• Accumulator – (Also, Parlay, All UP) A multiple bet. Making simultaneous selections on two or more events with the intent of betting the winnings of the first win on the bet of the following event selected, and so on. All the selections made must win for you to win the accumulator.
  • All-In – With all-in betting there are no refunds given for scratched or withdrawn competitors or teams in an event where a bet is placed. Should an event be cancelled then the amount bet will be refunded.
  • All Up – (Also, Accumulator, Parlay) This involves picking the winners of more than one event. A single wager amount is placed on more than one outcome, whereby the stake and winnings of the first selection will be rolled over into the second selection and so on.
  • Ante Post – (Also, Futures) Bets placed in advance predicting the outcome of a future event. Ante-post prices are those on major sporting events, usually prior to the day of the event itself and are usually slightly higher than starting prices. In return for better odds, gamblers risk the fact that stakes are not returned if their selection pulls out or is cancelled.
  • Arbitrage – Where a variation in odds available allows a punter to back both sides and guarantee a win.
  • Backed – A ‘backed’ team/person/horse is one on which lots of bets have been placed.
  • Banker – Highly expected to win. The strongest in a multiple selection in a parlay or accumulator. In permutation bets the banker is a selection that must win to guarantee any returns.
  • Bar Price – Refers to the odds of the selections at the last quoted price and bigger. The bar price is the minimum odds for any of those selections not quoted.
  • Book – A bookmaker’s tally of amounts bet on each competitor, and odds necessary to assure him of profit. Running a ‘book’ is the act of quoting odds and accepting bets on an event and the person doing it is called the ‘Bookmaker’.
  • Bottle – UK slang, odds of 2 to 1.
  • Buy Price – In Spread or Index betting, the higher figure quoted by an Index bookmaker.
  • Canadian – Also known as a Super Yankee. A Canadian is a combination bet 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.
  • Chalk – The favored team.
  • Circled Game – A game where the maximum bet is limited. The sportsbook or bookmaker puts a limit on the amount of action they are prepared to take on the game.
  • Combination Bet – Selecting any number of teams/horses/people to finish first and second in either order.
  • Cover – To bet the spread by the required number of points.
  • Dividend – The agreed payout or return on any bet.
  • Doubles : A Double consists of 1 bet involving 2 selections in different events. Both must be successful to get a return.
    e.g. You bet one horse in the 2.15 at Chepstow and another horse in the 2.30 at Lingfield. Both horses must win for
    you to be successful
  • Double or Nothing – An even-money bet, a bet that pays off exactly the amount wagered.
  • Draw – Where competitors in an event finish evenly. Where there is a draw and this is not offered as a betting option, the return will be divided by the number of joint winners. Note that some sports have processes such as extra-time or play-offs to determine an event winner that are included as part of the bet where others are not. This may affect some bets and you should always be sure how an event would be decided in this instance.
  • Drift – Odds that ‘Lengthen’, are said to have drifted, or be ‘On the Drift’.
  • Each Way – term for betting on a team or individual to win and/or be ‘Place’. The bet is automatically split into two, 50:50 and the odds for each bet are different. If your selection wins, the Place bet wins automatically. Therefore, you could win either both bets or Place only.
  • Even Money – A 1:1 odds bet. A 1 stake would return 2.
  • Favorite/Favourite – The team or individual the sportsbooks rate most likely to win that contest or event.
  • Fix – An event that has had the outcome deliberately manipulated by participants
  • Fixed Odds – Your dividend is fixed at the odds when you placed your bet. No matter how much the odds fluctuate the odds at the time you placed your bet are fixed and written on the ticket. Your dividend for winning is paid at the value stated on your ticket, no matter what happens after you have placed your bet.
  • Flag – A bet consisting of 23 bets (a ‘Yankee’ plus 6 ‘Single Stakes About’ bets in pairs) on 4 selections in different event.
  • Fold – When preceded by a number, a fold indicates the number of selections in an accumulator (e.g. 5-Fold = 5 selections
  • Forecasts : A forecast is one where you predict the first and second places in a race. Normally used for Greyhounds or Horse Racing.
  • Full Cover – All the doubles, trebles and accumulators involved in a given number of selections.
  • Goliath – A goliath is a multiple bet consisting of 247 bets involving 8 selections in different events. The multiple bet breakdown is 28 doubles, 56 trebles, 70×4-folds, 56×5-folds, 28×6-folds, 8×7-folds and one 8-fold.
  • Heinz – A Heinz is a multiple bet consisting of 57 bets involving 6 selections in different events. The multiple bet breakdown is 15 doubles, 20 trebles, 15×4-folds, 6×5-folds and one 6-fold.
  • Joint Favorites – When a bookie cannot split two participants for favoritism, they may both be joint favorites.
  • Lengthen – The opposite of ‘Shorten’. Referred to odds getting longer, that is, more attractive to the bettor.
  • Long Odds – Generally greater than 10:1.
  • Lucky 15 : A Lucky 15 consists of 15 bets involving 4 selections in different events. The bet includes 4 singles, 6 doubles, 4 trebles, and 1 fourfold. If only one selection wins, as a consolation returns are paid to double the odds. Normally Lucky 15 bets are accepted on horse racing and greyhounds only.
  • Multiples – See ‘Accumulator’.
  • Nap – A newspaper corrospondents best bet of the day.
  • Odds – The sportsbook’s or bookmaker’s view of the chance of a competitor winning (adjusted to include a profit).
  • Odds-against – Where the odds are greater than evens (e.g. 9 to 4).
  • Odds-on – Is a bet on odds below evens 1:1.
  • Outsiders – Those contestants that are not expected to win. The opposite to the favorite, usually offered at lengthy odds.
  • Parlay – (Also, Accumulator) A multiple bet. A kind of ‘let-it-ride’ bet. Making simultaneous selections on two or more games with the intent of pressing the winnings of the first win on the bet of the following game selected, and so on. All the selections made must win for you to win the parlay.
  • Patent : A Patent consists of 7 bets involving 3 selections in different events. The bet includes a single on each selection, plus 3 doubles and 1 treble. Just one successful selection guarantees a return. One horse winning out of a selection of 4 would produce a return on your money.
  • Permutations – To ‘perm’ selections. For example, if you have made 3 selections (A, B and C) you can ‘perm’ all the possible doubles.
  • Picks – Betting tips, usually by an expert.
  • Placed – Finish in the top three, top four and sometimes also top five in an event.
  • Price – The odds.
  • Return – Your total winnings on a bet.
  • Shorten – The opposite of ‘Lengthen’. Referred to odds getting shorter, that is, less attractive to the bettor.
  • Singles : A Single is a bet on 1 selection in one event. Your selection must be successful to get a return. e.g. You bet on a Horse to win a race
    System – A method of betting, usually mathematically based, used by a punter.
  • Tie – A draw.
  • Tips – Picks. The selections and predictions of competitors performance for an event from an expert or observer.
  • Tote – The Totalisator. A system introduced to Britain in 1929 to offer pool betting on racecourses.
  • Trebles : A Treble consists of 1 bet involving 3 selections in different events. All must be successful to get a return. So you could pick 3 football results and all must be successful for you to get a return.
  • Trixie : A Trixie consists of 4 bets involving 3 selections in different events. The bet includes 3 doubles and 1 treble. A minimum of 2 of your selections must be successful to get a return. e.g. If you bet on 4 greyhounds and 2 of your greyhounds win you will get a return as you only require 2 winners to get a return.
  • Underdog – The team/person not expected to win.

 

  • Yankee : A Yankee consists of 11 bets involving 4 selections in different events. The bet includes 6 doubles, 4 trebles, and an accumulator. A minimum of 2 of your selections must be successful to get a return.