TodaysPicks.net Sports Betting Guide
The sports betting world has a language all its own. Although the terms can seem confusing or overwhelming, they are relatively easy to comprehend, and will help you become more confident with your skills.
We suggest that you learn these terms, lest you be referred to as a “square.” That is, a novice bettor who does not know much about the business.
Anomaly: An unusual occurrence for a team’s normal tendencies. For instance, a great free-throw shooting team making just 50 percent in one game would be an anomaly.
Back: To “back” means to support a team with your money. Jim backed the Steelers against the Cardinals.
Backdoor: When a team covers the point spread by scoring or giving up points in the finals seconds of a game. Washington State made just enough free throws to backdoor the spread.
Bad beat: To lose your sports bet due to unforeseen circumstances at the end of a game, such as when a team backdoors the spread.
Bankroll: The amount of money you have set aside for the purpose of betting on sports.
Bet: To place a wager on a sporting event.
Bookmaker: One who sets odds and takes wagers on sporting events for a living.
Chalk: The favorite in any sporting event for which odds are posted.
Dog: Slang term for underdog. Opposite of the favorite, this team is regarded by oddsmakers as unlikely to win a given sporting event.
Edge: Any advantage a gambler can find when researching information geared toward making a wager.
Equity: To have a wager that has some value but hasn’t yet won. For instance, if you have a bet on North Carolina at 5-to-1 to win the NCAA title and the Tar Heels reach the championship game, your bet has equity.
Fade: To wager against a particular team or another person’s opinion. Fred faded Bob’s picks because Bob had lost 80 percent of his bets.
Fix: The suggestion or accusation that a sporting event has been purposely altered to benefit gamblers.
Future: A long-term bet regarding the outcome of a sporting event, made usually before the season starts. Frank won his World Series future bet on the Phillies at 12-to-1.
Gambler: One who participates in any game of chance. Specific to sports betting, one who is willing to bet large sums of money with the slightest perceived edge.
Handicapper: Someone who uses advanced information and knowledge to pick the outcome of sporting events.
Hedge: To ensure a win on a large bet by placing a wager against your original pick. Matt had the first nine games right on his 10-team parlay, so he bet a hedge for $1,000 on the Monday Night Football game.
Hook: This is known as a half-point on a point spread. Mike liked the Raiders +10, but to be safe, he decided to buy the hook up to 10.5.
Insider: Someone who has intimate knowledge of a sporting event due to a connection with a coach or player of a particular team, or with a referee working the game.
Juice: The charge a sports book takes on each wager, usually 10 percent. Dave bet $110 to win $100 on the Cowboys. He paid -110 in juice.
Key number: These are point spread numbers that commonly determine the outcome of the game for bettors. In football, spreads such as 3, 7 and 10 are considered key numbers.
Lay the points: To bet the favorite against the point spread. Billy decided to pick the Chargers and lay the 7 points.
Line: The listed point spread for any given sporting event. Dan liked the line on the Suns-Rockets game, so he placed a bet.
Lock: The suggestion that a particular team or a pick simply cannot lose. Experienced bettors shy away from using this word.
Maverick line: A point spread offered at a sports book that is significantly different than the line offered elsewhere. This is most often seen with offshore sports books.
Middle: To place bets on both sides of a sporting event, with the opportunity to win them both. Max bet Duke at -7.5 and found Clemson at +9.5, giving him a 2-point middle.
Money line: The odds for a particular team to win a sporting event independent of the point spread. Doug figured he didn’t need the 4.5 points with the Panthers; he bet the money line at +200.
Nevada: The only state in which sports betting is currently legal, though others may soon follow suit.
No-doubter: With respect to the point spread, a sporting event in which the outcome for spread bettors was never in doubt.
Odds: The mathematical formula used to provide handicapping on sporting events.
Oddsmaker: One who sets odds on sporting events for a living.
Offshore betting: The term used for doing business with online sports books, many of which are located in Costa Rica or Antigua.
Parlay: A wager that involves the outcome of two or more contests. The gambler must get each pick correct to win.
Play: The choice to bet on a particular team. After much deliberation, Dennis made a play on Rutgers.
Player: In sports betting, a generally flattering term referring to a gambler who has a decent record of success. I’ll listen to Mark’s advice … the guy is a player.
Point spread: The numerical handicapping method used to set odds for sporting events. Rob got the point spread he wanted when he saw the Celtics -9 over the Knicks.
Professional bettor: Someone who bets on sporting events for a living.
Proposition: A proposition or “prop” bet is one that involves betting on or against a specific circumstance in a sporting event. Mike placed a prop bet that there would be no touchdowns in the Super Bowl.
Public bettor: Generally refers to a casual sports fan who has little knowledge of sports betting. Public bettors tend to back favorites and popular teams without putting much thought into their picks.
Red flag: An injury or another piece of vital information that might affect your betting decisions.
Round robin: A wager that involves the outcome of at least three sporting events; unlike a parlay, the bettor doesn’t have to get every pick correct in order to win this bet.
Sharp: An advanced sports bettor, usually one who wagers large sums of money on sporting events on a regular basis.
Side: To bet on a particular team using team the point spread.
Sportsbook: The betting parlor that posts odds and accepts wagers on sporting events.
Steam: A point-spread movement that suggests heavy action on one team. The line went from -12 to -14 in an hour, suggesting there was quite a steam on Alabama.
Square: A novice bettor, usually a casual sports fan, who consistently loses a majority of his wagers on sporting events.
Take the points: To bet the underdog against the point spread. Eric decided to pick the Cardinals and take the 7 points.
Teaser: A point-spread bet that alters the number in favor of the gambler, but pays lower odds. Todd didn’t like the Cardinals -7, so he bet them on a teaser at -1.
Trend: A recurrence of similar outcomes for a specific team. After the Celtics covered in four straight games, Larry decided to ride the trend.
Total: The over/under number posted for each game that represents the total points scored by both teams.
Tout service: An individual or business that provides advanced information on sporting events for a fee.
Underdog: Opposite of the favorite, this team is assigned a number of points or a money line to entice bettors to take its side.
Variance: The inevitable swing of outcomes that accompanies any gambling endeavor. Jim always bet a small amount of his bankroll so that he could withstand some variance.
Vigorish: The fee a sports book charges on each bet (see juice).
Wager: To place a bet on any given sporting event.
Wiseguy: Someone who bets a large amount of money on sporting events on a regular basis, A wiseguy usually has inside information on the games, or a proven handicapping system that consistently beats the odds offered by a sports book.
Writer: In sports betting, a writer is someone who takes bets at a sports book. While most writers have some knowledge about the business, it is not advisable to take their advice on sporting events.
Read more Sports Handicapping Articles
