The niche market of online sports betting has grown immensely since its inception in the early 1990s. Throughout the last five years the industry has hit its peak, as fans of many sports have decided that Las Vegas can wait and they will bet online instead. For beginners and experienced bettors needing to tune up on the gambling jargon here is a glossary from the letters G to M.

G

Gamble – To place money on the final result of a game.

Getting Down – To bet on an event.

Getting Value – When you see this phrase it means you are getting the best odds for your money.

Grand Salami – The hockey version of totals betting. In essence, you would bet the total number of goals scored in a game.

Grand Slam- The four most important tournaments in both tennis and the PGA. For tennis this is the US, Australian, French and Wimbledon Opens. While in golf this is the Masters, US, British and PGA Open championships.

H

Half Time Bet – This form of wagering occurs when bettors wager on the second half of games. They do this in sports such as football and basketball.

Handicap – Slang for the point spread.

Handicapper – A customer who is as smart as a bookie, studying the odds, buy lines and actual variables for a race or an event.

Handle- The total amount of money wagered on a given game.

Head to Head – This bet is commonly made by bettors during golf race car driving. Essentially the bet can be won by how your picks do rather than if they win.

Hedging- When you hedge you have a group of bets contradict each other, so one bet you would wager on the underdog while another you would wager on a favorite in order to break even at the end of the day.

I

If Bet – To win an if bet, you need your first of two straight bets to win in order for your second bet to be placed.

J

Juice – Also known as the vigor, this is the commission of the bookie for placing your bet for you.

K

Key Numbers – The numbers that have a common affect on all outcomes of a game. Ex: 15 to 20 percent of all NFL games are decided by three points or less making three a key number.

L

Lay the Odds – To wager more money than you can win back.

Lay the Points – Gamble on a favorite and losing points.

Line – The odds or points on a game.

M

Margin – The distance between the winner and the runner up.

Middle – To bet both sides in a single event with the anticipation that you can win both because the wagers are set differently.

Although a lot of people participate in sports betting, understanding the jargon when betting online is one of the trickier feats. Over the last two decades, many have had much success and many have lost large amounts of money due to not understanding the sports wagering language. As a result, many online sportsbooks got together to collaborate on a glossary for bettors new and experienced to reference in order to understand all of the terms involved in the gambling world.

For people new to the gambling world, read this glossary of the letters C – F carefully, as they will assist you in understanding the lingo of the wagering.

C

Canadian Line – is a money line wager and spread collaboration used when betting on hockey.

Chalk Player – A bettor who always bets the favorite and on rare occasions bets the underdog.

Circle Game – Games with lower betting options and maximums, usually due to injuries or weather or last minute adjustments.

Cross Sport Parlay – As the name suggests, is a parlay bet in which you can bet on a variety of sports instead of being restricted to just one sport.

D

Dime Line – a 10 cent line is offered by some sportsbooks on baseball wagering, essentially giving patrons 10 extra dollars for every underdog that wins.

Dog Player - Opposite of a chalk player, bet’s nothing but the underdog and only on occasion will be on the favorite.

Double Header- When two teams face each other twice in one day. This is commonly seen in baseball when a rain out occurs, to make up for the lost game, the two teams will play two games against each other in the same day.

E

Early Line – The first lines posted of the day for each game. This is the best time to place a bet on a game, as you will get the highest return.

Edge - Any advantage when placing a sport bet.

F

Favorite – The team or participant in a match who is expected to win.

Futures- A wager placed on the result of a match in the future. This is normally done by fans of NFL teams before the regular season gets underway.

Within the sports betting online community, there are many resources, for both first time and regular betting enthusiasts to use for an effective winning strategy.

Similar to anything in life, knowledge is endless. When it comes to Sportsbook gambling, this is no different, as knowing the multitude of terms in the Sportsbook language can separate you from making a long term commitment to betting or a one shot deal.

Below are terms from laythepoints.net for letters A – B of terms in its glossary, which will help you improve your game play.

A

1. Accumulator – this is synonymous with parlay, which is a form of a teaser bet.

2. Action - A valid wager or bet. If a bet is deemed as an “action bet” it is a legitimate bet which has been placed. An “If bet” on the contrary would be illegitimate as it only a possibility rather than official.

3. AFC- American Football Conference (NFL).

4. AL- American League (MLB)

5. Ante Post- term for future wagering.

6. ATS- Against the Spread betting. This is where patrons would bet on the spreads rather than the outcomes of the games, this is seen primarily in football or basketball.

B

7. Back Door Cover – When a team is getting blown out, scores points, essentially to cover the spread.

8. Bad Beat - An unexpected loss. These occasionally result, due to a back door cover, where, although team A is destroying team B, team B still has enough points scored to cover the spread. This results in a loss for players betting on team A.

9. Bankroll - The money set aside for wagering.

10. Beard- A friend or bookie who places bets on someone’s behalf as they keep their identity hidden.

11. Bet- To risk money on the outcome of a match or event.

12. Bettor- The person placing the bets.