Sports Betting Terminology to Help You Place Bets Like a Pro

Accumulator

This is when you place several bets and combine them onto one slip. An accumulator raises the odds and boosts the potential payout.

Depending on your location, an accumulator may be referred to as a multi-bet, parlay bet, or ACCA.

ACCA

ACCA is the acronym for the betting term accumulator.

It’s primarily utilised by professional bettors, tipsters, and bookies.

Action

The money that is used to bet on a race or contest is an action bet.

Example: “I’ve got some action on the rugby match later today.”

Ante Post

This bet is specifically for those who follow horse racing and greyhound racing.

An ante-post shout is a bet put down on a sports event well in advance. In other sports markets, an ante-post bet can be viewed as a pre-match bet.

Arbitrage Betting

Arbitrage betting is also known as arbing or sure betting.

You compare the odds of two or more bookmakers. Then, you bet on all possible outcomes of a match or event. This way, you can guarantee a profit, no matter the result.

Asian Handicap

This phrase is rarely used by South Africans when talking about stakes and bets. However, you will always find it on the Sunbet website under most sports betting markets.

An Asian handicap evens the playing field by offering the option of split handicaps. It removes the chance of a third outcome. There is only a win or loss, with no draw option.

In turn, Asian handicaps increase your chances of winning big!

Backing the Roughie

Backing the roughie is when you choose to bet on the underdog, like the phrase “betting against the spread”.

When you are backing the rough, you are banking on a team that is more likely to lose the game.

Bad Beat

A bet that looks like a winner until a sudden, unexpected event turns it into a loss, making it a bad beat.

Bankroll

The total amount of money a bettor has set aside for betting only.

It’s a separate budget from your spending money, expenses, and other monthly payments. Being critical about your bankroll is important to maintain Responsible Gambling.

Beard/Runner

A third party, sometimes referred to as a “messenger bettor”, places bets in the name of a bettor who chooses to remain anonymous.

Bet

Bet is the most frequently used term in this glossary. 

This is when you place money on a team to win, or an individual, player, etc.

Betting Exchange

Betting exchange is for those who enjoy gambling with one or more friends.

A betting exchange is when you and another punter go head-to-head and bet against each other without involving bookies.

Betting Line

A betting line describes the odds or points of the match or event you’re betting on.

Examples of a betting line are over/under markets, moneyline, and points spread.

Bonus

Bookmakers may offer conditional incentives to attract new bettors. They also encourage existing account holders to increase their betting activity.

Bookmaker

The bookmaker, or bookie, is the "man in the middle" who sets the odds and accepts bets.

Who would be classified as a bookmarker? Sunbet! Here, you’ll find the best odds and markets for your favourite sports.

Cover

A cover, or cover bet, is the type of bet that balances out risk and reward, especially in horse racing.

Instead of putting all your eggs in one basket and betting everything on one horse, a cover bet can be spread across multiple outcomes.

Dead Heat

A dead heat brings punters sleepless nights. This is when two participants in a horse race, greyhound race, athletics, and even golf, cannot be separated by a photo finish.

In most cases, the winners would have to divide the stake by the number of participants involved in the dead heat situation.

Dime

A term specifically used in America is a dime. This is when somebody places a $1000 bet on an event.

Double Result

Half-time/Full-time—This is when you place a bet on the half-time and full-time results of the same match.

Draw/Push

Not the best outcome, but it allows you to come back and bet again.

A draw or push is when the bet results in a tie, and the stake is paid back to the punter.

Edge

This is the advantage any punter has over the bookmaker, thanks to research, inside information, and tips.

Even Money

This is when the payout matches the amount of the bet you’ve placed.

Favourite/Chalk/Jolly

A very simple term and one that is used across all sports. The favourite is the most likely team or player to win and always has the lowest odds of the pre-match markets.

Chalk and jolly are the other terms used by seasoned players.

Feature Bet

This term is used when playing Sunbet’s Live In-Play markets. 

When you place a wager on the next event that will occur during a game.

Figure

The amount you bet or win from a total bet is called a figure. Just like your salary is called a figure.

Fixed-Odds Betting/Binary Betting

These are odds that have been predetermined. Normally, the payouts are fixed, which is based on the odds at the time of placing the bet.

Half-Time Bet/First-Half Bet

A wager only placed on the first-half result. For example, you could bet on Liverpool to lead before half-time, and you would win if the final score was 1-0 in favour of Liverpool after the first 45 minutes.

Punt

A famously used term for bet and wager. Make a “punt” on the Reds to win the league or the team winning the game.

Handicap

The same as an Asian handicap but is used more frequently in South Africa. Here, a draw result is eliminated, and a team is handed an advantage or disadvantage.

Handle

It is the total amount of money placed on a single bet.

Hedging

Placing a bet against your original bet minimises your losses and almost guarantees a profit from a placed bet.

Holding Your Own

This is when a punter breaks even on a series of punts.

Juice

This is the cut the bookie keeps for taking your bets. The other term for this is “Vig”.

Limit

This is the set limit and maximum amount a sportsbook allows on a single bet.

Live In-Play Markets

A Sunbet special is the Live In-Play markets. This is when you can bet on the action in the game, like a wicket taken or a 6 hit in a cricket match.

Players are placing live in-play bets.

Longshot

What the term suggests is what it means: a longshot bet that has almost zero chances of landing, but the odds are extremely high.

Typically, when you are betting against the spread, you are taking a long shot.

Markets

All of the different sports bets for an event. For example, if you are betting on football, a goal, a corner, or the over/under odds are examples of markets.

Moneyline

A bet placed on which team or player to win in a match.

Novelty/Special Bet

Sunbet offers its own special bets that have some of the best boosted odds you can bet on in sports. These bets are sometimes tailored to the sports or the event and will have special terms and conditions attached to them.

Another example of a novelty bet is a bet placed on a non-sporting event like the Oscars or the Grammy’s.

Odds/Price/Line

What bettors look at are the odds. Odds are the probability of an outcome plus its potential payout.

The higher the odds, the bigger the win. The higher the odds, the riskier the bet.

Over/Under

This is a specific market that allows bettors to choose whether the total score will be over or under a set number.

Examples of over/under markets: goals over or under 0.5, corners over or under 8.5, and yellow cards over or under 2.5.

Parlay

A parlay bet is the same as an accumulator, where multiple bets are added to a single bet slip.

For a parlay to cashout, all bets on the slip must land.

Prop Bet (Proposition Bet)

A prop bet is similar to a featured bet. It is when you lay a stake on a specific event within the game you are following.

Punt

Used frequently in South Africa and all over is the word punt. It’s the commonly used alternative to placing a bet.

Push Bet

This occurs when a bet between a bettor and a bookmaker is tied following the outcome of a match.

This will result in the bettor having his stake refunded, and no money is won or lost.

Sharp/Wise Guy

A sharp or wise guy is a knowledgeable punter who makes multiple bets across multiple kinds of markets and sporting events.

They are normally your seasoned bettors.

Side Bet

A bet that is placed on outcomes that are not related to the outcome of the game.

Square

Someone new to betting is referred to as a square. The equivalent of a newcomer or rookie.

Stake

The amount of money risked by a punter on any specific bet (E.g., “The stakes are high; they need to win!”).

Steam Move

This phrase is used when there is a sudden change in betting lines due to heavy betting activity.

This will cause the odds to change rapidly and more often.

Sure Bet

When you lay a sure bet, you are guaranteed a profit, regardless of the outcome of the event or match. 

This is often achieved through arbitrage betting.

Total

The total number of points scored by all competitors in a single sporting event.

Tout

A person who sells tips on how to bet.

Underdog

The opposite of the favourite to win. The competitor with the odds stacked against them is regarded as the underdog.

Wager

This phrase is another commonly used word for bet and punt.