Terms

• Ticket / slipThe piece of paper (or phone screen) that lists the games you picked.

  Here it is a worksheet. The shop that takes money prints the real one.

• StakeHow many dollars that slip is for.

  If the slip loses, that amount is gone. If it wins, the shop pays more than you put up.

• MoneylinePick who wins the game. Period.

  No point spread. Favorite costs more. Underdog pays more if they win.

• Spread / lineA head start so the worse team can still 'cover.'

  If Detroit is -7, they must win by more than 7 for a spread bet to win.

• FavoriteThe team most people think will win. Shown with a minus.

  Minus means you risk more than you win. Example: -150 means risk $150 to win $100.

• Underdog / dogThe team less likely to win. Shown with a plus.

  Plus means you win more than you risk. Example: +130 means risk $100 to win $130.

• ParlayTwo or more picks on one ticket. Every pick must win.

  One loss kills the whole ticket. More games = bigger payout and easier to lose.

• 3-teamer, 4-teamerA parlay with that many games.

  A 3-teamer is three winners. A 6-teamer is six. Start with three.

• HedgeA second, smaller bet in case one team on your ticket looks like it will lose.

  You give back some of the big payout so you do not go home with zero. Not magic. Math.

• Lay offCut your risk by betting the other side somewhere else.

  Same idea as a hedge. Shop people say layoff. We say hedge on the weak game.

• Juice / vigThe shop's cut.

  Why a favorite is -110 instead of even. They keep a slice either way.

• Push / tieThe game landed exactly on the number. Stake comes back.

  On a parlay, a push usually drops that game and the rest still play.

• ChalkThe obvious favorite everyone likes.

  Safe-looking. Still loses sometimes. Do not stack six chalks and call it easy.

• FadeBet against the popular side.

  If 80% of tickets are on one team, fading means you take the other team.

• Shop the numberLook at two places. Take the better price.

  Same game can be +3 at one shop and +3.5 at another. That extra half matters.

• UnitA piece of your bankroll. Often 1%.

  If you set $50 as one unit, a 2-unit bet is $100. Keeps you from betting the rent.

• BankrollMoney set aside for this hobby. Not rent.

  When it is gone, stop. Do not refill from the grocery pile.

• ATSAgainst the spread. Did they cover the number?

  Different from 'who won the game.' We grade both when a game is over.

• Straight up / SUWho won the game. No spread.

  Our home-page score is straight up: right or wrong on the winner.

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