Sports Gambling Idioms
Action: Having a wager on a game.
How to Play the Game: American English & Games Idioms is a book of idioms derived from terms used in sports and games played in the United States. Sports, gambling and card games are a major part of the American way of life. People in the United States “work hard and play hard.” Games have captured the American heart and mind; terms associated with play have become associated with work. Sports idioms are very sweet in the mouth, especially when used by sports experts in commentaries and analysis. They are also a good way to garnish your daily conversations and written expressions. From different sports around the world, we bring you sports idioms that will catch your attention, their origin, meaning, and usage. Idioms are amusing phrases that we often hear and use daily. They are unique to countries, regions, and cultures, which makes idioms very difficult to understand if you've never heard them before. It often sounds like someone is speaking a different language altogether. The world of gambling is no different.
ATS ('against the [point] spread'): If a team is 5-2 ATS, it means it has a 5-2 record against the point spread, or more commonly referred to simply as the 'spread.'
Backdoor cover: When a team scores points at the end of a game to cover the spread unexpectedly.
Bad beat: Losing a bet you should have won. It's especially used when the betting result is decided late in the game to change the side that covers the spread. Also used in poker, such as when a player way ahead in the expected win percentage loses on the river (last card).
Beard: Someone who places a wager for another person (aka 'runner').
Book: Short for sportsbook or bookmaker; person or establishment that takes bets from customers.
Bookie: A person who accepts bets illegally and charges vig.
Buying points: Some bookies or sportsbooks will allow customers to alter the set line and then adjust odds. For example, a bettor might decide he wants to have his team as a 3-point underdog instead of the set line of 2.5. He has then 'bought' half a point, and the odds of his bet will be changed.
Sports Gambling Idioms Examples
Chalk: The favorite in the game. People said to be 'chalk' bettors typically bet the favorite.
Circle game: A game for which the betting limits are lowered, usually because of injuries and/or weather.
Closing line: The final line before the game or event begins.
Consensus pick: Derived from data accumulated from a variety of sportsbooks in PickCenter. The pick, and its percentage, provides insight as to what side the public is taking in a game.
Cover: The betting result on a point-spread wager. For a favorite to cover, it has to win by more than the spread; an underdog covers by winning outright or losing by less than the spread.
Dime: Jargon for a $1,000 bet. If you bet 'three dimes,' that means a $3,000 wager.
'Dog: Short for underdog.
Dollar: Jargon for a $100 bet. Usually used with bookies; if you bet 'five dollars,' that means a $500 wager.
Edge: An advantage. Sports bettors might feel they have an edge on a book if they think its lines aren't accurate.
Even money: Odds that are considered 50-50. You put up $1 to win $1.
Exotic: Any wager other than a straight bet or parlay; can also be called a 'prop' or 'proposition wager.'
Favorite: The expected straight-up winner in a game or event. Depending on the sport, the favorite will lay either odds or points. For example, in a football game, if a team is a 2.5-point favorite, it will have to win by three points or more to be an ATS winner.
Fixed: A participant in a particular game who alters the result of that game or match to a completely or partially predetermined result. The participant did not play honestly or fairly because of an undue outside influence.
Futures bet: A long-term wager that typically relates to a team's season-long success. Common futures bets include betting a team to win a championship at the outset of a season, or betting whether the team will win or lose more games than a set line at the start of the season.
Halftime bet: A bet made after the first half ended and before the second half begins (football and basketball primarily). The oddsmaker generally starts with half of the game side/total and adjusts based on what happened in the first half.
Handicapper: A person trying to predict the winners of an event.
Handle: The amount of money taken by a book on an event or the total amount of money wagered.
Hedging: Betting the opposing side of your original bet, to either ensure some profit or minimize potential loss. This is typically done with futures bets, but can also be done on individual games with halftime bets or in-game wagering.
High roller: A high-stakes gambler.
Hook: A half-point. If a team is a 7.5-point favorite, it is said to be 'laying seven and a hook.'
In-game wagering: A service offered by books in which bettors can place multiple bets in real time, as the game is occurring.
Juice: The commission the bookie or bookmaker takes. Standard is 10 percent. Also called the 'vig/vigorish.'
Layoff: Money bet by a sportsbook with another sportsbook or bookmaker to reduce that book's liability.
Limit: The maximum bet taken by a book. If a book has a $10,000 limit, it'll take that bet but the book will then decide whether it's going to adjust the line before the bettor can bet again.
Lock: A guaranteed win in the eyes of the person who made the wager.
Middle: When a line moves, a bettor can try to 'middle' a wager and win both sides with minimal risk. Suppose a bettor bets one team as a 2.5-point favorite, then the line moves to 3.5 points. She can then bet the opposite team at 3.5 and hope the favorite wins by three points. She would then win both sides of the bet.
Money line (noun), money-line (modifier): A bet in which your team only needs to win. The point spread is replaced by odds.
Mush: A bettor or gambler who is considered to be bad luck.
Nickel: Jargon for a $500 bet. Usually used with bookies; if you bet 'a nickel,' that means a $500 wager.
Oddsmaker (also linemaker): The person who sets the odds. Some people use it synonymous with 'bookmaker' and often the same person will perform the role at a given book, but it can be separate if the oddsmaker is just setting the lines for the people who will eventually book the bets.
Off the board: When a book or bookie has taken a bet down and is no longer accepting action or wagers on the game. This can happen if there is a late injury or some uncertainty regarding who will be participating.
Over/under: A term that can be used to describe the total combined points in a game (the Ravens-Steelers over/under is 40 points) or the number of games a team will win in a season (the Broncos' over/under win total is 11.5). Also used in prop bets.
Parlay: A wager in which multiple teams are bet, either against the spread or on the money line. For the wager to win (or pay out), all of them must cover/win. The more teams you bet, the greater the odds.
Pick 'em: A game with no favorite or underdog. The point spread is zero, and the winner of the game is also the spread winner.
Point spread (or just 'spread'): The number of points by which the supposed better team is favored over the underdog.
Proposition (or prop) bet: A special or exotic wager that's not normally on the betting board, such as which team will score first or how many yards a player will gain. Sometimes called a 'game within a game.' These are especially popular on major events, with the Super Bowl being the ultimate prop betting event.
Push: When a result lands on the betting number and all wagers are refunded. For example, a 3-point favorite wins by exactly three points. Return on investment (ROI): In PickCenter, ROI is the amount (according to numberFire) that a bettor should expect to get back on a spread pick.
Runner: Someone who makes bets for another person (aka 'beard').
Sharp: A professional, sophisticated sports bettor.
Spread: Short for point spread.
Sports Gambling Idioms Meaning
Square: A casual gambler. Someone who typically isn't using sophisticated reasoning to make a wager.
Steam: When a line is moving unusually fast. It can be a result of a group or syndicate of bettors all getting their bets in at the same time. It can also occur when a respected handicapper gives a bet his followers all jump on, or based on people reacting to news such as an injury or weather conditions.
Straight up: The expected outright winner of the money line in an event or game, not contingent on the point spread.
Teaser: Betting multiple teams and adjusting the point spread in all the games in the bettor's favor. All games have to be picked correctly to win the wager.
Total: The perceived expected point, run or goal total in a game. For example, in a football game, if the total is 41 points, bettors can bet 'over' or 'under' on that perceived total.
Tout (service): a person (or group of people) who either sells or gives away picks on games or events.
Underdog: The team that is expected to lose straight up. You can either bet that the team will lose by less than the predicted amount (ATS), or get better than even-money odds that it will win the game outright. For example, if a team is a 2-1 underdog, you can bet $100 that the team will win. If it wins, you win $200 plus receive your original $100 wager back.
Vig/vigorish: The commission the bookie or bookmaker takes; also called the 'juice.' Standard is 10 percent.
Wager: A bet.
Welch: To not pay off a losing bet.
Wiseguy: A professional bettor. Another term for a 'sharp.'
In this lesson, you will learn a list of 10 sports idioms and phrases in English to use in your daily life.
Sports Idioms in English
Learn 10 sports idioms in English with meaning and examples.
Hat trick
- Meaning: A term mostly used in games like football, cricket, hockey and rugby. It is used when someone achieves three successes one after another. These could be three wickets, three goals etc.
- For example: If he wins this election, it will be a hat trick for him! Three consecutive terms in office!
Ball in your court
- Meaning: A phrase used to show that the decision has to be taken by you. The word ‘your’ can be replaced with ‘his’, ‘her’, ‘my’ etc.
- For example: The manager told the employee curtly, “Either accept the terms and conditions or leave, the ball is in your court”.
Still in the game
- Meaning: This phrase is used when someone is in a difficult situation but can make a comeback.
- For example: We may not be out of the crisis yet, but that just means we have to work harder. Don’t lose hope, we’re still in the game!
Pack a punch
- Meaning: This phrase is taken from the sport of boxing and is used to describe a strong influence.
- For example: His talk packed a punch and enthralled the audience.
Whole new ball game
- Meaning: This term is used to depict something different or completely unheard of.
- For example: I come from a sales background, so management is a whole new ball game for me!
Jump the gun
Sports Gambling Dissertation
- Meaning: Athletes begin a race after a gunshot. The phrase is used when someone starts before the appropriate time (or before the gun is fired)
- For example: I asked her to marry me after two dates. I guess I may have jumped the gun.
Keep your eye on the ball
- Meaning: A phrase used in games like cricket, football etc where the focus of the game is the ball. To keep your eye on the ball means to stay alert and ready for action.
- For example: The teacher saw the student looking distracted and yelled, “if you want to do well in my class you’d better keep your eye on the ball”.
Photo finish
Sports Gambling Idioms Games
- Meaning: Used commonly in sports like racing, photo finish is used to describe a situation when two contestants finish the race at almost the same time; it is difficult to gauge who crossed the line first. The term originated from the practice of taking a photo at the finish line.
- For example: The race between Amir and Anil was so close that it was a deemed a photo finish which required examining a picture of the two runners as they crossed the finish line.
Quick off the mark
- Meaning: The phrase is used for someone who is alert and hence, quick to start or do something.
- For example: The policemen were quick off the mark and arrived at the scene of crime barely five minutes after the phone call.
A sticky wicket
Sports Gambling Idioms Definition
- Meaning: The phrase originated from the game of cricket and is used to describe a tricky situation.
- For example: The minister found himself on a sticky wicket when asked about the rampant corruption.