Against the spread (ATS) wagering is part of the standard big three betting options, which also includes moneylines and totals. Points spreads are a popular gambling choice in pro and college. Point spread betting is the most popular form of sports betting. The vast majority of sports wagers use a point spread thanks to the popularity of football and basketball. Even though this type of betting is so popular, it may take awhile to understand. The point spread is sometimes known as an equalizer for sportsbook operators.
Like many other industries, the sports betting world has its own jargon and many terms, lingo can be confusing. Our Sports Betting 101 Glossary provides a quick and simple definition of often-used terms that you may read on VegasInsider.com or hear at your local sportsbook.
Sports Betting Resources and Terms
Jun 25, 2019 Spread betting refers to speculating on the direction of a financial market without actually owning the underlying security. It involves placing a bet on the price movement of a security. The betting term ‘points spread’ has a slightly different meaning depending on your country of origin, which means different sportsbook operators have a different interpretation of it. This article will help you distinguish one from the other so you can join any site safe in the knowledge you understand the language being used. Cover: The betting result on a point-spread wager. For a favorite to cover, it has to win by more than the spread; an underdog covers by winning outright or losing by less than the spread.
Action: Any bet.
Added Game: A matchup that is not part of the daily betting rotation. 'Added Games' are often make-up or rescheduled games that were expected to be played on a previous date. In pro baseball, it's likely Game 2 of an unscheduled double-header from a rainout.
Alternate lines: Some sportsbooks may offer different (or alternate) point spreads that pay different odds for the same game. These provide bettors more options to wager on certain games.
ATS: Against the spread
Arbitrage: Savvy bettors who try to scalp the market by playing both sides of a particular matchup, with hopes of cashing a middle. The hope is to guarantee getting money back regardless of the outcome.
Bankroll: The total amount of money a bettor can spend on a betting app.
Beard: Messenger bettor, used at brick and mortar casinos and sportsbooks if the real bettor wishes to remain anonymous.
Beef: Dispute
Betting Trends: Stats that show the total amount of money wagered on a game
Buck: $100
Buying Points: Paying additional money to move the point-spread in a direction of your preference. Often used in football, bettors will buy 'on' or 'off' key numbers to avoid losing by a point or two.
Chalk: Favorite in a game by a large margin
Chalk Eater:Bettor who is known for betting on the favorites consistently
Churn: The effect of betting and rebetting money, similar to Arbitrage
Circle Game: Game where action is limited due to uncertainties about weather, injuries, etc
Cover: Win by more than the point-spread
Dime: $1,000
Dollar: $100
Dog: Abbreviation for Underdog, team expected to lose the game
Draw: A tie, used often in Soccer and sometimes in Boxing or Mixed Martial Arts
Earn: Practical hold percentage
Edge: Advantage
Even Money: When a selection has no juice or vig involved. A $100 wager will win $100, while normal wagers would make bettors lay $110 to win $100.
Exotic Bet: Action other than a straight bet or parlay, often unusual bets you won't see in many places. Can be listed under prop bets in sportsbooks.
Exposure: The amount of money the house actually stands to lose on a game or a race.
Extension: The amount of money the house theoretically will risk losing on a game or a race.
Favorite: The team in a sports betting matchup that is expected to win. In football and basketball, the favorite gives points while in moneyline sports, the favorite has to lay a higher price in order to cash a ticket.
Figure: Amount owed by or to a bookmaker
Firing: Betting a lot. A player who is 'firing' is wagering large sums
Fractional Odds: Not used commonly in the United States. These are odds used mainly in Europe. Odds are listed in fraction form (1/10) instead of as a moneyline (-100).
Futures: Wagers where bettors can invest in the future outcome of a team to win a particular event, even if it isn't in the near future. Example – bettors often choose a team to win the World Series or Super Bowl and receive higher payouts based on the numbers from the oddsmakers depending on how far out the event is.
Grand Salami: A popular NHL wager where bettors handicap the total number of goals scored in all games for one day. Some sportsbooks may offer alternate versions for home, away, or periods of games during the day. Some sportsbooks may offer a similar bet for runs in Major League Baseball but this is mostly used in hockey.
Gross Win: Win before expenses
Handicapper: One who studies sports and predicts outcomes of teams and players.
Handle: Total amount of bets taken
Hedge: Bet the opposite of your original wager in order to reduce the amount of action you have on a game
Hold: The percentage the house wins
Hook: Half point in point-spreads, as in 'lost by the hook'
Home Field Advantage: Edge the home team is expected to have as a result of familiarity with the playing area, favorable demographics and effect of travel on the visiting team
Hoops: Basketball
Hot Tip: Information the bookmaker is not yet privy to
In-Game Wagering: The ability to bet on a sporting event after the game has already started and until it concludes.Also known as live betting.
juice: Bookmaker's commission, most often refers to the 11 to 10 football bettors lay on straight wagers; vigorish
Key Numbers: Most often heard in pro football, the key numbers are the most common margins of the final outcome. The key numbers in the NFL are 3, 7 and 10 points.
Layoff Bet: A wager made by one bookmaker with another to help balance his action and reduce his potential risk or losses
Limit: Bet the opposite of your original wager in order to reduce the amount of action you have on a game
Line: The betting proposition on a game and/or payoff odds on the bet
Live Betting: See In-Game Wagering. Becoming more popular as most betting apps seem to have this feature now.
Lock: An easy betting win.
Long Shot: Large underdog
L3, L5, L10: Last Three, Last Five, Last 10
Marker: Credit offered at Casinos.
Moneyline: Used often in sports like baseball, hockey and soccer -- these odds are set on the straight up winner of the matchup. There is no point-spread with moneylines. Just pick the winner!
Middle: To win both sides of a game. For example, if you bet the underdog +3 1/2 and the favorite - 2 1/2 and the favorite wins by 3, you've MIDDLED the book. The book has BEEN MIDDLED.
Neutral Site: Arena, court or field where neither side has a home field advantage. For example the Super Bowl most years.
Nickel: $500
Odds: Numbers used to determine the favorite and underdog of a sporting match. Unless the game is a pick 'em, there is always a favorite or underdog.
O/U: Over/Under
Off the Board: Game where bets are no longer being accepted. This often happens when there is unknown about a key player's injury status.
Overlay: When the odds on a proposition are in favor of the bettor rather than the house
Parlay: A bet with two or more teams where all the teams must win for the bettor to be successful. The more events in a parlay, the more money there is to cash in on but the harder it becomes to win the wager.
Past Post: To make a bet after an event has started
Pick or Pick'em: A game where neither team is favored
Point-Spread: A number or line set by oddsmakers to provide an advantage or disadvantage based on the margin of victory or defeat for the teams in the matchup. There is always a favorite (-) and an underdog (+). The most popular type of betting in the United States, mainly used in both football and basketball.
Practical Hold Percentage: The amount won by a bookmaker divided by the total amount booked
Press: To bet a larger amount than usual
Public Dog: When betting trends lean heavily to an underdog
Public Trends: Betting Percentages showing money and ticket count for games
Puppy: Underdog
Push: Tie. The bettor doesn't win or lose money, almost as if the bet didn't happen (Parlays not included).
(ROI): Return on Investment.The amount of money you win on a wager, or your return on your investment or stake.
Reverse-Line Movement: When a line (point-spread) moves in the opposite direction of the betting percentages. Some pundits believe you can follow sharp money with reverse-line movement, especially when the trends and lines differ drastically.
Round Robin: A series of parlays. A three-team round robin consists of one three-team parlay and three two-team parlays
Rundown: Line update
Run-Line: A popular pro baseball wager where the favorite (-1.5) must win by two plus runs to win or the underdog (+1.5) must win or lose by less than two runs to win.
Runner: See Beard
Score: To win a lot of money
Scratch: Withdraw or cancel
Sharp bettors: Money wagered by bettors be that a sportsbook operator respects. Sharp money often comes from large wagers placed by professional bettors. It should be noted that not all large wagers are considered Sharp.
Side: To win one side and tie the other. For example, if you lay -2 1/2 and take 3 on the same game and the favorite wins by 3 you have SIDED the book. The book has been SIDED
Steam: When the odds change because of the money wagered on a game or participant is primarily one-sided for a team. Some bettors will chase the steam thinking the other bettors know something they may not but instead they are just mostly all following the trend.
Straight Bet: A bet on just one team
Sucker Bet: Bet with a large house edge
system: When bettors and handicappers develop angles based on historical or seasonal stats.
Take a Price: Bet the underdog, take the points
Tapped Out: Broke, busted, common result of pressing
Teaser: A wager used in football and basketball that allows bettors to combine two or more selections together while adjusting the points on those selections.
Tissue Price: The initial odds offered by the sportsbook. This price is usually considered a much fairer deal for the bettor.
Toke: A tip or gratuity
Toss Up: Game where the line is close to a pick-em and either side is expected to win.
Tout Service: A business that sells opinions on sporting events
Trend: Daily, Weekly and Seasonal angles that bettors and handicappers often follow or fade in their wagers.
Triple Sharp: The sharpest of the sharp, (Note: There is no such term as 'Double Sharp')
Unit/s:Amount bet on a game.
Wager: A bet
Win Totals: A future wager that allows bettors to handicap the number of victories and losses of a team during the course of a regular season.
Underdog: The team in a sports betting matchup that is not expected to win. In football and basketball, the underdog receives points while in moneyline sports, the 'dog can net a positive return if it wins.
Underlay: When the odds on a proposition are in favor of the house
Value: An overlay
Wire-to-Wire Commonly seen in the NBA, a bet where a team will lead after every quarter for the entire game.
Legal sports betting is expanding quickly in the US, and bettors are eager to put a couple sawbucks on that first NFL game … or tonight’s Yankees games … or on the Red Wings to win the Stanley Cup … or whatever. But maybe this whole sports betting thing is new to you. TheLines has got you covered.
Here’s a look at some common sports betting terms someone new to the game might need to place those bets – and hopefully cash a few tickets.
Accumulator – This is similar to a parlay in that it involves a series of bets in one wager. Each of the bets must win in order for the wager to win. If one leg of an accumulator loses the wager loses.
Alternate Lines – All sportsbooks offer lines (point spreads) on sporting events. Some sportsbooks may offer different (or alternate) point spreads that pay different odds for the same game. These provide bettors more options to wager on certain games.
American Odds – American odds are displayed differently than the rest of the world. Moneyline odds are shown as + or – a number in the US. Outside of the US, the same odds might be presented with a decimal point or by a fraction. Example: Yankees +400 American odds would be 5.0 or 4/1. The bettor takes home the same amount of money if the wager wins.
Arbitrage – This betting strategy involves placing a wager on all possible outcomes of an event so that that there’s a guaranteed profit regardless of the winner. This is best done with moneyline or futures wagers in the US and will usually take place across multiple sportsbooks.
Asian Handicap – An alternative way to bet soccer where the better team is “handicapped” to be the favorite. This form of betting was started in Asia.
Backdoor Cover – This is a popular term for a team that covers a point spread late in a game. The team with the late cover may or may not affect the actual result of the game, just the wager.
Banker – A banker is a European wager similar to a round robin bet in the US. Different teams are placed in a “system bet” to make different “accumulator” (parlay) bets.
Bankroll – Total amount of money a bettor has to place wagers.
Beard – This is a person who places a wager for another person who wishes to remain unknown.
Betting Exchange – A betting platform where people wager against one another instead of betting against a sportsbook. The exchange operator takes a small percentage of winning wagers. This is often seen as the most efficient market for sports betting.
Betting Unit – A betting unit is the amount of a typical wager. Bettors may have different sized bankrolls and a unit is a way to share how much was bet without giving away a specific dollar amount. For example, a high roller might have a unit size of $10,000 per wager while a low roller has a unit size of $20 wager per wager.
Bonus – Sportsbooks offer a financial bonus to customers for a variety of reasons. A signup bonus is the most popular way to incentivize bettors to use a certain sportsbook.
Chalk – A term for the team that is the favorite in an event. This team or player is usually a big favorite. The chalk is the expected winner by a large margin.
Circle Game – A game is circled by a sportsbook because betting limits are lower than usual. This most often happens when there’s a questionable injury before a game. It can also happen if there’s potentially bad weather, a trade rumor, or the possibility of “load management” which might give a player a night off.
Opening Line – This is the first point spread available for a game.
Closing Line – This is simply where the point spread is when the game begins.
Closing Line Value – This term is used by bettors to measure the value of the line they wagered before the line that was the last available before a game begins.
Consensus – The general agreement about something. In sports betting consensus could be the most popular teams bet or line available for a game.
Contrarian – Betting against the trends of the mainstream popular opinions. Bettors usually place contrarian wagers when there is value on the opposite opinion.
Dead Heat – Another way to say that there is a tie in a finishing position. Sportsbooks have different rules on how to pay in the event of a tie or dead heat in an event.
Decimal Odds – This is a different way to present odds than Americans are used to. They’re sometimes called “European odds” since this is how odds are listed with European sportsbooks. The math is easier to figure out for most bettors than US moneyline odds. Decimal odds are derived from a simple calculation of the amount bet x odds.
Dime Line – This is a “10 cent” difference between the moneyline odds payout between the money laid on the favorite and the money paid by the underdog. For example, Vegas Golden Knights -125 vs. San Jose Sharks +115. The difference of 10 (dime line) is the traditional profit margin for sportsbooks.
Dog – Short for underdog. This is the team that is not expected to win.
Double Chance – This is a European sports betting term mostly used for soccer betting. A double chance wager allows the bettor two opportunities to win a bet. For example, a result in soccer can be a win, loss, or tie. A double chance bettor may combine two of the three results instead of just one. This gives the bettor twice the chance to win the wager.
Double Pop – A European way of saying that a bettor will bet twice the normal amount. In the US this is known more often as doubling up.
Early Cash Out – A way for bettors to settle a wager for a certain dollar amount before the event is over. This is a way to lock in a profit at a smaller value than the wager would ultimately pay.
Edge – The advantage a bettor has against the sportsbook (or vice versa).
Even Money – A wager that pays the same as was risked. An even-money sports bet is listed as +100 or -100 in a sportsbook. Unlike traditional -110 wager, there’s no vigorish paid to the sportsbook. A bettor risks $100 to win $100 instead of wagering $110 to win $100.
Exacta – Choosing horses to finish first and second in a race. This is sometimes, but rarely, offered for other competitive sports.
Exotic Wager – These are non-traditional sports bets. Exotic wagers aren’t point spread, moneyline, or futures bets on a certain event. This kind of wager is often listed as a prop bet in a sportsbook.
Expected Value – This is a calculation used by a bettor to determine whether a wager should win or lose over time. Positive expected value (EV) bets over time is a good way to become a winning sports bettor.
Exposure – The amount of money a sportsbook potentially could lose for a specific event. For example, sportsbooks might have a lot of exposure (money at risk) on one team winning a championship versus another.
First Half – A derivative bet that can be placed on a sport that has two halves. Football and basketball are the most popular sports to place a first half wager. In soccer, this might be called a “half time result.”
Fixed Odds – These are the odds that most sports bettors will experience. Once a wager is placed, the odds are set and don’t change. Horse bettors might experience a change in odds from parimutuel betting.
Flat Betting – Simply put, this is a betting system where all wagers are the same. A bettor doesn’t change the wager amount based on wins, losses, or any other outside opinion. The wager is usually a percentage of bankroll but could also be a fixed dollar amount.
Fractional Odds – Another kind of odds used mainly in Britain and Ireland. Odds are listed in fraction form (1/5) instead of as a moneyline (-500) that US sportsbooks use.
Grand Salami – A popular hockey bet which the wager is for the over/under on total number of goals scored by all teams in a day. Some sportsbooks may offer derivative versions for home, away, or periods of games during the day. Some sportsbooks may offer a similar bet for runs in Major League Baseball.
Handicapper – A person who analyzes sports events to predict the winning team or player.
Handle – The amount of money a sportsbook or sportsbooks take from wagers. This could be broken down by sport, region, casinos, and more.
Hedge – Hedging is a strategy used by sports bettors to either reduce the risk of or to guarantee a profit from a wager.
Home Field – This the field (court, rink, etc.) where one team plays its games.
Hook – Another way to say half of a point. For example, a team may be a 3.5 point underdog. That could be called “three and a hook.”
Joint Favorite – When there are two favorites for an event. This is mostly used in England.
Kelly Criterion – A popular bankroll management strategy for a bettor who seeks to limit losses while maximizing the amount won.
Layoff – When a bookmaker reduces the risk of losing wagers by placing a bet with a different sportsbook(s). This typically happens when there is lopsided wagering on one side of a game and the sportsbook or a bookie want to alleviate potential losses.
Listed Pitcher – This is a baseball bet that is active only if the pitcher listed as the starter throws the first pitch of a game. If the pitcher doesn’t matter a bettor can place a wager on “action.” The latter wager will happen regardless of who starts the game to the team bet on.
Live Betting – Placing a wager on a game or event while it’s taking place. This is also known as In Play wagering.
Lock – Another way of saying that a team or player will be an easy winner. (Note: This isn’t always the case, no matter what a sports prognosticator or tout says.)
Spread Sports Betting
Margin – This is a wager where a bettor selects a team to win or lose by a specific number of points regardless of the point spread. For example, the Oakland Raiders will defeat the Los Angeles Chargers by 10-14 points. The Raiders must win by 11, 12, or 13 points for a win. A victory by 10 or 14 points is a push.
Martingale System – A gambling system where bettors doubles the amount of a wager after losses. This system can be used for sports and other forms of gambling (i.e. blackjack).
Middle/Middling – Middling a sports bet is playing different sides of the same game. This gives a bettor multiple chances to win wagers on the same game.
Matched Bet – When a bettor uses free wagers from a sportsbook operator to increase potential profit. This is a popular technique employed in new legal US sports betting markets as promotional offers are available.
Nickel – Placing a $500 wager. A “Dime” is a $1,000 wager.
Novelty Bet – Placing a wager on a non-sports event with a sportsbook. For example, placing a wager on the Oscars in New Jersey. These kinds of wagers are more popular overseas.
Odds-on Favorite – When a team or person is heavily favored to win a game or event. They often have very low odds paying much less than the amount wagered.
Off the Board – When a sportsbook stops taking wagers on an event or participant they remove the game odds from the betting board. This often happens when a player is uncertain to participate because of an injury.
Public Betting Percentage – This is the percentage of wagers placed by the general betting public.
Puck Line – This is a point spread of sorts based on goals scored during a hockey game. The base puck line for a game is often plus or minus 1.5 since there are so few goals scored. Sportsbooks might offer an alternative puck line with more or fewer goals scored.
Puppy – Another way to say a team is an underdog in a game.
Push – When a point spread wager lands exactly on the line offered by the sportsbook. The bettor receives their money back if they push. For example, New England Patriots are favored by 14 points against the New York Jets. If they win by exactly 14 points, the wager pushes and the bettor gets their original wager back.
Player Props – A player prop bet is a wager on an individual player to do something during a game. For example, which player will score first in a football game?
Power Ranking – (AKA Power Rating) – Creating a ranking score for each team so that a bettor, handicapper, or sportsbook can create a point spread. Experienced handicappers use their point spreads to compare with a sportsbook in order to find the best bets available.
Reduced Juice – When a sportsbook lowers the vig on a game. For example, a sportsbook might offer -105 for a game instead of -110. This reduced juice will allow the potential for a bettor to take home more money if the wager wins.
Reverse Line Movement – When a line (or point spread) moves differently than the money wagered on the game or event.
ROI – ROI is an acronym for Return On Investment. The ROI of a sports wager can simply be calculated this way: (Gain from Investment – Cost of Investment) / Cost of Investment.
Round Robin – A wager that involves making multiple parlay bets at the same time.
Run Line – This is a point spread of sorts for baseball games based on the number of runs scored. The run line is typically plus or minus 1.5 since there are so few runs scored in baseball. Sportsbooks might offer an alternative run line with more or fewer runs scored.
Runner – A person who places wagers at a sportsbook for someone else. This person may also be known as a beard.
Sharp Money – Money wagered by sports bettors that a sportsbook operator respects. Sharp money often comes from large wagers placed by professional bettors. It should be noted that not all large wagers are considered Sharp.
Square – A casual and recreational sports bettor. This is someone betting on sports as a hobby. They’re not as respected by sportsbook operators as sharp or professional bettors.
Steam – This is when odds change because of the money wagered on a game or participant. Some bettors will “follow the money” or “chase steam” thinking the bettors know something they may not.
Straight Up – When a team wins or loses an event. The point spread isn’t involved with the winner or loser.
Take the Points – When a bettor places a wager on an underdog they are taking the points offered by the sportsbook.
Betting Terms Spread
Take the Price – Similar to taking the points. This is when a bettor takes the price on a game offered by the sportsbook. The bet is typically wagering a moneyline on the underdog.
Tissue Price – The initial odds offered by a sportsbook. This price is usually considered to be the fairest price on a wager.
Betting Terms Spread Definition
TKO – Abbreviation for a Technical Knockout in boxing.
Totals – Totals are the numbers that bettors will choose the over or under on points (or runs, goals, etc,) scored.
Tout – A person who sells or gives away sports betting picks.
True Odds – True odds are the actual odds of an event happening. In sports betting this is the most accurate point spread or moneyline.
Wire-to-Wire – This is a wager that a team will lead at every quarter or for a specific number of quarters. Wire-to-wire bets are the most popular in basketball.