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The purpose of the Place 2 Wager - Glossary is to provide you with a comprehensive and authoritative reference that explains the interesting and colorful terminology encountered in the sportsbook gaming world.

Below you will find the vital inside words and phrases, which are associated with each of the major sports events on the planet. Most of the key words are right here.

A sound grasp of the betting lingo will enable you to better enjoy gaming.

Note: The words he, his, him, and himself, as used in this glossary, are intended to apply to all genders.)

Accountant: a term used by some players for bookmaker, i.e., bookie.
Accumulator: a combination or multiple wager on two or more races with the intention of using winnings garnered on the first race, to wager on the following race, and so on. When the player transfers his winnings in this manner, instead of collecting them, he is said to be letting his winnings ride, or to be parlaying them.; In order for the player to win an Accumulator, all of his selections must win their individual races. If a race results in a tie, or is postponed or canceled, the Accumulator is automatically reduced by one selection. That is, a Double Parlay becomes a Straight Bet and a Triple Parlay becomes a Double. Although the odds of winning an Accumulator are much less than a Straight Bet, a player will enjoy huge dividends on a win. See also Parlay.
Ace: used to describe a person who is trustworthy.
AFC: an acronym for the American Football Conference.
Across the Board (ATB): a method of wagering on a horse to win, place and show.
Across The Board (ATB): three individual bets on one dog to Win, Place, and Show in a single designated dog race. The total wager will cost the player three times a single bet. For example, a two dollar bet across the board would cost a total of six dollars (3 x 2 = 6). If the player's dog wins, he will collect on all three bets. If his dog places second, he will collect on the Place and Show bets. If his selection comes in third, he will collect only on the Show bet.
Action: a general gambling term that refers to the total amount of money wagered within a specific period of time. For example, ten bets, of 20 dollars each, amount to $200.00 of action. The term, action, typically refers to a wager of any kind.
Advance Wager: a wager on a greyhound that is accepted in advance of a future race.
AGC: an acronym for American Greyhound Council, Inc.
Agent: a middteman who places players into a sportsbook for a commission.
AGTOA: an acronym for American Greyhound Track Operators Association.
Ahead: a point during play where the player is winning, i.e., the value of his wins exceeds his losses.
Ajax: slang term used in dog racing for the betting tax in the UK. See also Bees and Beeswax.
All-America Team: the top eight racing greyhounds selected each year by the AGTOA.
All Out: a player tactic where he pushes the limit to win.
Alpo: a dog, puppy, mutt or underdog, i.e., the team, side or contestant in any given event considered to be the least likely to win.
Also-Ran: a horse that finishes a race out of the money, i.e., a horse taking part in the race who neither wins, nor places nor shows.
American Line: a hockey line expressed as goals, not as a money line.
Angle: any questionable deception or ruse by a player in cards, or other game, to unduly influence the outcome and thereby increase his expectations. A player with an angle, even though technically legal, is not often welcome among polite company.
Ante Post: a wager on a future event that is made prior to the scheduled day of the event. The player making the ante post, or future wager often will enjoy better odds for having done so. He risks losing his stake, however, if his selection drops out of the scheduled race, or is otherwise canceled. Also see the term, Futures.
Apron: an area located next to the racetrack where players may watch greyhound racing up close. A fence line separates the apron from the actual racing surface.
Arbitrage: a variation in odds that enables a player to back both sides and guarantee a win.
ARCI: an acronym for Association of Racing Commissioners International, Inc., based in Lexington, Kentucky.
ATB: an abbreviation for: across the board.
ATS: an abbreviation for: against the spread.
Backdoor Cover: meaningless points scored to cover the spread, by a team that is likely to lose.
Backstretch: the area of the racetrack opposite the finish line. At most tracks, it is the area that crosses in front of the Tote board.
Backer: a person or group of persons, who provides the bankroll for a particular player, but remains behind the scenes.
Bad Beat: a tough, almost shocking loss that occurs when an underdog hand surprisingly comes out of nowhere to win the pot against the odds, and beats what appeared to be better hands. This term is often used to imply that the winner of the pot had no business being in the pot at all; or to suggest that dumb luck had a large part in the win. This term may also be applied to a situation where winning points are scored against a wager in the dying seconds of a game, or a favorite horse loses by a nose, after leading all the way.
Bangtails: slang term for horses.
Bank: a gaming establishment or player that acts as the banker during a game or series of games, and uses their own money to cover bets. The term also refers to a bankroll.
Banker: a greyhound that is highly expected to win, i.e., a favorite. It also refers to the best greyhound among those selected in a combination or multiple bet, such as a Parlay or Accumulator. In permutation bets, the banker is a selected greyhound that must win to guarantee any winnings.
Bankroll: the total available gambling money held by the player.
Bar Price: in greyhound racing, applies to the odds of those racers that were not quoted with a price during early betting shows. The bar price is the set minimum odds for any of those selections not quoted.
Basic Strategy: a playing system adopted by a player with the idea of optimizing his edge over the house in the longer term.
Beard: a messenger player, i.e., a player who plays on behalf of someone else.
Beard (US): a person who places bets for a player, who wants to hide his identity from the sportsbook or odds-maker.
Beef: a dispute or claim involving a player and his bookmaker.
Beefer: a chronic complainer or whiner.
Bees: slang term for betting tax in the UK. See also Ajax and Beeswax.
Beeswax: slang term for betting tax in the UK. See also Bees and Ajax.
Bertillon Card: a mandatory identification card that lists 56 physical identifying points for a registered racing greyhound. The greyhound's Bertillon number normally is tattooed in one of its ears.
Best Bet: the horse selected by a handicapper to win a race, or a wager in a game that represents the highest odds in favor of the player.
Bet: the amount of money a player voluntarily risks on cards, or other games. The bet can be in the form of cash, chips or vouchers. See also wager.
Betting Tax: a government tax levied on a bookmaker's turnover. In the UK this amounts to a duty levied on every pound wagered. To recoup against the duty, the punter (bettor or player) often will deduct the tax from returns (winnings), or will pay the tax with the stake/wager. In the latter case, no tax will be deducted from the punter's winnings.
Bettor: a person who places, or has a bet (US). A bettor also is called a player in the US, and a punter in the UK.
Bet Spread: the ratio between the maximum and minimum bet size. A player who uses $50.00 maximum bets and $5.00 minimum bets is using a 10:1 bet spread.
Betting Limit: the set minimum and/or maximum amount of money that the player can wager on a single bet. The player cannot bet less than the minimum or more than the maximum amount posted.
Blanket: a racing cover for a greyhound bearing a number and color corresponding to its post position for a specific race. There are nine officially numbered blankets used in greyhound racing, although some racetracks use only eight.
Blow Back: a loss of gains, or profit, after enjoying a plus in the winnings column.
Book: a sportsbook or betting establishment that sets odds, and accepts wagers, on the outcome of sporting events. Also refers to a bookmaker's tally of amounts bet on each racer, and the odds necessary to assure him of a profit.
Bookie: a short term for bookmaker (UK), i.e., the person or shop that accepts bets.
Bookmaker: a person in the UK, who is licensed to accept wagers on the outcome of various gaming events. Such wagers are based on odds provided to the player by the bookmaker. The equivalent term commonly used in the US is sportsbook.
Bottle: slang for odds of two to one in the UK.
BR: an abbreviation for bankroll.
Break-Even Point: the point at which the bets, the player has made, approximately equal the payoffs received.
Breeder: the individual who is the owner or lessee of a dam at the time of whelping.
Bridge-Jumper: a player, or bettor, in the US, who specializes in large Show bets on odds-on favorites.
Broke Money: transportation money sometimes given by a casino to a broke, or busted, player.
Buck: a bet of one-hundred dollars in US funds. A buck is also known as a dollar or a one bet.
Buy (Point Spread): to buy points in order to change the point spread.
Buy Price: the higher figure quoted by an Index bookmaker in Spread or Index betting.
Buy the Rack: to purchase every possible Daily-Double or other combination ticket.
Call: the position of each greyhound, relative to the other dogs, at specific points around the track, during a race.
Canadian: a combination bet in greyhound racing consisting of 26 bets with 5 selections in different events. The combination bet is made up of 10 doubles, 10 trebles, five 4-folds and one 5-fold. The Canadian is also known as a Super Yankee.
Canadian Line: a hockey line expressed as a money line.
Career Record: an official form showing the current statistical records of each racing greyhound. The form has a series of five numbers indicating, in order, a greyhound's total number of starts, followed by its totals of first, second, third and fourth place finishes. The career record is often preceded by an abbreviation showing the track at which the start(s) were recorded.
Carpet: slang for odds of three to one in the UK. The carpet is also known as tres, or gimmel.
Carpet Joint: slang term referring to a luxury casino as compared to the less showy, lower minimum gambling houses, i.e., sawdust joints.
Cart: the electric motor that drives the arm and lure assembly around the oval greyhound racetrack. It is also called a lure motor.
Chalk: the favored team, side, contestant or horse in a sports event.
Chalk-Eater/Chalk-Player: a player who tends to wager only on the favorites, rarely on the underdogs.
Chart: a record of each race showing finish, calls, odds and comments describing the performance of each racer. The chart is considered a useful statistical aid to handicappers for studying the past performance of each racing greyhound.
Chartwriter: a kind of statistician, who compiles records of each greyhound race and writes comments describing the performance of each greyhound during a race.
Circle/Circled Game: an event where the wagering limit (the action) is severely limited, i.e., where the sports-book lowers its' normal wagering limits due to uncertain weather, significant injuries, or unconfirmed rumors regarding a contestant or team.
Class: See also Grade.
Clone Joint: a sportsbook that moves its' lines to conform with other sportsbooks.
Close: the final odds given on a greyhound(US), before the race begins. In the UK, they use the term, Starting Price.
Cool-Out Area: an area where racing greyhounds cool down following a race. At most racetracks, water is provided as well as ample room to walk around.
Combination Bet: a wager on two, three or four greyhounds, in combination, to cross the finish line in a specific order.
Commerce Course: See also, Middte Distance.
Compound: an area at the racetrack where the racing association houses racing greyhounds.
Comps: complimentary gifts used by casinos to entice players to gamble. Typical comps include free room, food and/or beverage (RFB).
Course: a term referring to the general area from the starting box to the wire during a particular race. The most common distances in the US are five-sixteenths, three eighths and seven-sixteenths mile courses.
Cover: to bet the point spread (spread) by the required number of points. If a wager is made in this way, the player is said to have covered the spread, and stands to win an event by more points than he laid, or lose by fewer points than he had taken.
Credit Player: a sportsbook customer who has been given an individual wager limit and can play against that limit on a credit basis. Normally the credit player belongs to an agent's package.
Crow's Nest: a high vantage point where the racetrack announcer, judges and other officials sit to observe the greyhound races.
Daily Double: a combination wager where the player selects the winners of the first and second races of the day. He must place his bet before the start of the first race. The Daily Double is similar to the Accumulator.
Dam: the female parent of an animal, i.e., the mother of a greyhound or thoroughbred.
Dead Heat: an exact tie between two or more greyhounds or horses in a race. The winner in a photo finish is determined by the position of the tip of the racer's nose, relative to the wire.
Degenerate: a term for a compulsive gambler.
Dime: a wager sum of $1000.00.
Dime Bet: a $1000.00 wager.
Dime Line: a slang term used to indicate the ten cent money line, i.e., the money line in which the bookmaker's vigorish/vig/commission amounts to ten percent. Also, it refers to the money line difference of ten cents that the player would lay with the favorite, or take back with the underdog (dog).
Dog: a short term for underdog, Alpo, mutt or puppy, i.e., the contestant or team that gets the points.
Dog (Greyhounds): a short term referring to a greyhound that competes in races.
Dog Player: a player who plays the dog, puppy, Alpo, mutt or underdog as a rule.
Dollar: the sum of $100.00.
Dollar Bet: a $100.00 wager.
Double Action: used in if-bet plays to specify win, tie or cancel.
Double Header: two baseball games on the same day between two teams.
Doubleheader: two racing performances programmed during one day.
Draw (Greyhounds): a random process by which the starting position of each greyhound is determined.
Dual Forecast: a wager on races with three or more declared racers in which the punter (UK) must pick the first two to finish in either order.
Due For: a term referring to a contestant or team that is considered to be overdue for a win or loss in their next contest or sports event. The, due for wager is a favorite strategy of many players.
Earn: practical hold percentage, i.e., the total amount won by a bookmaker divided by the total amount booked.
Ear Tattoo: an alphanumeric tattoo on the inside of a greyhound's right ear. The tattoo represents the month, year and tattoo order of his litter. The first one or two numbers indicate his month of birth. The last number before the letter is his year of birth. The letter itself represents the order in which the litter was tattooed, not the order of birth.
East Coast Line: a term used mainly in ice hockey, which has a split-goal line, e.g., Detroit Red Wings favored over Vancouver Canucks (1-1½) as opposed to a spread plus money line (-½ -180).
Edge: an advantage over an opponent, or the house, in any wager, or it can be the advantage that the casino has on any given wager.
Escape Turn: the first turn of the oval greyhound racetrack after the front stretch.
Even Money (General): a bet that pays the player the same amount that he wagered, plus his original wager. Shown as a ratio of 1:1. Neither side lays any odds, or vigorish.
Exacta, or Perfecta: horse betting terms referring to the method of betting on a horse race in which the first and second place horses are picked to cross the finish line in a specified order.
Exacta: a wager on two greyhounds, in a single designated race, to cross the finish line in a specific order. See also Perfecta and Straight Forecast (UK).
Exacta, or Perfecta Box: horse betting terms referring to the method of betting on a horse race in which the first and second place horses (two or more) are picked to cross the finish line in any order.
Exotic Wager: action other than a straight wager, e.g., teasers, futures, round robins etc.
Expected Win Rate: a percentage of the total amount of money wagered that a player can be expected to win or lose over time.
Exposure: the amount of money the player or book stands to lose on any action.
Extension: the amount of money the book theoretically risks losing on an event.
Far Turn (Racing): the third turn of the racetrack.
Fast (Racing): the physical state of the racetrack during normal weather conditions.
Favorite: the team, side, horse or contestant, competing in any given event that is considered to be the most talented or, otherwise, has the best chance to win.
Field (Racing): the number of entries in a race. Greyhound races are comprised of fields of six to nine racers. Eight is the normal starting number for races in the US.
Fifty Cents: a wager for $50.00.
Figure: an amount owed by, or to a bookmaker, based on a player's wins or losses.
Final Four: the remaining four teams in the NCAA annual championship basketball tournament.
Firing: the wagering of large sums of money, i.e., a player who does so is said to be firing.
First Half Bet: a wager placed on the first half of a football or basketball game.
Fixed: a slang term referring to the outcome of a race, contest or game that has been illegally pre-determined. No one in the mainstream sports betting world, on either side of a wager, cares for this term.
Flashy Sir Award: a performance award given annually to the nation's top distance (3/8-mile) greyhound by the NGA. The award is named after an outstanding distance greyhound of the mid-1940's.
Flat Joint: a term used to describe any dishonest gambling establishment or game.
Flea: a derogatory term describing the wanna-be players who wager little, and expect something for nothing.
Foots: a slang term sometimes used to refer to the game of football.
Forced Out: a chartwriter's term describing a situation where a greyhound is crowded to the outside by one or more of the other racers.
Forecast: a wager (UK) on two specific greyhounds to cross the finish line in the exact order chosen. The Forecast is also called a Straight Forecast, and is similar to the Perfecta and Exacta (US).
Form: the expected performance of contestants or teams according to how well they look on paper.
Front Money: a player's deposit with the house in order to establish credit to place bets against that money.
Front Stretch: the portion of the racetrack closest to the apron. The wire or finish line is located here.
Futures: a type of wager made, or lines/odds posted, on an event, or outcome, that will be determined sometime in the future, e.g., betting during the season on which team will win the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Championship or Stanley Cup etc. Also, the player making the ante post, or future wager often will enjoy better odds for having done so. He risks losing his stake, however, if his selection drops out of the scheduled race, or is otherwise canceled. Also, see the term, Ante Post.
Get Down: make a wager.
G-Note: a one thousand-dollar bill.
Going Down: losing a wager, or series of wagers.
Grade: a classification of the racing ability of a greyhound in comparison to the other greyhounds at the track. Grades range from grade AA, the top grade, downwards through grades A, B, C, and D. Each time a greyhound wins, it advances one grade until it reaches AA. Greyhounds are lowered in grade after posting three consecutive finishes in a fourth or lower place, i.e., out of the money.
Grade AAT: a special grade designation indicating a special stake($) race event, or a hotbox event which features the track's best racers in one race.
Grade TA: a grade designation indicating there are mixed grades in the scheduled race, such as A and B greyhounds competing against one another. The letter T refers to mixed grades, while the letter following indicates the grade of the highest rated greyhound(s) in the race, i.e., in this case, a grade A.
Grading System: a racing greyhound classification system intended to ensure that greyhounds compete against racers of similar caliber. All grades are assigned according to actual racing records, with an A-Rating being highest.
Grand: a thousand dollars. It could be in the form of a G-note, smaller bills, chips, or vouchers.
Grand Salami: a wager on the total number of goals scored in all of the hockey games (NHL) played in a single day.
Greyhound: a dog of an ancient breed used in sports hunting and racing competitions. It is said to be the fastest dog in the world as well as the oldest. It has a short, varicolored coat, a slender body, long muscular legs, and keen eyesight. The spelling, grayhound, is also considered to be correct.
Greyhound Hall of Fame: a museum and shrine to the greats of the sport of greyhound racing. The US Greyhound Hall of Fame is located in Abilene, Kansas.
Grinder: a player who wagers small money.
GROC: an acronym for the Greyhound Race of Champions, the premier annual event in American greyhound racing, sponsored by the AGTOA.
Gross Win: winnings before expenses.
Handicapper (Racing): the racetrack official who decides the weights to be carried in handicap events, and the grading of horses and greyhounds.
Handicapper: a person who analyzes, studies and rates sporting events.
Handte: total amounts of wagers taken.
Hedge: to wager the opposite of your original wager in order to reduce your exposure.
High Roller: a big bettor.
Holding Your Own: the result of breaking even, i.e., neither winning nor losing, during a wager, or series of wagers.
Home Field Advantage: the edge the home team is expected to have as a result of playing on home turf. For example, the home team would normally be more familiar with the playing area, enjoy greater fan support, and avoid the effects of travel endured by the visiting team.
Home Run Hitter: a player who makes big plays despite taking maximum risks.
Home Team: the team playing in its own home town; it is usually listed below the visiting team.
Hook: a half point added to football and basketball point spreads, as in 3.5, or 3 and a hook.
Hooked: the loss of a wager by exactly a half point.
Hoops: slang term referring to the game of basketball.
Hot: a player who is on a winning streak, or a slot machine that is paying out.
Hot Game: a game which is attracting a good deal of action, on one side, by skilled handicappers.
Hot Tip: wagering information/data not yet in the hands of the bookmaker.
House: a term for the casino or establishment that runs a game.
House Edge: the wagering advantage of the casino (house) usually gained by paying out less than real odds would require.
IBF: an acronym for International Boxing Federation.
IKC: an acronym for Interstate Kennel Club. This name refers to the racing season held at Wembley Park during the winter months, i.e., October through February.
Infield: the area surrounded by the oval racetrack.
Interference: intentional physical contact by a racing greyhound that obstructs or impedes the running of another greyhound. After being called for interference, a greyhound must run in a non-wagering race before being allowed to compete again.
In the Money: a first, second, or third-place finish, i.e., Win Place or Show.
ISW: an acronym for interstate wagering, which refers to the wagering that takes place between tracks located across state lines.
ITW: an acronym for inter-track wagering, which refers to the wagering that takes place between tracks located within the same state.
Jackpot (Racing): a combination (Parlay/Accumulator) wager on six dogs in six separate races held on the same day. If the player's selections win in each case, he will share in a Jackpot prize. The rules and prizes vary from track to track.
Judge: a racing official responsible for determining the official order of finish in a race, and other racing matters.
Judges' Stand: a clearly signed and defined area at the racetrack where the judges perform their duties. The Judges Stand may also be called the Crow's Nest.
Juice
Kennel (Racing): a business that cares for and races greyhounds under contract to one or more racetracks.
Kick It: to raise the bet.
Layoff Wager (Bet): a wager made by one bookmaker with another bookmaker to help him balance his action, and reduce his risk, on a horse, contestant or team.
Lay the Odds: to wager more money on a proposition than one hopes to win.
Lay the Points: a wager on a favorite in a point spread event.
Lay the Price: a wager on a favorite in a money line event.
Leadout: a dog handter employed by the racetrack, who parades the greyhounds in front of the public before a race, and places them in the starting boxes. He also retrieves the dogs following the race.
Leak: to lose back part, or all of one's winnings due to questionable gambling habits. See also blow back.
Length: the margin equal to the length of one greyhound. Length is used to describe the position of a greyhound, relative to his competitors during calls or at the finish of the race.
Limit: the maximum wager accepted by the house, or bookmaker, before the odds, points or price will be changed. In a sense, it is a cap on the amount a player will be allowed to wager.
Line: refers to the listed odds, points, money line or point spread for any given event.
Linemaker: the person who establishes the original and subsequent betting lines for an event.
Listed Pitcher (LP): the pitcher, or pitchers, listed by the Las Vegas odds makers as probable starting pitchers for a scheduled baseball game.
Live One: a derogatory term for an inexperienced, bad or loose player who apparently has lots of money to lose, i.e., a rich sucker. See also mark, fish, provider and sucker.
Lock-Out Kennel: an area within the paddock for the purpose of housing the racing greyhounds prior to the start of a race program. All greyhounds scheduled to run on any particular day are placed in the kennel 30 minutes before the first race. Only specific, licensed personnel are allowed in the area to maintain the greyhounds' safety. The kennel is sometimes referred to as the Jinny Pit.
Long Odds: relatively small odds given that an event will occur.
Long Shot: an extreme underdog.
Lure: a mechanical device attached to an arm, and electrically driven around the racetrack to excite the greyhounds to give chase. The lure operator keeps the lure a uniform distance ahead of the greyhounds. The lure, generally, is a stuffed object that resembles a rabbit, or a bone.
Lure Operator: a racetrack technician responsible for keeping the lure a uniform distance ahead of the greyhounds during a race.
Maiden: a greyhound that has not won an official race. This is the lowest grade designation. Once a greyhound wins a maiden race, it advances to grade D.
Marathon Course: the longest greyhound course distance in the US (Mile High). It measures 2,407 feet, or about 7/16ths of a mile (734 meters).
March Madness: a descriptive term for the NCAA national basketball championships, and the fanfare, excitement, frenzied events and sometimes chaos, which surround the tourney for about three weeks in March and April, every year.
Mark: a derogatory term for sucker. See also live one, fish, and provider.
Matinee: a series of greyhound races conducted during the daylight hours.
Middte Distance: a distance classification referring to the Commerce Course at Mile High. This course measures 2,050 feet or 3/8ths of a mile (625 meters).
Middte(s): to win both sides of the same betting proposition. Placing a wager on the favorite team at - 2 1/2 with one bookmaker, then taking +3 1/2 with another bookmaker. When the game ends up with the favorite winning by exactly three points, the player has middted the game. Middting is a favorite betting method of wise guys.
Middter: a player who tends to middte his bets.
MLB: an abbreviation for Major League Baseball.
Money Line: odds expressed in terms of money. It refers to the amount the player must wager to win $100.00, or the amount the player wins on a wager of $100.00. No handicap is given, such as a point spread or run line. The team wagered on just has to win the game. Payoffs are based on true odds rather than fixed odds. The amount the player lays or takes may vary each time. For example, a money line of -150 means that the player must bet $150.00 to win $100.00. If the money line is +120, the player can win that amount for every $100.00 he wagers.
MTP: an acronym for minutes to post, i.e., the time remaining before the start of a particular race.
Mutuel Handte (Racing): the total sum wagered for a single performance, or a full meeting.
Muzzle: a white-tipped wire, leather or plastic device, which is fitted over the greyhound's mouth and jaws and used as a means to determine the winner (s) in a close photo finish.
MVP: an abbreviation for Most Valuable Player. The leagues give MVP awards to the best player of the regular-season, and to the outstanding player in championship games or series.
NBA: an abbreviation for National Basketball Association.
NCAA: an abbreviation for National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Neutral Site: an arena, a court, ring, rink or field where neither side has a home field advantage.
Newspaper Line: the lines which appear in various daily newspapers. These lines are only approximate and can be inaccurate and misleading.
NFC: an acronym for National Football Conference
NFL: an acronym for National Football League.
NGA: an acronym for National Greyhound Association, which is made up of greyhound owners, breeders and trainers; recognized as a registry for racing greyhounds in the US.
NHL: an acronym for National Hockey League.
Nickel: a $500.00 wager.
NIT: an acronym for National Invitational Tournament (college hoops).
No Action: the situation where no wagers can be accepted by the house due to the fact that a game has already started.
Nose: a racing term for the slimmest margin of victory.
Oddsmaker: the person who establishes the original and subsequent betting lines for an event, i.e., same as the linesmaker.
Odds On Favorite: a horse, team or contestant so favored by the public that the odds for the event are less than even.
Off the Board: a game on which the bookmaker accepts no action (accepts no wagers).
Off Lines: the amount the Las Vegas point spread differs from the lines of other sportsbetting sites, which have derived their data from various computer software systems.
Official Line: the line the bookmaker uses for wagering purposes. The line produced in Las Vegas is quite often referred to as the official line, however, the line that the bookmaker offers the player is actually the official line. Many smart players compare the Las Vegas official line to that of their local bookmaker to ensure they get every possible edge.
O.O.P.: an acronym for the phrase, out-of-picture, used in a greyhound's race chart to describe it as finishing out of the money.
O.P. Smith: shortened name for Owen Patrick Smith, inventor of a revolutionary mechanical lure, circa 1912, that could travel around a circular track. For this, and many other significant contributions to the sport, Smith is considered the father of American greyhound racing.
Out: a bookie (bookmaker). Could also refer to an illegal bookmaker.
Outlaw Line: an early line that is not an official line. Often, linemakers will invite specially selected players to wager into the outlaw line, before entering the line to the public. The linemakers respect these experts and use their input to create a final opening number. This process is called ironing, or flattening, the line.
Overlay: a good bet where the player will have an edge over the casino. For example, the odds of a particular wager could be higher than they should be, and would tend to favor the player rather than the house.
Overtime: the continuation of a game that is tied at the end of regulation time, until a winner is determined or the maximum specified overtime periods have expired.
Over/Under Wager: a wager on whether the combined total of the points/goals scored by two competing teams will exceed, or be less, than a specified number.
Paddock (Greyhounds): the area encompassing the lockout kennels, scales and inspection ring at a racetrack. The greyhounds are kept in the paddock prior to racing. Before a race, the greyhounds are weighed, identified by a paddock judge, walked and blanketed before entering the track.
Pari-Mutuel Wagering: a term taken from the French language that means betting among ourselves. In practice, it amounts to making wagers in which winnings are taken from the total amount of money in play. Pari-Mutuel wagering ensures that the player can not wager against the track, but only against the other players.
Parley: to leave winnings in action.
Parlay: a combination or multiple wager on two or more races with the intention of using winnings garnered on the first race, to wager on the following race, and so on. When the player transfers his winnings in this manner, instead of collecting them, he is said to be letting his winnings ride, or to be parlaying them.; In order for the player to win a Parlay, all of his selections must win their individual races. If a race results in a tie, or is postponed or canceled, the Parlay is automatically reduced by one selection. That is, a Double Parlay becomes a Straight Bet and a Triple Parlay becomes a Double. Although the odds of winning a Parlay are much less than a Straight Bet, a player will enjoy huge dividends on a win. See also Accumulator.
Parlay Bets: wagers on a minimum of three, and up to 15 propositions; the more the player picks, the more he wins.
Parlay (Multiples): a wager on two or more teams, or outcomes, in no particular order, where all selections must win for the player to be successful. All teams wagered on in a parlay must win to ensure a payoff.
Past Performance: an accurate record of the performance of specific teams, horses or contestants when participating in sports events similar to those scheduled.
Past Post: a wager made after an event has begun.
Pat Hand (Blackjack): a good hand worth at least 17 points. The player, in such cases, Payoff - the winning return or payout the player receives on a wager.
Penny Line: a money line which is adjusted in increments of a penny, that is, one-cent at a time.
Perfecta: a wager on two greyhounds or thoroughbreds, in a single designated race, to cross the finish line, first and second, and in a specific order. See also Exacta and Straight Forecast (UK).
PGA: an acronym for Professional Golfers' Association.
Photo Finish: the finish of a race recorded with a photo device in order to determine accurately the winner of a particular race, especially where the finishers are very close.
Pick'em Game: a game where no team is favored. The player takes a pick and lays 11 to 10.
Pick or Pick'em: a game where no team, or betting option, is favorite.
Pick Six: a combination wager on the six winners of six consecutive races.
Pick Three: a combination wager on the three winners of three consecutive races.
Place: a wager that a specific dog or horse will finish in first or second place, i.e., if the player's selection crosses in first or second place, he collects.
Player: a bettor or gambler.
Point Spread, or Spread: a margin, in points or goals, given to an underdog taking part in an event, in order to handicap the favorite team, or give the underdog a head start. This margin, or point spread, is intended for betting purposes only. The point spread, which is really the predicted scoring differential between the contestants or teams concerned, is often referred to as the line.
Post (Greyhounds): a greyhound's box, or post position number. A greyhound's number always corresponds to the number of his starting box. The term also is used to identify the exact time the greyhounds break from the starting box.
Post Parade (Greyhounds): a display of the greyhounds in front of the grandstand, prior to a race, for a blanket and muzzle inspection.
Post Time: the time the first race, or any other race on the racing program begins.
Post Up (Player): a sportsbook customer who has deposited money with the house in the form of an active account, and plays with that money. House wager limits apply.
Post Weight (Greyhounds): the greyhound's official weight reported before the dog enters the racetrack.
Press: to wager a greater amount than usual.
Press a Bet (Press): to increase a bet by doubling it.
Pressing: wagering winnings along with the original bet. A player is pressing a bet when he lets winnings ride.
Price: the money line odds or point spread on the favorite in a sports event, or the pot odds a player gets in Poker on a draw or call.
Probability: a branch of mathematics that measures the likelihood that an event will occur. Probabilities are expressed as numbers between zero and one. The probability of an impossible event is zero, while an event that is certain to occur has a probability of one.
Program (Racing): a printed guide to the day's races including detailed, compiled data to assist players to handicap the races.
Proposition Bet (General): a wager on a specific aspect of an event such as the number of field goals, free throws, etc., that will be made during a game.
Provider: a polite term for a most welcome player, who makes the game profitable for other players at the table. See also mark, sucker, fish, and live one.
Puck Line: a wager on ice hockey that combines both a handicap/spread and odds.
Pucks: slang term for the game of ice hockey.
Puppy: an underdog, Alpo, mutt or dog.
Push: a tie hand between a dealer and a player where no money changes hands. A push in the game of Blackjack occurs when both the player and the dealer have legitimate hands with the same total points. The term, push, also refers to a tie between a player and a bookmaker where the final score of a game is exactly the same as the point spread, or the total points (combined scores of both teams).
Quinella (Greyhounds): a wager on two greyhounds, in a single designated race, to finish first and second in either order. See also Reverse Forecast (UK). This type of wager is also spelled Quiniela.
Quinella, and Quinella Box: horse betting terms referring to the method of betting on a horse race in which the first and second place horses (two or more) are picked to cross the finish line in any order.
Quinella Double (Greyhounds): a wagering term used to describe the two greyhounds, which finish first and second, in any order, in two designated races.
Racing Commission: a state or county regulatory agency (US) that oversees all aspects of greyhound racing.
Racing Secretary: the track official whose major functions include determining how many races of each grade are to be run over each distance for any given program. The racing secretary also conducts the random draw for the post positions.
Rail: the inside race strip where the mechanical lure is propelled around the oval greyhound track.
Railbird: a non-playing spectator or kibitzer. This term is often used to describe a broke ex-player.
Rain Out: an event canceled because of bad weather.
Reverse Forecast (UK): a wager on two greyhounds, in a single designated race, to finish first and second in either order. See also Quinella.
RFB: an acronym for complimentary room, food, and beverage usually given to high rollers (VIPs).
Ringer: a greyhound (or horse) entered fraudulently in a race under a false name for the purpose of replacing a lesser, or possibly much better racer, and exploiting attractive and inaccurate odds. Usually, a better dog will be used to replace a lesser racer, when this scam is attempted.
Round Robin: a series of parlays, for example, a three-team round robin consists of one three-team parlay, and three two- team parlays.
Rundown: a read out of all of the lines to a customer by the sports book.
Run Line: a line used when wagering on baseball that uses a 1.5 point spread.
Runner: a messenger player (beard) who acts on behalf of others in horse-racing and certain casino games.
Running: a term that refers to the circumstance when two essential cards come as the
Running Bad: a term for a player on a losing streak.
Running Good: a term for a player on a winning streak.
Rural Rube Award: an award given each year to the nation's top sprint (5/16-mile) greyhound by the National Greyhound Association This award is named after an outstanding sprinter of the late 1930's.
Ryder Cup: a golf tournament between American and European golfers that takes place every two years.
Scale Room (Greyhounds): an area within the paddock where the greyhounds are weighed on a calibrated scale by the Clerk of Scales.
Scalper: one who attempts to profit from the differences in odds, from book to book, by wagering both sides of the same game at different set prices.
Schooling Race: a practice race conducted under actual racing conditions, but in which no wagering is allowed.
Score: to win a great amount of money due to successful wagering.
Scout: a person who studies the performance and potential of teams, horses or contestants, in or out of play, and reports the pertinent findings to handicapper(s).
Scratch: to withdraw, cancel or call off a wager.
Scratch (Racing): the withdrawal of a greyhound or horse from a race. Scratches at Mile High are listed first by number of the scheduled race, then by the number of the greyhound.
Second Half Bet: a wager placed on the second half of a football or basketball game.
Separate Pools: money wagered on a race at a track, which is totally unrelated to any pool held at another track.
Sharp: a wise guy.
Short: slang term for Alpo, puppy, mutt, dog or underdog. It is often expressed as the short.
Short Odds: the odds for an event that has a good chance of occurring.
Shortstop: a term that refers to people who make small wagers.
Show (Greyhounds): a wager that a specific greyhound will cross the finish line in at least third place. If the player's selected dog crosses the finish line in either first, second, or third place, he collects.
Side: to win one side of a wagering proposition and tie the other. For example, if the player lays -2½ and takes 3 on the same game, and the favorite wins by 3, he has sided the book, that is, the book has been sided.
Side Bet/Side Wager: a wager on a particular team, side or contestant to win an event.
Sides: the names of the two teams playing the underdog and the favorite.
Single: a bet on a single result or outcome.
Single Action: to specify a win only in an if-bet type wager.
Single Bet: a wager on a specific greyhound, in a single designated race, to win at the given odds. This is the most uncomplicated and common bet. If the player's dog crosses the finish line in first place, he collects. See also Straight Bet, and Win (Bet).
Sire: the male parent of an animal, e.g., the father of a greyhound or horse.
Smart Money: money wagered on sides by knowledgeable handicappers.
Soft Line: a wagering line that is not current with the true posted line, that is, a line that has been adjusted, or moved, as a result of action, but does not reflect the true line as posted.
Splash Around: to play more loosely than one should.
Sport Player: a player who waits for unusually strong wagers and does so, at times, in error.
Spread (Lines): short form for point spread on a game.
Spread Wager: an abbreviated term for point spread.
Spread Limit: a fixed betting structure in which a player may bet any amount, within a set minimum to maximum range, on every betting round. A typical spread limit structure is $2.00 to $6.00, where a player may bet as little as $2.00 or as much as $6.00 on every betting round.
Sprint: a greyhound race distance of five-sixteenths of a mile (400meters), or less.
Square: an unsophisticated player.
Stake: money used to wager on the success or failure of a particular event.
Stakes Race: a greyhound or horse race for a championship, or for a purse larger than those offered for ordinary feature races.
Stanley Cup: cup representing the winning of the North American ice hockey championship series.
Star: a rating given to certain high performers.
Starter: a term describing a greyhound at the instant the doors of the starting box open.
Starting Boxes: mechanical gates designed and operated to ensure all dogs in a greyhound race start in unison.
Steam: when a betting line on a selection starts to move quite rapidty, usually due to a rapid increase in the number of players betting on it. Most steam games do not necessarily reflect the right side, but are sides where the majority of players have decided to focus their attention and action.
Steaming: to be playing badty and wildty, often while emotionally upset.
Straight Bet (Greyhounds): a wager on a specific greyhound, in a single designated race, to win at the given odds. This is the most uncomplicated and common bet. If the player's dog crosses the finish line in first place, he collects. See also Single Bet, and Win (Bet).
Straight Forecast (UK): a wager on two greyhounds, in a single designated race, to cross the finish line in a specific order. See also Exacta and Perfecta.
Straight Wager (Bet): a single straightforward wager on a selected side, or over/under. The team wagered on must win by the point spread given at the time of the wager.
Stuck: a depressing condition experienced by players who feel behind, buried, losing or down for the week, sometimes as a result of losing a substantial amount of money.
Sucker: a player who has lots of cash, but lacks the basic skills to win a decent game of cards. The sucker is a genuine loser. See also mark, live one, fish, and provider.
Sucker Bet: a wager that overwhelmingly favors the bookmaker or house.
Sudden Death: an overtime period of play where the first contestant to score is declared the winner of the event.
Super Bowl: NFL championship game.
Superfecta: a wager placed on any four greyhounds to cross the finish line in a specific order.
System: a method of wagering that is usually based on a mathematical formula, and which is used by a player to get an edge
Take a Price: a wager on the underdog in a money line event.
Take the Odds: to wager less money on a proposition than one hopes to win.
Take the Points: a wager on the underdog in a point spread event.
Takeout: the money taken from the betting pool by track management for the state and for the racing association.
Tap City: a term to describe the state of a player who has gone broke.
Tapped Out: a condition describing players who are broke (busted). It is a common result of pressing.
Tattoo: an alphanumeric term placed inside the right ear of a registered racing greyhound for identification purposes.
Teaser Wager: a bet on two or more teams where the line on each team is adjusted in favor of the player. Like a parlay, all selections must be correct for the teaser wager to payoff.
Teller's Cage: the location at a greyhound race track where the player may make financial transactions, i.e., place bets, make change, cash checks, and collect winnings.
Ten Cent Line: the money line difference (ten cents) between what a player lays with the favorite, or takes back with the underdog.
The Big Dance: a term that refers to the 65 team, Division I, post season, college basketball (NCAA) championship tournament.
The Store: a term for bookmaker (bookie).
Thirty-Cent Line: the money line difference (thirty cents) between what a player lays with the favorite, or takes back with the underdog.
Tie: when a game officially ends with neither side winning.
Titanic Tri-Super: a combination wager, similar to the Tri-Super, except the player must correctly select the Trifecta combination in the fifth race and the Superfecta in the seventh race.
Toss Up: a game where the line is close to pick/pick 'em, that is, a game where no team, or betting option, is a clear favorite.
Totals: the total combined number of runs/points/goals scored by the two teams opposed in a sports event, including those scored in overtime.
Totalisator Machine: a computerized system that records amounts wagered, prints tickets for players, calculates odds and displays them on screens throughout a racetrack.
Tote Board: a board located behind the backstretch of the racetrack that displays the odds, pools, results, and payoffs of each race.
Tout: a person who either sells or gives away his selections on games, races or contests.
Tout Service: a business that sells opinions of sporting events.
Trainer (Greyhounds): a kennel employee whose responsibility is to prepare greyhounds for racing.
Treble Forecast (UK): a wager on three greyhounds, in a single designated race, to cross the finish line in a specific order. See also Tricast and Trifecta.
Tricast: a wager on three greyhounds, in a single designated race, to cross the finish line in a specific order. See also Trifecta and Treble Forecast (UK).
Trifecta: a wager on three greyhounds, in a single designated race, to cross the finish line in a specific order. See also Tricast and Treble Forecast (UK).
Trifecta Box: horse race betting term referring to a method of betting where the player must select the first, second and third place horses to cross the finish line, in any order.
Trifecta Triple: horse race betting term referring to a method of betting where the player must select the first, second and third place horses to cross the finish line, in a specified order.
Triple Sharp: a sharp who is the sharpest of the sharps.
Tri-Super: a combination wager on the Trifecta and the Superfecta. The player selects the winning Trifecta combination in one race and exchanges that ticket for a Superfecta in the following race. The Tri-Super is similar to the Twin Trifecta.
True Odds: the ratio of the number of times one event will occur as compared to the number of times another event will occur. The odds posted in a casino are usually not the true odds.
Tweener: a book that derives its numbers by taking the middte point between the numbers calculated by all other books.
Twenty Cent Line: the money line difference (twenty cents) between what a player lays with the favorite, or takes back with the underdog.
Twin Trifecta: a multiple combination or pool bet, where the player wagers on two Trifecta selections in two races, i.e., six dogs. If the player wins the first Trifecta he may exchange his winning ticket for a Trifecta for the subsequent race. One-half of the net Twin Trifecta pool will be paid in equal shares to all winners of the first half, when they present their tickets for exchange. The remaining half of the pool, along with any carryover, will be paid to winners of the second-half. If no one correctly selects the second-half of the Twin Trifecta, the pool will be carried over to the next race.
Underdog: the team, side or contestant in any given event considered the least likely to win. See also short, puppy, Alpo, mutt, or dog.
Underlay: a bad bet. An underlay occurs when the odds of a particular wagering proposition are lower than they should be, that is, they favor the house. In such circumstances, players often bet that an event will take place, but without justification, e.g., realistic odds.
Value: an overlay, i.e., getting the best odds on a proposition, i.e., the highest possible edge.
Variance: a measure of the extent to which winnings and losses fluctuate over a period of time. Variance is not necessarily a measure of how well someone may play. However, the greater the variance, the greater the fluctuations between winnings and losses.
Vigorish (Vig)(Juice): the fee or commission paid to a bookmaker (bookie) or taken by the house.
VIP: a big bettor deemed worthy of full complementary treatment, i.e., RFB.
Visitor: the team that is playing away from its home town; its name is usually listed above that of the home team.
Void: invalid with no result.
Wager: the amount of money a player voluntarily risks, or bets on cards, or other games. The wager can be in the form of cash, chips or vouchers. See also bet.
WAGRA: an acronym for Western Australian Greyhound Racing Authority.
WBA: an acronym for World Boxing Association.
WBC: an acronym for World Boxing Council.
WGRF: an acronym for the World Greyhound Racing Feder1ation, which is the worldwide promotion association for the sport.
Wheel (Poker): the lowest possible five-card hand in low-ball Poker, i.e., ace, two three, four, five. See also bicycle.
Wheel (Roulette): the wheel upon which the game of Roulette is played. Also see American or French Wheel.
Wheel (Racing): a wagering term describing the selection of a greyhound to Win, Place or Show with every other greyhound in the race.
Whelping: the act of birth of an animal, i.e., a greyhound.
Whipsaw: to raise before, and after, a caller who gets caught in the middte.
Whirl Bet: a player's bet in Craps that the next roll will be a two, three, seven, eleven or twelve. The whirl bet is made in multiples of five, with one unit on each of the numbers.
Wild Card: a joker, or other card designated as a joker, the player may substitute for any other card to complete his hand.
Win (Bet): a wager on a specific greyhound, in a single designated race, to win at the given odds. This is the most uncomplicated and common bet. If the player's dog crosses the finish line in first place, he collects. See also Straight bet, and Single bet.
Winner's Circle: an area where the winning greyhound or horse is on display following the race, and is often involved in a ceremonial presentation.
Wire: the official finish line for a greyhound or horse race.
Wired Pair: a pair in hand.
Wise Guy: a well-informed, knowledgeable, and successful sports handicapper or player.
WNBA: an abbreviation for Women's National Basketball Association.
World Series: a best of seven games, baseball championship playoff series, to determine the best team in Major League Baseball.
World's Fair: a strong and promising hand.