Betting Terminology UK: List of Sports Betting Slang & Lingo

Diving into the world of sports betting can seem overwhelming, especially when faced with all the jargon. Whether you’re placing your first bet, or wanting to understand the terms better, knowing the lingo can make a big difference.

This Bet442 guide breaks down common slang and phrases you might come across while betting on sports in the UK. Understanding these terms can help you place bets with more confidence, and give you a clearer idea of what’s going on.

So, let’s explore the landscape of sports betting terminology and get you familiar with some of the words and phrases you might encounter. This way, you can enjoy your betting experience more fully and make informed decisions.

Types of Bets

Sports betting includes many types of bets. Knowing these options can help you decide how you’d like to place your bets. Below is a list of common betting terms and their meanings.

Accumulator 

A bet that combines four or more selections into one wager. All selections must win for a potential return.

Alphabet

An Alphabet bet covers 26 combinations across six selections, giving you various ways to potentially win. It includes six singles, 15 doubles, 10 trebles, and one four-fold, five-fold, and six-fold accumulator. Even if only one or two of your selections win, you could still receive a payout on the singles or doubles. The more selections that win, the more potential returns you have. However, since it’s 26 individual bets, the total stake is higher, and as with all betting, outcomes involve both chance and knowledge, so any returns are not guaranteed.

Ante Post

Ante Post bets are placed on an event well before it happens, often at better odds.

Asian Handicap Betting

A form of betting to eliminate the possibility of a draw, giving one team a virtual head start.

Back To Lay Betting

A strategy involving betting on an outcome at higher odds and then laying it off at lower odds for a potential profit.

Banker

A highly confident bet. Often part of accumulators to try and boost the overall odds.

BTTS (Both Teams To Score)

A bet on whether both teams will score in a match.

Canadian Bet

A type of wager involving 5 selections and 26 separate bets of varying combinations.

Cash Out

Opting to settle a bet before the event has finished to try and secure a profit, or limit a potential loss.

Combination Forecast

Attempting to successfully predict two or more selections to finish in first and second place in any order.

Combination Tricast

Predicting the top three finishers in any order.

Dead Heat

When two or more competitors finish in a tie, dividing the stake by the number of winners.

Double Bet

A bet combining two selections, both must win for a potential return.

Double Chance

A bet that combines two possible outcomes, such as a win or draw for one team.

Double Result

A bet predicting both the half-time and full-time results.

Draw No Bet

A bet where your stake is returned if the match ends in a draw.

Each Way Bet

A bet with two parts: one for the win, and one for a place.

EVS (Evens)

A bet where you stand to double your money – your stake plus potential winnings equal your original stake.

First Past The Post (FPTP)

In horse racing, a First Past the Post (FPTP) bet means your wager is paid based on the horse that physically crosses the finish line first. This result is settled regardless of any subsequent disqualification or race steward intervention, making it a straightforward outcome.

Flag Bet

A Flag bet is a combination bet involving four selections, including various doubles, trebles, and accumulators.

Goliath Bet

A large bet that includes 8 selections and totals 247 bets of varying combinations.

Goal Line

A type of over/under bet trying to predict the total number of goals in a match.

Gubbing

When a bookmaker limits a bettor’s account due to consistent winning.

Heinz Bet

A bet involving 6 selections, forming 57 separate bets including different multiples.

In-Play Betting

Placing bets while the event is happening.

Insure Bet

A bet where you can insure one selection in a multiple bet. Often results in reduced odds.

Lay Bet

Betting that an event will not happen, commonly used on betting exchanges.

Lay To Back Betting

Opposite of Back To Lay, where you lay first, and back later for a potential profit.

Lucky 15

A combination bet involving four selections and 15 separate bets covering different outcomes.

Lucky 31

Similar to a Lucky 15, but with five selections and 31 bets.

Lucky 63

A combination bet involving six selections and 63 bets.

Matched Betting

A strategy using free bet offers to guarantee a profit.

Moneyline

Simply betting on the potential winner of an event.

Multiple Bet

Betting on multiple selections combined in one wager.

NAP

The bet of the day as chosen by a tipster.

Non-Runner

A participant that doesn’t take part in an event. Bets on non-runners are usually void.

Outright

Betting on the overall winner of a competition or league.

Patent Bet

A type of bet involving three selections forming 7 bets.

Place Bet

A bet on a selection to finish in one of the top positions.

Places

The eligible finishing positions for a place bet.

Round Robin

A combination bet forming 10 bets from 3 selections.

Scalping

Quickly placing bets to try and take small potential profits from price movements.

SP (Starting Price)

The odds of a horse or greyhound at a race start.

Spread Betting

Betting on the margin of victory rather than a fixed outcome.

Stake

The amount of money you place on a bet.

Straight Forecast

Trying to predict the top two finishers in exact order.

Super Flag Bet

A flag bet involving 5 selections.

Super Heinz Bet

A larger bet involving 7 selections and 120 individual bets.

Tips

Advice or predictions on likely outcomes of events, usually given by experts.

Tote Bets

Pool betting system where all stakes are combined, and any winners share the pool after deductions.

Tricast

Trying to predict the top three finishers in exact order.

Treble Bet

A bet combining three selections, all of which must win.

Trixie

A bet involving three selections, forming 4 separate bets.

Winner of Tie

A bet on which team or player you think will go through in a knockout competition if the match ends in a draw.

Win To Nil

A bet on a team to win and keep a clean sheet.

Yankee Bet

A combination bet involving four selections, forming 11 separate bets.

This comprehensive list should help demystify some of the lingo you may encounter in sports betting. Now you can make more informed choices when considering your bets.

Betting Strategies

In sports betting, understanding different strategies can help you make more informed decisions. Some approaches aim to maximise potential returns, while others focus on managing risk. However, it’s important to remember that no strategy guarantees winnings. Betting involves a combination of chance and knowledge, and while these methods may inform your decisions, the outcomes remain uncertain.

Arbitrage

Arbitrage betting is a method where you place bets on all possible outcomes of an event, often across different bookmakers, to try and secure a profit regardless of the result. This strategy takes advantage of discrepancies in odds between bookmakers. While legal, frequent use of arbitrage can lead to account restrictions, known as gubbing, where a bookmaker may limit your stake or even close your account entirely. This is because bookmakers often discourage consistent profit-making from arbitrage bets.

Back To Lay Betting

You back a selection at higher odds and lay it off at lower odds later. It’s commonly used on betting exchanges to try and secure a potential profit regardless of the outcome.

BSP (Betting Starting Price)

The odds given at the start of a racing event by a betting exchange. Betting at BSP can sometimes result in better odds compared to fixed odds.

BOG (Best Odds Guaranteed)

If you take an early price on a horse or greyhound and the starting price is longer, you get paid at the bigger odds, if successful. It’s designed to give punters the best possible return.

Dutching

Dutching involves placing bets on multiple outcomes within the same event to try and spread your risk. By covering several outcomes, you may improve your chances of receiving a potential return, though the profit on individual bets will likely be smaller. This strategy requires careful calculation to ensure the combined stakes and potential returns make sense.

Hedging Your Bets

Hedging is a strategy where you place additional bets to try and minimise potential losses. For example, if your original bet is looking unlikely to win, you can place another bet on the opposing outcome. This approach may reduce the impact of losses, but it may also reduce potential returns.

In-Play Betting

In-play betting allows you to place bets while an event is ongoing. This can be appealing if you feel the match’s developments may provide better opportunities to try and predict the outcome. However, this strategy requires quick decision-making and careful observation, as odds change rapidly. It’s worth noting that placing in-play bets frequently may also lead to account restrictions if bookmakers feel you’re consistently profiting.

Lay To Back Betting

Opposite to Back To Lay, you lay a selection first (betting it will not happen) and back it later at higher odds to try and secure profit.

Matched Betting

Using free bet offers from bookmakers to try and guarantee a profit by backing and laying the same bet. 

Overround

The bookmaker’s profit margin built into the odds. It’s the sum of the percentages of all possible outcomes and determines the bookmaker’s edge.

Scalping

Scalping is a more advanced strategy where you place quick bets during live (in-play) events to try and take advantage of small shifts in odds. The goal is to try and make smaller, more frequent profits by responding rapidly to market changes. Like other strategies, this is not without risks. Scalping requires a deep understanding of odds movements and live betting markets, and bookmakers may restrict accounts if this practice is used repeatedly.

While some of these strategies can help you think more critically about your bets, they do not remove the inherent unpredictability of sports betting. 

Sports outcomes are influenced by countless variables, from player performance to external conditions, and no amount of preparation can account for all of them. Additionally, many bookmakers monitor accounts closely, and frequent use of these strategies, especially arbitrage, can result in your account being limited or closed.

Understanding and employing strategies is part of an informed betting experience, but the element of chance is always present. Make sure you approach sports betting with a clear understanding of the risks involved, and never stake more than you are willing to lose.

People and Roles

In the realm of sports betting, knowing the key people and their roles is essential. Here are two of the primary figures you’ll encounter:

Bookie

Short for bookmaker, a bookie is the person or entity that provides the odds and accepts bets on sporting events. Bookies operate in various forms, from high-street betting shops to online platforms. Their main job is to try to balance the bets on different outcomes, ensuring they can pay out any winners while making a profit.

Punter

A punter is you—the person placing the bets. Punters wager money on the outcome of sporting events, using different strategies and types of bets to try and make a return. Understanding odds and having knowledge about the sport can be beneficial, but the outcome is still based on chance and other factors.

Knowing these roles will help give you a clearer picture of who does what in the betting landscape. This understanding can help you navigate the world of sports betting more effectively.

Miscellaneous

Here are some additional betting terms that you might come across. These span various aspects of sports betting and can help you understand the language used by bookmakers and experienced bettors.

BOG (Best Odds Guaranteed)

A guarantee that if you take an early price on a horse or greyhound, and the starting price is higher, you will be paid at the higher odds, if successful.

BSP (Betting Starting Price)

The odds determined by betting exchanges at the start of a race, often providing a better value compared to traditional bookmakers’ starting prices.

EVS (Evens)

Odds where you may potentially win the same amount as your stake. For example, betting £10 at EVS would return £20 – £10 winnings plus your original stake.

FPTP (First Past The Post)

A bet settled based on the first official result declared. Note that this isn’t always the final official result after any potential stewards’ inquiries.

Gubbing

When a bookmaker limits your account because of consistent winning or taking advantage of special offers. This can include reducing maximum stakes, or entirely closing your account.

NAP

Stands for “Nap of the Day,” which is a tipster’s most confident bet.

Odds

The ratio that shows how much you could win versus your stake. It can be presented in fractions (e.g., 3/1) or decimals (e.g., 4.00).

Outright

Bets placed on the overall winner of a competition or league, rather than on individual matches or events.

Pony

Slang for £25 in betting terms.

Selection

The horse, team, or outcome you choose to bet on in any given event.

SP (Starting Price)

The official odds of a horse or greyhound at race start. This is the price your bet will be settled on if you didn’t specify odds at the time of placing your bet.

Winner of Tie

A bet predicting which team or player will advance in a knockout competition if the match ends in a tie.

Monkey

Slang for £500 in betting terms.

Understanding these terms can help you feel more at ease when navigating sports betting platforms and communicating with other bettors.

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**The information provided in this blog is intended for educational purposes and should not be construed as betting advice or a guarantee of success. Always gamble responsibly.