Glossary
Short definitions. Where a term works differently in our plays, the entry says so. Education only, not a guarantee.
One unit (1u) is 1% of your own bankroll. Sizes are posted in units so they fit any bankroll. In our plays: the UNITS line.
The money you have set aside only for betting, separate from bills and savings. Every size is a percentage of it.
The sportsbook's built-in cut, also called juice. At -110 you risk 1.10 to win 1.00, and the extra 0.10 is the vig.
How often a bet must win to break even at its price. Example only: -110 implies 52.4%, +150 implies 40%.
Prices written as plus or minus numbers. A minus price is what you risk to win 100. A plus price is what you win on 100.
A bet on who wins the game, with no points involved. Favorites have a minus price and underdogs a plus price.
A bet on the margin. The favorite gives points (-3.5) and the underdog gets them (+3.5).
A bet on the combined score of both teams, over or under a posted number.
Baseball's version of a spread, usually 1.5 runs, sold at a price that varies a lot.
A tie with the number. A -3 favorite that wins by exactly 3 is a push, and the stake is returned.
Your side beat the spread. A +3.5 underdog covers by winning or by losing by 3 or fewer.
The share of the money bet on a side, as opposed to the count of bets.
The count of bets on a side, whatever their size. Compare with handle.
The last price before the game starts. It reflects the most information and the most money the market will have.
Closing line value: your price compared with the closing price on the same bet. Example only: you took -105 and it closed -115. In our plays: it is how we judge the process, over 100+ bets.
Any change in the number or price between the open and the close. The reason for the move matters more than the move.
The line moving toward the side with fewer bets. It can be a sign of larger bets on that side. In our plays: a supporting label, never a play by itself.
Bets from people the market treats as well informed, usually large. Nobody outside a book can see who placed a bet, so it is always an inference.
Bets from the general betting public, usually many small tickets, often on favorites and popular teams.
One number priced unevenly, such as -105 on one side and -115 on the other. In our plays: a supporting signal only.
A margin games land on most often. In football that is 3 and 7, so half points around them are worth more.
A different number than the main line, sold at a different price. In our plays: used only to land on or cross a key number.
Positive expected value: a bet that pays more than its true chance of winning justifies. You can be +EV and still lose the bet.
The price with the book's cut removed, so both sides add to 100%. It is a reference for what a bet is worth, not a price you can bet.
The swing between what should happen over time and what happens this week. It is why streaks are normal.
How many bets a number is based on. We draw no conclusions under about 100 bets.
Keeping your unit the same from bet to bet, whatever the last result was.
Raising your bet size or adding bets to win back a loss. In our plays: never. We wait for the next slate.
A second bet against your first one to reduce risk. It pays the book's cut twice. We don't hedge.
Two or more bets tied together that must all win. The book's cut stacks with each leg. We don't bet them.
A bet on something decided later, such as a season win total or a champion. Your money is tied up until it settles.
A bet on something other than the final result, such as a player's yards. We don't post them.
A formula for bet size based on your edge and the payout. It needs your true edge, which nobody knows exactly, so we use fixed units.
Betting both sides of a game at different numbers, hoping the result lands between them so both win.
Betting both sides at two books when the prices guarantee a small profit either way. Rare, and the windows close fast.
A fast move across many books at once. By the time most people see it, the price is usually gone.
The largest bet a book will take on a market. Higher limits usually mean the book trusts its price more.
What a book stands to lose if one side wins. When most of the money is on Team A, the book needs Team B. In our plays: "the books need this side" describes exposure, never a result.
Choosing not to bet. If the price or the data is not there, a pass is the correct result.
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