BEARD – A friend or acquaintance of other contact who is used to place bets so that the bookmakers will not know the identity of the actual bettor. Many top handicappers and persons occupying sensitive positions use this method of wagering. BOOK – An establishment that accepts wagers on the outcome of horseracing and sporting events. BOOKIE – Person who takes clients’ bets. BUCK – A $100 wager. CHALK – A favorite. CHALK PLAYER – Someone who usually only plays the favored teams, rarely betting on the underdogs. CIRCLED GAME – A game in which the betting action is severely limited; usually occurs in games that feature key injuries, inclement weather, or unsubstantiated rumors regarding a team; most bookies “circle” all Ivy League Games. COVER – To beat the spread by the required number of points; if such occurs you have “covered the spread.” DIME or DIME BET – A $1,000 wager. DOG – The underdog in any betting proposition. DOG PLAYER – One who mostly plays the underdog. DOLLAR BET or BUCK – A $100 wager. DOUBLE BET – A wager for twice the size of one’s usual wager; also known as “double pop” or “doubling up.” DUE FOR – A team that is “due for” whether it is a win or a loss, many bettors like to play “due for” situations. EDGE – Advantage. EVEN MONEY – A wager in which no vigorish or juice is laid. EXOTIC WAGER – Any bet other than a straight bet, i.e., parlays, teasers, if bets, reverses, round robin, round robin box reverses, etc. FUTURES – Odds posted on the winners of various major sport championships in advance of the event, including the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Stanly Cup and the NBA championship. GETTING DOWN – Making a wager. HANDICAPPER – One who studies, rates and wagers on sporting events and/or races. HANDLE – Total amount of bets taken. HEDGING – Placing bets on the opposite side in order to cut losses or guarantee winning a minimal amount of money. HOLDING YOUR OWN – Neither winning nor losing, just breaking even. HOOK – A half point added to football and basketball betting lines. HOT GAME – A game which is drawing a lot of action on one side by knowledgeable handicappers. JUICE – The bookmaker’s commission; also known as the vigorish. LAYING THE POINTS – Betting on the favorite. LIMIT – The maximum amount a bookmaker will allow you to bet before he changes odds and/or the points; also the “cap” on what you can personally wager. LINE – The current odds or point spread on a particular event. LINEMAKER – The person who establishes the original and subsequent betting lines. LOCK – Easy winner. LONG SHOT – A team or horse that is unlikely to win. MIDDLE(S) – To win both sides of the same game by wagering based on a line difference i.e., betting the favorite at -2.5 with one bookmaker, then betting the underdog at +3.5 with another bookmaker. If the game ends up with the favorite winning by 3 points, you have then “middled the game,” a favorite betting method of “Wise Guys.” NEWSPAPER LINE – The betting line which quite often appears in the daily newspapers; the lines are only approximate and quite often totally inaccurate or misleading. NICKEL – A $500 wager. ODDSMAKER – Same as a linemaker. OFF THE BOARD – A game on which the bookmaker will not accept action. OUTLAW LINE – An overnight line not used by casinos or offshore establishments. PARLAY – (1) a sport bet with two or more teams in which all teams must win or cover for the bettor to be successful and receive higher payouts; (2) a wager on two or more horse races in which the winnings are carried over to the next race. PARLAY CARDS – Wagers on a minimum of 3 and up to 15 propositions; the more you pick, the higher the payoff. PAST PERFORMANCE – What has occurred previously to the forthcoming games. PICK’EM GAME – Neither team is favored; take your pick and lay 11 to 10. POINTSPREAD – The “line”; the handicap, or head start that the favorite gives to the underdog for betting purposes. PRESS – To bet a larger amount than usual. PRICE – The odds or pointspread. PUSH – Tie, neither side wins and all money is returned to the bettor. ROUND ROBIN – A series of three or more teams into 27 team wagers. SCOUTS – Persons who study team plays and/or practice and report findings to handicappers. SMART MONEY – Sides that are bet on by the more knowledgeable handicappers. SPORT PLAYER – A person who waits for what he thinks is the unusually strong wager. STEAM – When a betting line starts to move quite rapidly; most “steam games” do not necessarily reflect the “right side,” but are games that the mass of bettors somehow decide to key on. STONE – A Bookie. STRAIGHT BET – A bet on just one team or horse. TAKING – Wagering on the underdog; taking the odds. TOUT – A person who sells picks on sports or horse wagers. VALUE – Getting the best odds on a betting proposition; the highest possible edge. VIGORISH – The commission paid to the bookmaker. WISE GUY – A well informed or knowledgeable handicapper or bettor. WOOD – Laying points.