Sports Betting Glossary
New to sports betting? Here are a few common betting terms to help you understand the lingo and place a bet.
Action - Having a wager on a game.
Bet - A stake on the outcome of an issue, event, or the performance of a contestant(s).
Biometric Technology - Unique physical or behavioral characteristics (such as fingerprint or facial recognition) used as a means of verifying personal identity.
Favorite - The expected straight-up winner in a game or event.
Futures Bet - A long-term wager that is usually dependant on the team’s or individual’s success over the course of a season.
High Roller - A high stakes gambler.
Line - A form of wagering where the sportsbook sets gambling odds to represent the expected outcome of a particular match or event.
Lock - A guaranteed win in the eyes of the bettor.
Money Line Bet - A straightforward bet on a single team or individual to outright win the game/match at the end of regulation.
Parlay Bet - A wager in which multiple teams are bet, either against the spread or on the money line. For the wager to pay out, all of them must cover/win. The more teams you bet, the better the odds will be.
Spread Bet - The spread is the margin of victory in a sporting event.
“Plus” / “Minus” - When placing a bet, notice the “+” or “- “symbols in front of the odds or lines. The minus indicates the team that is favorited to win while the plus indicates the team that is unlikely to win. The numbers following the “+” or “- “are expressed in terms of money, with $100 always being the base line.
The number following a minus is the amount you would need to bet to win $100 profit. Example: A line is giving -150 odds. If you were to place a $150 bet, the payout would be $250, resulting in $100 in profit.
The number following a plus indicates how much you would win if you were to bet $100. Example: A line is giving +250 odds. If you were to place a $100 bet, the payout would be $350, resulting in $250 profit.
Square - A casual gambler. Someone who doesn’t use sports knowledge to reason their wager.
Straight Bet - A single wager on one specific outcome.
Total Point Bet - The total is the total combined points in the game/event. This is also referred to as betting the “over” or “under”. With this bet you are determining whether the combined points will be over or under the suggested line.
Wager - A bet.