With the knowledge you’ve gained here on gambling terms for sports, slang for gamblers, and betting terminology, you’re now fully equipped to bet like a Wise Guy, beat the Spread, and walk away a winner with any Bookie you happen to Wager with. A bookie is someone who facilitates gambling by setting odds, accepting and placing bets, and then paying out the winnings. It's short for the term bookmaker. A bookie was a slang term more often used when online sports betting wasn't readily available.
How Does A Bookie Work
Internet sports betting will use a lot of gambling terms that you may not be familiar with as a lot of the language comes from the 'street' language of old school bookies. The following is a Glossary of Gambling Terms for: NFL betting, College Football betting, NCAA Football betting, Baseball Betting, MMA Betting, UFC betting, Boxing wagering, NHL betting, NBA betting, NCAA Basketball betting, College Basketball Betting and other major sports. You will find all the major terms that Internet sportsbooks use in posting their betting lines.Gambling Terminology
Slang for gambling is hard, but we’re here to help! Gambling terms vary far and wide, but we have assembled a gambling terminology glossary here. All the gambling terminology and gambler slang you could ever find will be made clear here. You’ll be speaking the gambling vocabulary after a quick review of this page in no time, including betting terms, and slang for gambling itself. Most of these are specific to sports betting, but still find their way to other areas online. Whether you’re into NCAA Football betting, NFL betting, NCAA Basketball betting, College Basketball Betting, College Football betting, Baseball Betting, MMA Betting, UFC betting, Boxing wagering, NHL betting, NBA betting, or all other major sports, you’ll be speaking gambler lingo in no time! This can be particularly challenging without help, as sports betting lingo, bet slang, betting jargon, betting lingo, betting acronyms, sports betting terminology, and specifically basketball betting terms all have very specific sports betting terms that need to be mastered to even make a bet! Football betting terms and football betting terminology in particular can be challenging, but we’ve got you covered there too:Action
- Any time you make a bet, this counts as an action.Added Game
- Any betting line not typically part of the usual pool of games to bet on in the Las Vegas rotation, but is included to benefit those making wagers with a bookie.ATS
- The ATS betting term means Against The Spread. This is when you’re betting on the underdog team to win by a wide margin, and along with it, ample winnings.Bet
- Any time you put down money on the outcome of a sporting event, you’re betting.Book
- Originally, bookies were the ones that took bets on sporting events. Book is short for any sportsbook or related group that takes these bets.Bookie
- The original term that started them all, a bookie is someone that takes bets on sporting events.Bookmaker
- Another term referencing a bookie that takes bets on sporting events.Buck
- A $100 bet, being an example of a sports betting slang term.Buy (Points)
- If you are willing to pay more for it, you can get a half point or more in your favor on any point spread you bet on.Canadian Line
- Alternatively called a Puck Line, this is a mixture of a Point Spread and Moneyline.Chalk
- Another slang term, this one meaning the favored side to win.Chalk Player
- Anyone that typically bets on the favored side and never on underdogs.Circled Game
- Events of this kind have lower betting limits and limitations on how many people can get so a bookie won’t carry as much risk. Sometimes called a Red Circle box. This happens when unintended circumstances may adversely effect the outcome of an event, such as player injuries, unusual weather conditions, and games being unexpectedly added. Doesn’t include parlays and teaser wagers.Cover
- Any time a point spread is won.Dime Bet
- Another betting slang term that means a $1000 bet is placed.Bookie Gambling Online
Dimeline
- When the favored party and the underdog only differ on their moneyline by 10 cents, such as the Yankees and Red Socks. This is used in baseball to attract eager gamblings looking for a decent risk to reward ratio.Dog
- The underdog not favored to win in an event.Dog Player
- A gambler that typically bets on the underdog.Dollar Bet
- Another betting slang term, here meaning $100. It’s the same as “Buck,” and they are used interchangeably just like the terms are outside of gambling.Even Money
- Any wager with 1:1 odds, meaning there is no juice or vigorish.Exotic Wager
- Wagers that aren’t Straight Bets or Parlays count as exotic wagers, such as Teasers, Sweetheart Teasers, IF bet, Reverses, and Prop bets.Favorite
- Any side expected to win an event. The opposite of the dog or underdog. Fifth Inning Line (5 Inn.)
- Any bet placed on only the initial 5 innings of any baseball game.Fifty Cents
- Another betting slang term that means a $50 bet.First Half Bet (1H)
- Bets placed on a football or basketball game that only account for the score up to halftime.Future
- The betting odds calculated in advanced on future sporting events.Getting Value
- Gambling vocabulary for the best odds on betting line.Grand Salami
- The Total of goals scored in all hockey games played on the same day.Grading
Bookie Gambling Sites
- After you bet and the event has been decided, this is when the amount is put into your account.Half a Dollar
- Another piece of gambling slang for a $50 wager.Half Time Bet (2H)
- The opposite of a First Half Bet, this is any bet placed on the second half of a football or basketball game.Handicapper
- These are the people that look at all available information on a sporting event, and calculate the odds of the outcome.Handicapping
- This is the act of the above when calculating the outcome of an event.Handle
- The gross total of bets taken by a bookie on a sporting event.Hedging
- Betting on both sides of an event to keep losses at a minimum or guarantee a bare minimum amount of winnings. Considered to be a safe betting strategy that sacrifices maximum winnings for protection from losses.Hook
- When half a point is added to football or basketball betting through gamblers buying points. Also referred to as buying the “hook”.Hot Game
- Any game attracting the attention of many professional handicappers.Juice
- A bookie’s commission on the bets made, which is referred to as the “vigorish” as well. A standard juice is typically 10%.Laying the Points
- Betting on the favorite in any point spread betting line.Limit
- A hard limit placed on the total betting amount for any event.Line
- The present betting odds on any event. Lines like these are always updated in real time.Linemaker
- Someone at a bookmaker that establishes an original betting line and all subsequent betting lines stemming from it.Longshot
- Any side of a sporting event unlikely to win, similar to the underdog.Middle
- A strategy of betting on both sides of an event at different amounts. Called the “middle the game” someone wins, and similar to Hedging.MMA
- Stands for Mixed Martial Arts.Moneyline
- Any betting odds where the wager is settled when one side of an event wins. An example would be a -120 team requiring $120 to win $100 when that team won.Nickel Line
- This is when the commission a bookie receives on a betting line is 5%. Also called reduced juice.Nickel
- A betting slang term for a $500 wager.No Action
- When a bet is cancelled because the event did not happen (i.e. rain out in MLB). All money is returned to bettor.Odds
- How likely different outcomes of a sporting event are, which largely tends to determine the winnings potential.Off The Board
- When a bookie closes open betting for an event.Bookmaker Gambling
Oddsmaker
- The one that determines the odds of a sporting event.One Dollar
- Another gambling betting slang term for wagering $100.Opening Line
- The initial betting line made public by a bookie for a sporting event.Over
- A bet placed on the total scores of both teams in a sporting event combined. Typically, bets are made that it will be above a specified total amount.Parlay
- Betting on two or more teams at a time. All teams must win in order to receive the highest payout. If one team loses, it is considered a loss.Pick ‘em
- An event where no side of a sporting event is favored to win. Sometimes called a ‘Pick’.Point Spread
- Using the handicap chosen by the bookmakers, this determines how much will be awarded to winning bets.Press
- Betting in an amount that is far higher than a typical wager.Price
- Determined by the point spread or the odds given on a moneyline.Prop (Proposition) Bet
- Betting on two or more outcomes that have nothing to do with an event’s final score or winning team. They tend to be placed on specific players, an entire sport, political occurrences, celebrity gossip, and related things.Push
- This occurs when no one wins a wager. Wagers in this case are returned.Quarter Line (1Q, 2Q, 3Q, 4Q)
- Any bet placed on a specific quarter in a basketball or football game.Reverse Bet
- This occurs when two IF bets are placed.Risk
- The amount that is bet on a particular sporting event.Round Robin
- A style of tournament that allows many parlays to occur at the same time.Run Down
- A summary of the betting lines determined for a specific date, sport, or time.Run Line
- Particular to Baseball, this is their version of a Point Spread.Sharp
- A gambling term for professional or highly experienced bettors.Sides
- The teams in a sporting event.Single
- A simple wager.Sportsbook
- Much like a bookie, any company accepting bets, in this case on sporting events.Spread
- A short reference used in the same fashion as a Point Spread. Usually posted by the line maker, this is determined by the odds of the outcomes of a sporting event.Square
- Someone new to betting on sports.Standard Line
- When a betting line is -110 for all sides. Standard lines have 10% juice.Steam
- When a betting line changes and is reposted because of how popular it is among bettors.Stake
- The specific amount of a placed bet.Staight Bet
- A bet placed on a single sporting event.Straight Up (SU) Bet
- When a bet is won despite the point spread. This is commonly known as a moneyline wager as well.Sweetheart Teaser
- A teaser which brings together 3 or 4 football or basketball bets and allows for gamblers to adjust their total and point spread in their favor.Taking The Points
- Wagering on the underdog in the Point Spread.Taking The Price
- Wagering on the underdog in the Moneyline.Teaser
- A parlay that allows for an increased point spread or total in exchange for reduced payout odds.Ticket
- Used interchangeably with wager because real world sports betting used to involve giving tickets as proof of a wager. Many still do, such as horse races!Tie
- Also known as a Push. Risk amount of wager is returned to the bettor.Total
- The score of both teams in an event combined, including any overtime.Totals Bet
- A bet made on the total score of both teams added together.Tout
- Someone selling services as a sports handicapper.Under
- A bet on the sum score of all teams in a sporting event with the Total amount being under a certain value. The opposite of an Over.Underdog
- Any team expected to lose an event. Also called the “dog”.Value
- Getting the best possible odds on a wager.Vig or Vigorish
- A bookmaker’s commission. Also called the “juice,” which is assumed to be at least 10% on a losing wager.Wager
- Risking money on the outcome of an event. Also called a bet.Wise Guy
- A highly successful sports bettor.You’re Now a Sports Betting Terms Definition Master!
With the knowledge you’ve gained here on gambling terms for sports, slang for gamblers, and betting terminology, you’re now fully equipped to bet like a Wise Guy, beat the Spread, and walk away a winner with any Bookie you happen to Wager with. Best of luck in your Sports Betting!Gambling legislation tends to be focused on protection for “problem gamblers”, but there is also a need for the protection of normal gamblers from “problem bookies”.
According to the website Gambling with Lives, which is unlikely to underestimate the issue, there are around 340,000 adult gambling addicts in the UK and some 55,000 people aged between 11 and 16 with the same problem. Research, the site claims, has shown 4 to 11 per cent of suicides are related to gambling which equates to between 250 and 650 deaths per year. The wide range suggests that there are issues with definitions and categorising the cases. Even if the numbers are at the lower end of this range, it clearly represents a very serious issue that is causing considerable damage.
Is the gambling industry responsible for this? A lot depends on how you look at and describe the situation. If you see the gambling industry as causing the issues, and describe it in those terms, then responsibility falls squarely on them. On the other hand, you could describe the problems in terms of the individual choices of the punters, in which case they are responsible
for their own bad outcomes.
A similar ambivalence hangs over the drinks industry. The manufacturers of gin, whisky, rum and so on take pride in what they do to create a fine product. Alcoholics die in significant numbers every year after consuming that product. In both cases (drinks and gambling), the vast majority of customers enjoy a pleasure in moderation and only a small minority suffer dire
consequences.
The distribution of responsibility is somewhat different with the tobacco industry. Nearly all the customers suffer a degree of adverse health as a consequence of smoking the product, even in moderation.
As a semi-professional gambler, I prefer to describe gambling in terms of choices made by customers. The gambling industry sets up platforms so that customers can easily and effortlessly put their money at risk online, but the punters are responsible for their decision to do so. Perhaps we all have self-destructive elements within our personalities, but some express them to a much greater degree than others.
The gambling industry does take some measures to protect vulnerable customers. Typically, customers who lose money on a regular basis might be given warnings about “problem gambling” or offered a way to exclude themselves from being allowed to bet on the website for a period of time. It does not solve the problem, but offers a degree of protection.
Risk is a natural part of human existence and no government can protect all its citizens from any exposure to it. All in all, the degree of regulation that currently exists certainly addresses the issues with compulsive gamblers, and the measures put in place mitigate the problem.
Looking at it from the other direction, there are a number of issues where there is no legislation in place to defend consumer rights. Here I am considering the consumer to be the customer, currently unprotected by legislation against various unethical ploys perpetrated by bookies behaving badly. Let me make a list:
1) Different security protocols for depositing and withdrawing. Once a bookie has checked you are indeed aged 18 or over, there are rarely any issues when it comes to depositing money. It is a different story when you try to withdraw. Suddenly proof is required to make sure you are a legitimate customer and not money-laundering. Proof of address, recent bills, or bank statements. Sometimes proof of income is also asked for. It often takes a significant period of time before these documents are sent and scrutinised, during which the bookies maintain control of the funds. They do not pay interest to the customer for the period in question.
A simple suggestion to cure this problem – force the bookies to have the same security protocols both for depositing and withdrawing. That way you cannot deposit money until they have everything they need and there would be no issues withdrawing should you happen to win. Some bookies impose withdrawal limits, stopping customers from extracting their funds as quickly
as they might wish. That is not acceptable.
2) Sometimes there are disputes over the outcome of bets, or indeed when they should be settled. The recent US presidential election was just such an issue. To be fair, most bookies have acted reasonably with regard to that result by waiting for official ratification. Many Trump supporters still feel it has not been decided, two weeks after the bets were settled against them. Customer services departments at various bookmakers have spent a great deal of effort placating them. In this specific case the
bookies have my sympathy, but there are cases where they act less honourably. At present, there is not much that the customers can do about it. The need for an ombudsman is self-evident: bookies should not be allowed to self-regulate when it comes to disputes.
3) Bookies control the odds they offer. They do so, not surprisingly, to their own advantage. If they consider something to be even money (with two equally probable outcomes) they will typically offer 10/11 or maybe 5/6 on each outcome, giving themselves a 10 or 20 per cent advantage respectively. So you would have to bet £11 to win £10 in the case where they offer 10/11. Of course, they are businesses and have to both set up and maintain the online platforms where their customers place bets, including paying their staff. So this degree of “unfairness” is not unreasonable.
What many people do not know is that bookies also select their customers. They carefully monitor your track record and restrict successful customers to small bets or ban them altogether. Of course, they continue to allow less capable customers to bet whatever they want. So a new customer, or someone who has lost money on a regular basis, will be allowed to place a bet, whereas a customer with a good track record will not. In an ideal world you would hope that manipulating the odds in their favour would be all that bookies would be allowed to do and that any bet-size limits would have to be applied universally, rather than discriminating against selected clients. Another possibility would be to introduce a policy whereby there was a minimum bet
size guarantee. For example, all customers would be allowed to bet a stake of £100 if they wanted to.
4) Recently one betting company closed my account without warning, denying me access to the funds within it. They asked me to send various documents – proof of identity, proof of source of income, inside leg measurement – claiming they were required to do this because of money laundering regulations. This was an unpleasant surprise and came after I had been their client for 18 years. I sent all the requested documentation and it was not until a further six weeks later that the account was finally reopened. There is no telephone number you can call; answers by email from their customer services were slow and disorganised. I was told I had to wait for the appropriate department to look at it and they could not give me any idea when the matter would be resolved. Nor could they return any funds until then. I was not at all satisfied with this situation. (It involved a considerable portion of my working capital.) So I called the UKGC (the Gambling Commission), who told me they could do nothing about it.
If banks treated customers like this, they would lose their licenses. But bookies can behave this way with no legal sanction. The only sanction is in the court of public opinion: on review websites many bookies are accused of stealing customer funds. Betting companies are trusted by millions of customers to look after their money, but there is no legal obligation to meet suitable and appropriate standards. Some, but not all, bookies operate “ring-fenced” customer accounts, such that customer money is protected if the company goes bust. This should be a mandatory regulation for anyone operating in the UK.
Further protection against the exploitation of vulnerable customers is justified, but there is a need for protection of all customers against bookie abuse. The setting up of an ombudsman to resolve disputes should be a priority, alongside better regulation to ensure that bookies handle customer accounts in a reasonable way, including ease of withdrawals. The UKGC needs stronger powers and more funding. After the massive growth in online betting that has taken place in recent years, the Gambling Commission is no longer fit for purpose.
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