BETTING GLOSSARY

Action: Any bet.

Bad beat: A betting loss caused by a rare, unusual or bizarre turn of events.

Beard: Messenger bettor for syndicates or wise guys.

Chalk: The favorite.

Circle game: Any action in which the normal betting limit is reduced.

Closing line: The final line at which a game goes off.

Cover: When the favorite wins by more than the points it lays, or the dog loses by less than it received.

Dime: $1,000 bet.

Dog: Underdog.

Dollar: $100 bet.

Early line: A line set by some sports books for a contest that is not the next game for either team, or more than a week in the future.

Exotic: Any bet other than a straight bet.

Handle: Total amount of action.

Hedging: Betting the opposite of your original bet in order to “middle” the game, “side” the game, or reduce the size of the original wager.

Hook: A half point.

Juice: The premium or commission charged by the sports book for handling action.

Limit: The maximum wager accepted by the sports book before it adjusts the pointspread or money line on a game.

Line: The pointspread on a game.

Lock: A generally spurious, over-ambitious estimate of a team that “can’t lose” but frequently does; a term often used in hindsight.

Money line: Betting on a team without a pointspread.

Nickel: $500 bet.

Oddsmaker: The person who sets the line at each sports book.

Opening line: The first official line set by an oddsmaker. At some sports books, this line is first bet into by highly respected players.

Overlay: A game in which the betting line is higher than it should be, all conditions being relatively normal.

Over/Under: A bet that is determined by whether total points scored by two teams is over or under a predetermined number.

Parlay: A bet on two or more teams, all of which must win, which pays off at predetermined odds.

Parlay card: A play in which the bettor must pick at least three sides/totals against a static line. Odds are slightly lower than those over the counter.

Pick ‘em: A game in which neither team is favored by any points.

Pointspread: The point difference between the favorite and underdog.

Player: One who studies data and the lines before making a bet.

Push: A tie.

Sandwich: A handicapping term that refers to a game by a good team with a weak opponent, sandwiched between two important games.

Steam: Late betting action that moves the line on a game one point or more.

Syndicate: Consortium of professional bettors.

Teaser: A bet in which two or more teams are “teased” 6, 6 1/2 or 7 points, either up for an underdog or down for a favorite. All sides must win.

Tout: Someone who sells opinions on sporting events.

Underlay: A game in which the betting line is lower than it should be, all conditions being relatively normal.

Vig: See juice.

Wise guy: A sophisticated, well informed sports bettor.