Sports betting terms can be confusing, and the more you bet the more terms you'll want to learn.
Learning sportsbook terminology can be a bit challenging at first, especially if you're new to sports betting. However, with some time and practice, you can become familiar with the most common terms and concepts. We have collected some standard terminologies that are used across the world of sports.
- Accumulator (or Parlay): A single bet that links together two or more individual wagers for a high payout. All bets must be successful for the accumulator to win.
- Bankroll: The total amount of money a bettor has available for betting.
- Bookmaker (Bookie): The person or organization that accepts bets and sets odds for events.
- Chalk: The favourite in a game, often identified by a minus (-) sign and lower odds.
- Cover: To beat the point spread by winning or losing by fewer points than the spread.
- Dime Line: A ten-cent line, often used in baseball betting.
- Even Money: A bet that pays out the same amount as the original wager.
- Futures: Bets placed on events that will happen in the future, such as the winner of a championship.
- Handle: The total amount of money wagered by bettors on a specific event or over a period.
- Juice (Vig or Vigorish): The commission or fee taken by the bookmaker on a bet.
- Live Betting (In-Play or In-Game Betting): Placing bets on a game that is already in progress.
- Moneyline: Betting on a team to win outright, without the use of a point spread.
- Over/Under (Total): Betting on the total number of points scored in a game, exceeding (Over) or falling short (Under) of a set number.
- Prop Bet (Proposition Bet): A bet on a specific event within a game, not directly affecting the game's outcome.
- Push: A tied or cancelled bet, resulting in the original wager being refunded.
- Sharp: A professional or knowledgeable bettor.
- Teaser: A bet that allows the bettor to adjust the point spread in their favor but at the cost of lower odds.
- Unit: A standard measurement for a bettor's bankroll, typically 1% of the total bankroll.
- Underdog: The team or participant expected to lose, often identified by a plus (+) sign and higher odds.
- Wager: Placing a bet or risking money on the outcome of an event.
- Treble: A treble is a type of accumulator bet that involves three selections. All three selections must win or the entire bet is lost.
- 1/2/3/4 Fold bet: A 4-fold bet is a type of accumulator bet that involves four selections. All selections must win.
Remember, these terms can vary slightly depending on the sportsbook and region.