. 

Dog Player

One who mostly plays the underdog.

Dollar

$100

Double action

An "if bet" that is processed if the precedent bet wins, ties or cancels.

Double header

Two separate games played by the same teams on the same day.

Edge

Advantage.

Even Money

A bet whose odds are 1/1; a wager in which no vigorish or juice is laid.

Favorite

The entry expected to win an event. The quoted odds reflect the extent to which the choice is favored.

Fifty cents

$50.00

Final Four

Remaining four college teams from a field of 64. They meet to determine the National Champion.

Four majors

Golf's most prestigious events: the Masters, the US Open, PGA in the US and the British Open. This is always a straight bet.

Future

Odds posted in advance on the winners of various major events including the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Stanley Cup, and the NBA Championship. This is always a straight bet.

Grand Slam

The four most important tournaments in tennis: the Australian Open, the French Open, the US Open, and Wimbledon.

Grand Salami

The grand total of goals scored in all the hockey games of the day. It can be wagered to go Over/Under. This is always a straight bet.

Half a dollar

$50.00

Half time bet

See First half wager and Second half wager.

Handicapper

One who studies, rates and wagers on sporting events and/or races.

Handicapping

The attempt to predict the outcome of sporting events.

Hedging

Placing bets on the opposite side in order to cut losses or guarantee a minimum amount of winnings.

Home team

The team playing in its own town.

Hook

A half point added to football and basketball betting lines. Also see "buy."

Hot game

A game which is drawing a lot of action on one side by knowledgeable handicappers.

IBF

International Boxing Federation

Juice

The bookmaker's commission on a losing bet, also known as "vigorish."

Laying the points

Betting the favorite by giving up points. 

Laying the price

Betting the favorite by laying money odds.

Limit

The maximum a bookmaker will allow you to bet before he changes the odds and/or the points.

Line

The current odds or point spread on a particular event.

Linemaker

The person who establishes the original and subsequent betting lines.

Listed Pitchers

In baseball wagering, a bet which will be placed only if both of the pitchers scheduled to start a game actually start. If they don't, the bet is cancelled.

Lock

A supposedly "can't lose" wager.

Longshot

A team perceived to be unlikely to win.

MLB

Major Baseball League (divided into two leagues: the National and the American)

Money line

Odds expressed in terms of money. With money odds, whenever there is a minus (-) you lay that amount to win a hundred dollars, where there is a plus (+) you get that amount for every hundred dollars wagered. This is always a straight bet.

Move the line

A player pays an additional price to receive half a point or more in his favor on a point spread game. See "buy."

MVP

Most Valuable Player. An award given to the best regular-season players and to the outstanding player in championship games or series.

NBA

National Basketball Association

NCAA

National Collegiate Athletic Association

Newspaper line

The betting line which quite often appears in the daily newspapers. The lines are only approximate and quite often completely inaccurate and misleading.

NFC

National Football Conference

NFL

National Football League (divided into American Football Conference and National Football Conference).

NHL

National Hockey League (teams divided into Eastern Conference and Western Conference).

Nickel

$500.00

NIT

National Invitational Tournament.

No action

A bet in which no money is lost nor won. See "push."

Off the board

A game on which the bookmaker will not accept action.

Over

A sports bet in which the bettor guesses that the combined point total of two teams will be above a specified total. 

Overtime

Extension to a tied contest at the end of regulation play that lasts until a winner is determined or maximum overtime periods expire.

Parlay

A sport bet with two or more teams in which all teams must win or cover for the bettor to win and receive higher payouts.

PGA

Professional Golfers Association.

Pick 'em

When neither team is favored. Also called a "pick."

Point spread

The handicap, or head start, which the favorite gives to the underdog for betting purposes.

Postponed

A contest cancelled for any reason and rescheduled at a later date.

Press

To bet a larger amount than usual.

Price

The odds or pointspread. See "money line."

Puckline

Giving odds of a goal spread instead of using a Canadian Line, where both a goal spread and moneyline are played.

Push

When the contest ends with no winner or loser for wagering purposes.

Rained out

A game canceled because of weather.

Reverse

In horse racing, to ask for a second exacta wager which specifies two horses in reverse order of the first exacta wager. 

Round Robin

A series of three or more teams in 2, 3 or 4-team parlays. 

Run down

All the lines for an specific date, sport, time, etc.

Run line

In baseball, a spread used instead of the money line.

Ryder Cup

A golf tournament in which every two years the top American and European golfers meet at venues alternating between the two continents.

Second half wager

A wager placed on the third and fourth quarters of a game. (This includes any potential overtime).

Show

A horse racing bet in which you collect if the horse finishes first, second or third.

Sides

The names of the two teams playing: the underdog and the favorite.

Single action

An "if bet" that is processed only if the precedent bet wins.

Spread

The predicted scoring differential between two opponents as quoted by a sports book. See "point spread."

Stanley Cup

Best-of-seven series between the Eastern and Western conference champions in the NHL to determine the World Champion.

Steam

When a betting line starts to move rapidly. Most "steam games" do not necessarily reflect objective circumstances, but are games that a mass of bettors are drawn to for some reason.

Straight bet

A bet on just one team or horse.

Superbowl

Winners of the AFC and NFC meet to determine the NFL Champion.

Taking the points

Betting the underdog and its advantage in the point spread.

Taking the price

Betting the underdog and accepting money odds.

Teaser

A wager combining two or more games together and giving the player a fixed number of additional points in his favor.

Ticket

A wager.

Tie

A bet in which no money is lost nor won because the teams' scores were equal to the number of points in the given line.

Total

The combined amount of runs, points or goals scored by both teams during the game, including the overtime.

Totals Bet

A proposition bet in which the bettor speculates that the total score by both teams in a game will be more or less than the line posted by the sports book.

Under

A sports bet in which the bettor guesses that the total points scored by two teams will be under a certain figure.

Underdog

The team perceived to be most likely to lose. Also known as the "dog."

Value

Getting the best odds on a betting proposition; the highest possible edge.

Vigorish

The bookmaker's commission on a losing bet; also known as juice.

WBA

World Boxing Association

WBC

World Boxing Council.

Wise guy

A well-informed or knowledgeable handicapper or bettor.