The Ultimate A-Z Sports Betting Glossary: 2026 Edition

The more you engage in betting, the more you understand that sports require special knowledge of terms and strategies. This sports betting glossary is designed to help you navigate the many phrases used in the industry, from UK/US jargon to specific terminology for Irish and international sports.

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A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | K | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | V | W | Y | Sports Jargon

The Foundation: 1X2 Betting

1X2 is the most common wager in football, referring to the match result at the end of regular time:

• 1 = Home Win

• X = Draw (Tie)

• 2 = Away Win

A

• Accumulator (Acca): A single bet consisting of 2+ selections. All must win for a payout.

• Accumulator Insurance: A promo where you get your stake back if only one leg of your Acca loses.

• Across the Card: Betting on races at different events happening concurrently.

• Action: A general term for any bet or wager.

• Against The Spread (ATS): Betting on a team to cover a point range set to level the playing field.

• All Out: A player, horse, or team giving 100% effort to win.

• All-Weather Racing: Horse racing on artificial tracks designed for all weather conditions.

• Alphabet Bet: 6 selections involving 26 bets (1 Yankee, 2 Patents, 1 six-fold).

• Also Ran: A selection that did not finish in the top three.

• Ante-Post: Wagers placed before the official market opens (long-term bets).

• Anytime Scorer: Backing a player to score at any point during a game.

• Arbitrage (Arbs): A strategy of betting on all outcomes across different bookies to guarantee a profit.

• Asian Handicap: A soccer bet that eliminates the draw by giving a virtual lead (+) or deficit (-).

• Asian Goals: Similar to Over/Under, but with quarter, half, and full goal lines.

• At the Post: The moment betting closes as horses reach the starting position.

B

• Back: To bet on an outcome to happen.

• Backdoor Cover: When an underdog scores late in a game to cover the spread without changing the win/loss outcome.

• Backed Off the Board: When a bookmaker stops taking bets on a selection due to excessive wagering.

• Bad Beat: Losing a bet in an unlucky fashion at the very end of an event.

• Banker: A heavy favorite considered a "sure thing."

• Bankroll: Your total designated gambling budget.

• Beard: A third party used to place bets on behalf of a skilled bettor.

• Bet Builder: Combining different markets from the same match into one custom wager.

• Bet Calculator: A tool to work out potential winnings.

  Pro Tip: Try our [Lucky 15 & System Bet Calculator] to see your returns instantly!

• Betting Exchange: A platform where players bet against each other rather than a bookmaker.

• Betting Line: The specific point spread or odds set by bookies.

• Betting Slip: The receipt featuring your selections, odds, stake, and returns.

• BIC/SWIFT Code: Codes required for international bank transactions/withdrawals.

• Blowout: A game won by a very large margin.

• Booking Points: Betting on cards (Yellow = 10pts, Red = 25pts).

• BTTS (Both Teams To Score): A wager on whether both sides score (Yes/No).

C

• Canadian: A multiple bet of five selections consisting of 26 individual bets.

• Cash Out: Settling a bet early to secure a profit or limit a loss.

• Century: UK slang for £100 (also known as a "Ton").

• Chalk: Slang for a heavy favorite.

• Circled Game: A game where the bookie restricts betting due to uncertainties (injuries/weather).

• Closing Line: The final odds offered before an event begins.

• Combination Forecast/Tricast: Predicting the top finishers in a race in any order.

• Correct Score: Predicting the exact final scoreline.

D

• Dead Heat: When two or more participants finish in an exact tie.

• Decimal (European) Odds: Odds presented in decimal format (e.g., 2.50). Total return = Stake × Odds.

• Dime: US slang for a $1,000 bet.

• Double Bet: One wager combining two selections; both must win.

• Draw No Bet (DNB): If the match ends in a draw, your stake is returned.

• Drifter: A selection whose odds are increasing due to lack of betting interest.

E

• Each Way (E/W): Two bets in one (Win and Place). Common in Horse Racing.

• Edge: A bettor's perceived advantage over the bookmaker.

• Expected Value (EV): The probability gap between a bettor’s expectation and the bookie's odds.

F

• Favourite: The selection with the lowest odds.

• First Past the Post: The horse that crosses the finish line first.

• Fixed Odds: Odds that are locked in at the time you place the bet.

• Fractional (British) Odds: Odds written as a fraction (e.g., 4/1).

• Free Bet: A bonus where you receive the profit, but not the stake, upon winning.

G

• Goliath: An eight selection wager involving 247 separate bets.

• Grand: Slang for £1,000.

H

• Handicap: A surplus or deficit given to a team to level the playing field.

• Hedging: Betting on the opposite side of your original wager to guarantee profit or limit loss.

• Heinz: A six selection wager involving 57 separate bets.

• House Edge (Vig/Juice): The mathematical advantage the bookmaker has.

I

• IBAS: Independent Betting Adjudication Service; resolves disputes between players and bookies.

• In-Play / Live Betting: Placing a wager while the event is currently in progress.

K

• KYC (Know Your Customer): The process of verifying a player’s identity with documents.

L

• Lay Bet: Betting on an outcome not to happen.

• Liability: The amount a bookmaker or layer must pay out if a bet wins.

• Line Shopping: Comparing odds across sportsbooks to find the best value.

• Lock: A selection considered a certain winner.

• Longshot: An underdog with very high, improbable odds.

• Lucky 15: 4 selections involving 15 bets (4 singles, 6 doubles, 4 trebles, 1 four-fold).

M

• Match Result: The final outcome at the end of regular playing time.

• Moneyline (American) Odds: Odds based on a $100 baseline.

• Monkey: UK slang for £500.

• Mush: A bettor considered to bring bad luck.

N

• Nap: The "Best Bet" of the day from a tipster.

• No Action: When a bet is cancelled and the stake is refunded.

O

• Odds Boost: A promotion where the bookie increases the price of a market.

• Over/Under: Betting on whether a statistic will be over or under a set number.

P

• Parlay: The US term for an Accumulator (Acca).

• Patent: 3 selections involving 7 bets (3 singles, 3 doubles, 1 treble).

• Pony: UK slang for £25.

• Push: A tie where the stake is returned.

R

• Return on Investment (ROI): Profit relative to the amount wagered.

• Round Robin: A series of smaller parlays created from a larger list of selections.

• Rule 4: A deduction to winnings if a horse is withdrawn from a race after you bet.

S

• Sharp (Wiseguy): A professional, successful bettor.

• Single Bet: A wager on one single outcome.

• Square (Mug Punter): A casual or uninformed bettor.

• Stake: The amount of money you wager.

• Steam: A sudden, sharp move in the betting line due to heavy money from pros.

T

• Teaser: A parlay bet allowing you to adjust the point spread in your favor.

• Tipster: Someone who provides betting predictions.

• Treble: A single bet consisting of three selections.

• Trixie: 3 selections involving 4 bets (3 doubles, 1 treble).

V

• Value Bet: A bet where the probability of winning is higher than the odds suggest.

• VAR: Video Assistant Referee, can impact live and final results.

• Void Bet: A bet that is cancelled, with the stake returned.

W

• Wagering Requirements: Rules on how many times bonus money must be bet before withdrawal.

• Welcome Bonus: A one time offer for new customers upon their first deposit.

• Win to Nil: Betting on a team to win without conceding a goal.

Y

• Yankee: 4 selections involving 11 individual bets.

• Yield: The ratio of total profit to the total amount wagered.

🏆 Expert Sports Betting Glossary: Terminology by Sport

Gaelic Football & Hurling (GAA)

When betting on local matches, our sports betting glossary helps you understand the unique scoring of points versus goals. In GAA, a point scored over the bar is worth 1, while a goal in the net is worth 3.

• 65 (Hurling) / 45 (Football): Free hits awarded when the ball goes out off a defender.

• Puck-out / Kick-out: Specialised bets on which team wins the restart.

Football (Soccer) ⚽

• Match Result (1X2): Regular time result only.

• Clean Sheet: A team conceding zero goals.

Horse Racing 🏇

• Colt/Filly: A male/female horse 4 years old or younger.

• Dam/Sire: A horse’s mother/father.

• Maiden: A horse that has never won a race before.

NBA & NFL 🏀🏈

• Point Spread: The margin by which a favorite must win.

• Dime: US slang for a $1,000 bet.

• Nickel: US slang for a $500 bet.

Boxing & MMA 🥊

• Method of Victory: KO, TKO, Submission, or Decision.

• Undercard: Fights that happen before the main event.

Cricket 🏏

• Duck: A batsman out for zero.

• Maiden Over: Six deliveries with zero runs conceded.

Formula 1 🏎️

• Podium Finish: Finishing in the top three.

• Fastest Lap: A bet on which driver records the single fastest lap.

Tennis 🎾

• Set Betting: Predicting the exact set score (e.g., 2-1).

• Game Handicap: Giving a player a head start in total games.

Darts 🎯

• 9-Dart Finish: The perfect leg.

• 180s Betting: Wagering on who hits the most maximum scores.

⚠️ Remember to Gamble Responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing.

• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose.

• Never chases their losses.

• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed.

Need Help?

• GamCare – www.gamcare.org.uk

• GambleAware – www.gambleaware.org

• Find our [Detailed Guide on Responsible Gambling] here.