Welcome to my A to Z of betting glossary. Ever found yourself completely lost when someone mentions a Yankee, Lucky 15, or starts talking about going and form? Trust me, I’ve been there! When I first started betting years ago, I felt like everyone was speaking a foreign language, and it was bloody frustrating trying to keep up with all the betting jargon flying around.
I created this A-Z betting glossary because I know exactly how overwhelming it can be when you’re trying to understand what tipsters are talking about, or when you’re reading betting guides that assume you already know what every term means. Whether you’re a complete newcomer to punting or you’ve been at it for years but still come across terms that make you scratch your head, this guide is for you.
What makes this glossary different is that I’ve written every definition in plain English, just like I’d explain it to a mate down the pub. Each term is presented as a question – exactly how it pops into your head when you’re confused – followed by a clear explanation that actually makes sense. I’ve covered everything from basic odds and stakes to more complex bet types and horse racing terminology that even seasoned punters sometimes need to double-check.
The beauty of understanding betting terminology is that it transforms your entire experience. You’ll make smarter decisions, avoid costly mistakes, and actually understand what you’re doing instead of just hoping for the best. Plus, you’ll finally be able to follow along when other punters are discussing strategies or when tipsters are explaining their reasoning.
I’m constantly adding new terms as the betting world evolves, so bookmark this page – you’ll definitely want to come back to it. Ready to decode the language of betting? Let’s dive into the A-Z guide below and get you speaking like a proper punter!
The Horse Racing Terminology A-Z (Betting Terms And Abbreviations)
Hopefully, this A to Z horse racing betting terms explained, and the Football terms and abbreviations guide will help you figure out what you are looking at when studying form.
What does across the card mean?
Across the card – This means betting at multiple courses simultaneously, for example, you bet in the 1.10 at Kempton and also the 1.15 at Lingfield.
Some jockeys can have across-the-card doubles and trebles for example, as they fly from one course to the other for different rides.
What does all in play mean?
All in-play – All in-play means that when you place a bet on this market, the odds have been set that all horses in that race (for example) are going to participate, even if after you place the bet, it does not.
You must be careful with these bets, as you will not get your money back if the runner does not end up running in the race; this is not the case for normal markets.
The same applies to other sports, including football.
What does all out mean?
All out – This is when a horse, greyhound, or player, for example, is giving maximum effort to achieve a win.
What does all-weather mean?
All-Weather – All-weather racecourses have different surfaces ranging from Polytrack to Tapeta that allow them to host racing in all weathers. They can still be called off, for example, if there were high winds or really bad weather that you still couldn’t race in.
What is an also-ran?
Also Ran – This is a term used to describe a horse, for example, that did run but did not finish in the placings at all.
What is Arbitrage?
Arbitrage – This is backing and laying (laying is explained further down) on the same market in order to achieve a profit regardless of the result.
What does Ante post mean?
Ante-post – This is a must-know term for punters; odds are offered on ante-post markets well in advance of the event taking place. Often months in advance, you get a better price, but you run the risk of your ante-post selection not running either through illness or injury.
Until recently, many bookmakers would not refund ante-post bets if the selection did not take part in the event.
What does Asian Handicap mean?
Asian Handicap – This is a football betting market that allows you to bet on outcomes in the game. For example -1.5 Asian handicap would mean you need 2 goals at least to be scored in that game for your bet to win.
It means that one side will receive a one-and-a-half-goal handicap in the game, which means they are basically 2-0 down from the kickoff.
You can often get much higher odds on these markets.
What does at the post mean?
At the post – This simply means that the runners and riders are at the starting line or point and ready for the off.
What is An Anytime Goalscorer Bet?
As the name suggests, you can place a bet on a player to score a goal and as long as they score within normal time, your bet is a winner. They can be the first goalscorer or the last, it doesn’t matter as long as they score.
What is backing?
Back – Backing or to back a horse is to place a bet on it to win or place.
What is a banker bet?
Banker – A banker or dead cert is a horse that many punters and tipsters believe will win. Often, odds will be very short on a banker bet.
What is a betting exchange?
Betting Exchange – A betting exchange is a P2P (peer-to-peer) network where punters can offer each other odds on markets. An example of a betting exchange is Betfair. You can often get much higher odds at exchanges compared to bookies for this reason.
What is BIR or BIP?
BIR/BIP – Simply means betting in play or betting in running; this means the event has already started, and you are betting after the off.
What does Betting W/O mean?
Betting W/O – This means you are betting without the favourite or another named horse, for example, this type of bet is popular in races where there is an odds-on favourite or banker bet. Say your horse comes second to the fav but you are betting W/O the favourite, you would win.
What are Blinkers?
Blinkers – This is a piece of headgear that is put on a horse to prevent them from seeing in their peripheral field of vision and ensures that they only look straight ahead during racing. Often used to prevent horses that like to wander about or are put off by other racers.
What is a bookie?
Bookie – Well, it’s a bookmaker, it’s just an abbreviation of bookmaker (bookie). This is a licensed person or company that can offer odds and take bets from punters.
What does BTTS mean?
BTTS – means both teams to score, it’s another abbreviation and means that you are betting on both teams in the game scoring a goal, for example, if it were football.
What is a century?
Century – means 100 (otherwise known as a ton) in cricket, for example, it means a player has got 100 runs, in betting terms, usually it means £100.
What is a claiming race?
Claiming Race – This is a race where there is a set price (claiming fee) set to be paid for each horse if another owner or stable wants to “claim” the horse, they have the right up until the race goes off to put their claim in. Claiming races are also a way for horses of lesser ability to find somewhere to race with lower competition.
What is a Colt?
Colt – This is a male racehorse that is less than 5; after this age, it becomes a Stallion.
What is a correct score bet?
Correct Score – Simply a bet on a football match, for example, where you try to guess what the final score will be. If you are correct, you usually get way higher odds than standard football bets.
What is a Dam?
Dam – This is a female parent of a racehorse; the male parent is known as the sire, and these terms are more involved with horse breeding.
What is a dead heat in horse racing?
Dead Heat – This means that two horses have finished in first place and there is no way to separate the two, even by way of a photo of the finish (photo finish).
What does Decimal Odds mean?
Decimal Odds – these are odds displayed on markets or at bookies, mainly in Europe. The decimal representation of 3/1 Fractional odds that are used in the UK would be 4.00.
What does evens mean in betting?
Evens – This means if, for example, the horse is an Evens favourite, it means whatever you stake on the horse to win, you would get back as profit. So a £10 bet on an evens favourite would pay £20 (you’re £10 back plus £10 profit).
What does favourite mean?
Favourite – This means the shortest-priced player or team, for example, to win the event, or the selection that the most money has been placed on to win.
What does FGS/FPTS mean?
FGS/FPTS – This is another abbreviation meaning either the first goal scorer or the first player to score.
What is the field?
Field – This is all the other runners in the race when it comes to horse racing.
What is a Fillie?
Fillie – This means a female racehorse that is under 5 years old, and when it becomes over 5 will become a Mare.
What does first past the post mean?
First past the post – This means the first horse to pass the winning line, often used by bookmakers that payout on the horse that crosses the line first, regardless of a revised result or inquiry.
What is Fixed Odds betting?
Fixed Odds Betting – these are pre-determined odds that you place your bets at, and no matter what, the payout of your bet will not change should you pick all the winners.
What does form mean?
Form – This is the historical performance of an Athlete, Horse, Greyhound, or Team. This is used by bookmakers to set prices, and obviously, a team that has won its last 5 would have shorter odds than a team that has lost its last 5.
What are fractional odds?
Fractional Odds – This is the standard way that odds are displayed in the UK on betting markets and can be used to work out your return from a bet. £1 staked on a 2/1 for example would pay £3 £2 profit plus your £1 stake.
What does Full Time mean?
Full Time – This means a football match, for example, has finished and has played the full 90 minutes plus stoppage time.
What does Going mean?
Going – This is a term mainly used in Horse Racing and means the quality of the ground at the racecourse. This can range from Heavy, Soft, Good, Firm, and anywhere in between. On all-weather tracks, the goings are either standard or fast.
What is a Grand?
Grand – A grand is £1000.
What is Greening Up?
Greening Up – This is backing a selection and then laying the same selection twice, often in running, in order to secure a profit regardless of the race or event result. I wrote an article on Greening up here.
What is a handicap race?
Handicap Race – This is a type of horse race where winning horses carry more weight than horses that have been losing. Attempts to create a level playing field based on weight. When it comes to betting markets, however, handicap betting on football, for example, would mean betting on a team to either start with a 1,2 or 3 goals head start, meaning if you bet on -1 goals on a team, they would have to win by two clear goals.
What is laying? (lay bet)
Laying – This is the opposite of backing, meaning you are betting on the selection to lose instead of win, often offered on betting exchanges.
What Is a Lucky 15?
A lucky 15 is a popular bet which is formed of 15 bets (4 straight wins, 6 doubles, 4 trebles, and 1 fourfold). Other bets like this are the Lucky 31 bet or the Lucky 63 bet.
What is a Long shot?
Long Shot – This is a selection that has very large odds, usually around 66/1 plus would be considered a long shot; you would be very lucky to land a bet on a long shot.
What is a Maiden?
Maiden – This is a horse that has yet to win a race. There are often special races where all the horses are maidens, making it very hard to pick a winner.
What is a Monkey?
Monkey – Slang for £500. “I will have a monkey on that horse, please, mate” is something you may hear on a racecourse.
What is a non-runner?
Non-Runner – A non-runner is a selection that does not take part in the event. Often, this means your stake will be returned.
What does NAP mean in betting on Horse Racing?
NAP – Originally a term coined from a French card game called Napoleon, where a player with the strongest hand is called a Napoleon. NAP, being short for Napoleon, means a tipster’s best pick of the day that has the best chance of winning.
What does NB mean in horse racing?
NB – This is simply a tipster’s next best pick of the day, with the NAP selection being their best selection.
What are Odds?
Odds – This is a price given by bookmakers for selections on sporting events and shows the punter what they will win based on their stakes.
What is over 2.5 goals?
Over 2.5 goals – When betting on football, you are betting on there being more than 2.5 goals in the normal time of that match. This means you need at least 3 goals to be scored in that match.
What is a punter?
Punter – This is a customer or bettor, basically the person placing a bet.
What is a Scorecast?
Scorecast – A scorecast is a player you select to score the first goal in a football match and also the correct score in that game; both must be right for the bet to be a winner.
What is a Stake in betting?
Stake – This is the amount of money you are placing on your bet, so if you place a £1 bet, your stake is £1.
What are TOTE bets?
TOTE – This is another place to put your bets on at a racecourse, for example. This is pool betting, meaning that all stakes placed go into a pool and the pool is shared with winning punters.
What are Tips?
Tips – When it comes to gambling, a tip is a selection that someone thinks will win an event.
What is a tipster?
Tipsters are professional gamblers offering their selections in return for a monthly retainer. You can greatly increase your chance of winning with these, but be careful which one you choose.
What is a Trixie Bet?
A Trixie bet is a bet that consists of 3 doubles and 1 treble, so a total of 4 bets and is often used in horse racing and football.
What does UR mean in Horse Racing?
UR – This means unseated rider, meaning the horse may have hit a fence or obstacle, forcing the jockey to fall off the saddle or to jump off for safety reasons.
What does X mean in football betting?
X – This means to draw. Often, you will see 1X2, where 1 means the home team to win, 2 means the away team to win, and X means the game will end in a draw.
Thanks for reading this A-Z of Betting. I hope you have found it useful, and I will continue to add more terms to this as time goes by.
Make sure that you check out my other useful posts on betting information, including the following posts
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FAQ Section for Betting Jargon Glossary
Got Questions About Betting Terminology?
I know how overwhelming betting jargon can be when you’re starting out – or even when you’ve been punting for years and come across new terms. I’ve put together this FAQ section to answer the most common questions I get from readers about understanding betting terminology and making the most of this glossary. If you’ve got a question that’s not covered here, drop me a message – I love hearing from fellow punters!
1. I’m completely new to betting – where should I start with all this terminology?
Start with the basics, mate! I always tell newcomers to focus on understanding odds, stakes, and the main bet types like win, place, and each-way first. Don’t try to learn everything at once – that’s a recipe for confusion. I’ve structured this glossary so you can search for terms as you come across them naturally. When I started betting years ago, I wish I’d had something like this to refer to instead of feeling lost every time someone mentioned a Yankee or Lucky 15.
2. How do I use this A-Z glossary effectively?
The beauty of this glossary is that it’s designed like a proper reference tool. Each term is presented as a question (just like you’d ask it), followed by a clear explanation in bold. I’ve written it this way because that’s exactly how questions pop into your head when you’re reading betting content or talking to other punters. You can either browse alphabetically or use your browser’s search function (Ctrl+F) to find specific terms quickly.
3. Why are there so many different terms for the same thing in betting?
This drives everyone mad at first! The betting world has evolved over centuries, picking up slang from different regions, sports, and even historical periods. For example, monkey means £500, pony means £25, and these come from old cockney rhyming slang. Different bookmakers sometimes use their own terminology too, which doesn’t help. I’ve tried to include all the variations I’ve come across over the years, so you’re never caught off guard.
4. Do I need to learn different terminology for different sports?
Absolutely, and this is something that catches many people out. Horse racing has its own rich vocabulary that’s completely different from football betting terms. Racing talks about going, handicaps, and form, while football focuses on Asian handicaps, over/under, and both teams to score. I’ve covered the main sports in this glossary, but each sport really does have its own language that you’ll pick up as you get more involved.
5. What’s the difference between British and American betting terms?
Huge differences, actually! Americans use moneyline, where we use win bets, they talk about point spreads instead of handicaps, and their odds are displayed completely differently. If you’re reading American betting content or using international betting exchanges, you’ll come across these terms. I’ve included the main American terms in the glossary because so much betting content online comes from across the pond.
6. How do I know if a term is important enough to learn?
Great question! I focus on terms you’ll actually encounter regularly. If you’re seeing a term repeatedly on betting sites, in tipster advice, or in betting discussions, it’s worth learning. Terms like value, bankroll management, and expected value are crucial for anyone serious about betting. The obscure historical terms or very technical trading language can wait until you’re more advanced.
7. Should I memorise all these terms or just look them up as needed?
Look them up as needed, definitely! I’ve been betting for years, and I still refer back to explanations of complex terms. The key is understanding the concepts behind the terminology rather than memorising definitions. Once you understand what arbitrage actually means in practice, you’ll remember it naturally. Trying to memorise everything upfront is like trying to learn a dictionary – it doesn’t work.
8. How often do new betting terms appear?
More often than you’d think! Online betting and betting exchanges have introduced loads of new terminology in recent years. Terms like cash out, bet builder, and same game parlay didn’t exist when I started betting. I try to keep this glossary updated with new terms as they become mainstream, but the core terminology has been pretty stable for decades.
9. Why do some explanations seem more detailed than others?
Some terms are straightforward – odds are odds. But others, like handicap betting, work differently across various sports and need more explanation. I’ve also spent more time on terms that I know cause the most confusion based on questions from readers. If you think any explanation needs more detail, let me know, and I’ll expand it.
10. Can understanding terminology actually improve my betting?
Without a doubt! Understanding the language helps you make better decisions, spot value bets, and avoid costly mistakes. When you know what implied probability means, you can better assess whether odds represent good value. When you understand bankroll management terminology, you can implement proper staking strategies. Knowledge really is power in betting, and terminology is the foundation of that knowledge.
Want to suggest a missing term? I’m always looking to improve this glossary based on what you actually need. Send me an email with any terms you’ve come across that aren’t covered here – I love getting feedback from fellow punters who are using this resource in the real world!