QUICK ANSWER
A quick reference for the betting terms you will see in the Discord and on any sportsbook, from action and ATS to units, vig and steam.
- Action
- Any bet placed. Also the total money bet on a game.
- ATS
- Against the spread. A team's result once the point spread is applied.
- Bankroll
- Money set aside for betting that you can afford to lose.
- Chalk
- The favorite. Betting chalk means backing favorites.
- Closing line
- The final line before a game starts.
- Cover
- To win against the spread.
- Dog
- Short for underdog. The side expected to lose, shown with plus odds or plus points.
- Favorite
- The side expected to win, shown with minus odds or minus points.
- Handle
- The total amount bet on an event.
- Hedge
- A bet on the other side to lock in some profit or cut a loss.
- Hook
- A half point on a spread or total, like the .5 in 3.5.
- Implied probability
- The win chance a price suggests. -110 implies 52.4%.
- Juice
- The book's margin built into the odds. Also called vig or vigorish.
- Key numbers
- The most common final margins in a sport. In the NFL, 3 and 7.
- Leg
- One pick inside a parlay.
- Line
- The odds, spread or total posted for a bet.
- Middle
- Betting both sides at different numbers, hoping the result lands between them.
- Moneyline
- A bet on who wins, with no point spread.
- Over/under
- A bet on whether the combined score lands over or under a number. Also called a total.
- Parlay
- One bet that combines two or more legs. Every leg must win.
- Pick'em
- A game with no favorite. Written PK.
- Prop
- A bet on an event within a game, like player points or yards.
- Push
- A tie against the line. The stake is returned.
- Round robin
- A set of picks split into several smaller parlays.
- Same game parlay
- A parlay with legs from one game.
- Square
- A casual or public bettor. Also called the public.
- Steam
- A fast, sharp-driven line move across many books at once.
- Unit
- A standard bet size, usually a fixed percent of a bankroll.
Want the math behind the words? Start with how to read American odds and what a parlay is.
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Picks from Nicky Brows, posted in the Discord with the why behind every play.
Join the Discord21+. Picks are opinions, not guarantees. All examples on this page are samples.
