football betting terms and meaning
Football Betting Terms and Meaning
When betting on football, you’ll notice many words and terms not used in everyday speech by sportsbooks and other football bettors․ Whether you are new to betting on football or are a sharp bettor, we have defined the most important terms you need to know․
Basic Terms
Action⁚ Any kind of bet or wager․
Against the Spread (ATS)⁚ Making a bet against the points spread where you are either laying points with the favorite or taking points with the underdog․
Bad Beat⁚ A bet that loses which appears as if it had a high percentage to win․
Bookmaker/Bookie: An individual or establishment that accepts and pays off bets․
Buck⁚ Slang for $100․
Chalk⁚ The favorite to win a game or event․
Cover⁚ For a favorite to win by more points than the given point spread․ For an underdog, to either win the game outright or lose by fewer points than the given point spread․
Dime⁚ Slang term for a $1,000 bet․
Dog⁚ Short for underdog ⸺ the team expected to lose․
Even Money⁚ When the odds on both sides of a bet are -110․ A bettor must wager $110 to win $100 (plus the $110 wagered)․
Favorite⁚ The team, fighter, or competitor expected to win an event or matchup․ The opposite of the underdog․
Futures Bet⁚ A long-term bet that won’t be determined until the end of a season or tournament (e․g․ Super Bowl winner)․
Handle⁚ The total amount of money a sportsbook takes on a particular game, match, or event․
Hedging⁚ Betting on the opposite side of an original wager to guarantee some sort of profit, or to minimize potential losses․
Hook⁚ The extra half-point added to a point spread or game total․
Juice⁚ The commission a bookmaker makes on a bet, often referred to as “vig” or “vigorish․”
Line⁚ Another term for betting odds or point spread․
Live Betting⁚ Betting on games or events after they’ve already begun․
Lock⁚ A slang term used to describe a bet that appears to be a guaranteed win․
Longshot⁚ The team expected to lose the game, often by a significant margin․
Moneyline Bet⁚ A straight-up bet on who will win a game or event․
Nickel⁚ Slang term for a $500 bet․
Odds⁚ The likelihood of a specific outcome occurring, often expressed as a number (e․g․, +120, -110) in American odds format․
Off the Board⁚ When a sportsbook is not offering odds on a specific game or event․
Over/Under: A bet on whether the total points scored by both teams in a game will be over or under a predetermined number․
Parlay⁚ A single bet that combines two or more individual wagers․ All selections in a parlay must win for the bet to cash․
Pick ’em⁚ A game where neither team is favored․
Points Spread⁚ A number set by oddsmakers to handicap a game or event․ Designed to even out the playing field and encourage betting action on both sides․
Props⁚ Short for “proposition bets․” These are wagers on specific occurrences within a game or event, such as which player will score the first touchdown or the total number of passing yards by a quarterback․
Push⁚ When a bet ends in a tie․
Sharp⁚ An experienced sports bettor who consistently makes profitable wagers․
Steam⁚ When a betting line moves rapidly, often due to a large amount of money coming in on one side․
Straight Bet⁚ A wager on the point spread, moneyline, or total of a single game․
Ticket⁚ A record of a bet placed with a bookmaker․
Total⁚ The combined number of points scored by both teams in a game․
Underdog⁚ The team, fighter, or competitor not expected to win․ Typically listed with plus (+) odds on the moneyline and gets points on the point spread․
Value⁚ When the odds of a bet are in the bettor’s favor, offering a potential return greater than the perceived risk․
Vig/Vigorish: The commission a bookmaker charges for taking a bet․ Typically factored into the odds․
Types of Bets
Moneyline⁚ The most straightforward bet in football betting․ You are simply picking which team you think will win the game․
Point Spread⁚ With a point spread bet, you’re wagering on the margin of victory․ The favorite “gives” points, while the underdog “receives” points․
Totals (Over/Under): This bet revolves around the total combined score of both teams․ You bet whether the total score will be over or under a number set by the oddsmakers․
Parlays⁚ Parlays are multi-leg bets where you combine two or more selections into a single wager․ All of your picks must be correct for a parlay to win, but the payouts are significantly higher for successful parlays․
Teasers⁚ Similar to parlays, teasers involve multiple selections․ However, teasers allow you to adjust the point spreads or totals in your favor in exchange for reduced odds․
Futures⁚ Bets placed on events that will be decided in the future, like which team will win the Super Bowl or a conference championship․
Prop Bets⁚ Proposition bets are wagers on specific events or occurrences within a game․ These can range from player-specific props (e․g․, how many yards a quarterback will throw for) to game-related props (like whether there will be a safety)․
Live Betting⁚ Also known as in-game wagering, live betting lets you place bets on a game while it’s in progress․ Odds and offerings change in real time based on the game’s flow․
Key Numbers
In football betting, key numbers are the most common margins of victory in NFL and college football games․ Understanding key numbers is crucial for making informed bets, especially when it comes to point spreads․
The most important key numbers in football are 3 and 7․ This is because field goals (worth 3 points) and touchdowns (worth 7 points, including the extra point) are the most frequent scoring plays․
Why are key numbers important? Games are often decided by these margins․ For example, if a team is favored by 3 points٫ a bettor might be hesitant to take the favorite٫ knowing that a field goal by the underdog could result in a push (a tie for betting purposes)․
- 0⁚ A tie game․
- 3⁚ A field goal margin․
- 7⁚ A touchdown margin․
- 10⁚ A touchdown and field goal margin․
- 14⁚ Two touchdowns․
How to use key numbers⁚ When evaluating point spreads, pay attention to how close the spread is to a key number․ If a spread is set at a key number, it might be worth considering a bet on the other side․
In-Game Wagering
In-game wagering, also known as live betting, allows you to place bets on a football game after it has already started and until it concludes․ This dynamic form of betting offers numerous opportunities to capitalize on changing game dynamics, momentum shifts, and player performance․
- React to game developments⁚ You can adjust your bets based on how the game unfolds, exploiting favorable situations;
- Hedge existing bets⁚ In-game bets can be used to reduce potential losses or lock in profits on pre-game wagers․
- Increased excitement⁚ Live betting adds an extra layer of thrill to watching football games․
- Updated point spreads and totals⁚ These fluctuate based on the current score and game situation․
- Next team to score⁚ Predict which team will score the next touchdown, field goal, or safety․
- Player props⁚ Wager on individual player performance, such as passing yards, rushing yards, or receptions․
Tips for In-Game Betting⁚
- Watch the game closely⁚ Pay attention to momentum shifts, player performance, and injuries․
- Be quick and decisive⁚ Odds change rapidly, so be ready to place your bets quickly․
- Manage your bankroll effectively⁚ Don’t chase losses and set limits on your in-game wagers․