Docs Website

53 Years Strong! A Trusted Leader In Sports Picks, Best Bets and Predictions Since 1971.

Main Menu

What Does it mean? Doc's Sports How-To Sports Betting Library

Be sure to read our Sports Betting Terms Explained.

stack of 100s


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

If I was to get rich over night, it would take every ounce of energy I have to not flaunt my new house, car, boat, and any other shiny new toy I could buy. However, I know for a fact that nobody would care about what I do with my riches. Some of the richest people in the world wear the same clothing and try to live a relatively low-key life (minus the body guards). If you are a "dime" bettor, you might have the money to back up the life style, but flaunting your big-bet ability will only turn people against you.

dime


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

If you want to become a serious handicapper, the very first rule you need to live by is bankroll management. Bankroll management mean several different things including sticking to a standard size bet whether that be $10, $25, or $100 or never play more than two percent of your entire bankroll on any game, unless you are absolutely certain the value is worth the risk. But in my opinion, the most important rule of bankroll management finding the best lines available. Don't be sucked in to betting a -120 line, when there are -110's available to be had. The line of -110 is what we call a "dime line" and is the most common line found while betting the point spread option.

tug of war


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

When you hear someone use the term "push" they are referring to the result of game or event that ends right on the listed point spread or finishes in a draw. Pushes are the most common in sports that use the point spread like basketball and football. However, a push can also happen when betting on certain run lines in baseball or spreads in soccer.

Stephen Curry of Davidson.


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

In today's world, convenience is king. Being able to do something without having to exert any extra time or energy is how most millennials live their life. However, being a successful handicapper is far from convenient. The amount of time and energy all great handicappers put can't be measured because it never stops. They are always looking for their next move and always looking for the right opportunity to maximize their profit. The "single action" betting option offers some semblance of convenience. This is a great bet if you know you are going to be away from the sportsbook or computer for a time period and can't get your bets in.

sportsbook layout


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

The sports betting term "sportsbook" refers to a company, or even just a single person, who accepts bets on sports. They will take your bets and pay you if you win. They take a commission on winning bets. More formally, sportsbooks can be known as race and sports books. In Europe and elsewhere they are known as bookmakers, which can be shortened to bookies. In North America we'll frequently refer to sportsbooks as just books.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

When it comes to pretty much any topic in life you will likely be on one side or the other. Pineapple on pizza, yes or no? Mustard on hotdogs, yes or no? Should a hot dog be considered a sandwich? And the list of yes or no questions goes on and on. However, these kinds of questions can be debated about until the cows come home and there really are no right or wrong answers. In sports betting, being on a particular side is usually black or white. You're either on the right side and you win your bet, or you're on the wrong side and lose it.

hockey puck


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

As a proud Canadian and a lover of hockey, this article shouldn't really surprise my American counterparts. You already know we like to do things differently here in Canada with our pro sports. A prime example is the CFL. However, hockey is no different. If you bet on hockey, you're usually betting the money line - who you think is going to win the game straight up. But in crazy Canadian fashion, sportsbooks offer something called the "puck line" which is exactly like the American version of the point spread.

wise guy


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

Without getting to philosophical or anything, the world will always have leaders and followers. It's just human nature. Some people are born to go against the grain and question the status quo while most are content with just floating downstream to avoid rocking the boat. In the sports betting industry, it is no different. The leaders are the ones making smart bets and getting the sportsbooks to react to their action, while the followers are usually mixed in with the general betting public and stuck betting on favorites with terrible lines and odds. In the sports betting industry, we call the aforementioned leaders "wise guys" and we call the followers squares.

two one dollar bills


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

We live in a society where greed and the desire to make as much money as possible is the new norm. In the sports betting industry, it is no different. Bettors are very rarely satisfied with a modest 1-0 or 2-0 day, while profiting a small amount. Instead, we have terms like "double bet" where bettors decide to risk more than they normal would on a single bet and try to increase the bankroll with one big payout. If they are successful in doing so, great. If not, the bankroll suffers a major hit and it'll be much harder to make up the lost money. This is why bettors should tread carefully when thinking about making a "double bet".

Garrett Gomez riding Lookin At Lucky


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

To understand an exacta wheel we need to start with a refresher on what an exacta is. It is one of the simplest kinds of exotic bets available in horse racing - only the quinella is simpler. What you have to do is pick the horses that are going to finish first and second in a race, and pick them in the correct order. An exacta can also be known as an exactor, perfecta or forecast bet.

Calvin Borel aboard Rachel Alexandra in the 2009 Preakness.


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

An exacta is one of the simplest of the exotic bets available at the horse races. It is a bet in which you have to correctly pick the top two finishers in a race, and correctly pick the order in which they can finish. The only exotic bet that is simpler is the quinella - when you pick the top two horses but don't have to worry about the order. Though exacta is the most common name for this type of bet, it can also be known depending upon where you are as the exactor, perfecta, or even as a forecast bet. All different names for the same thing.

square man


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

In order to become one of the heavy hitters in the sports betting industry, you must start out at the bottom and work your way up, earning respect and tailoring your betting methods along the way. Once you become established and can prove a solid winning percentage to your peers, you can shake the moniker of being called a "square" and graduate to a "sharp." However, this switch doesn't come easy. Everyone thinks they can be the next best gambler, but in reality they are all just "squares" betting high-priced favorites and playing four or five-team parlays.

gummy bears


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

If you think it's hard enough winning a single point spread bet on the NFL, you are not alone. If I told you that some handicappers live for and are good at winning two point spread bets on the same game while betting both teams, you'd shake your head at me in disbelief. First, yes, it's possible. Second, its very hard to do and most of the time it happens by fluke. However, pulling this off will earn you more kudos than winning a four or five-team parlay bet. The act is called "middling" a line and here's what it means.

steam


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

In sports betting, blindly tailing a sharp or betting syndicate may seem like a great idea since they are perceived to "know what they are doing." However, doing so is usually a solid way to drain your bankroll since you do not have key pieces of information as to why they are doing it. A "steam move" is something sharps and betting syndicates use for a number of reasons, including profit and to create a new line to bet into. As a new bettor, you never wanted to be fooled by a false "steam move" and find yourself on the wrong side of a game.

Dollar Sign


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

If you've ever been to a store during one of their huge "sales" you are often times looking to buy products at a discounted price. Buying at a discounted price not only saves you money, but it gives buyers a chance to feel like they got plenty of value for the money they spent. The same can be said in the sports betting world. Value is one of those things that bettors chase and live for. If they see value in a certain play, they are absolutely going to play it. If not, they may wait until another opportunity with the same value presents itself - much like waiting for something to go on sale again at a different store.

Edinson Volquez gets the start for the Reds tonight against St. Louis.


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

There is absolutely nothing worse in this world than getting less than you deserve. That holds true not only in every day life, but in the sports betting industry as well. Every time a bettor places a bet at sportsbook or online, they have no choice but to accept the odds offered to them. Most times, sportsbooks offer up odds that are much lower than what should be offered. This not only effects the potential payout, but could affect the bankroll, as a bettor may be inclined to bet more in order to win more money. This is why knowing how to find 'true odds' is so important. It helps bettors to understand the difference between odds that have value and odds that don't.

tug of war


by Doc's Sports - 10/10/2014

I'm sure all you all know what a tie is in sports - when two teams or individuals finish a game with the same number of points, and there is no winner. Mercifully, it is pretty tough for ties to happen in most sports. In basketball and baseball they just keep playing until there is a winner. Hockey uses a shootout to end ties in the regular season, and plays until it's over in the playoffs. Football can have ties - at least in the NFL - but new overtime rules make it tougher all the time for one to actually happen. Only soccer consistently delivers ties - a contributing reason why it isn't as popular here as other sports.

catsup bottle


by Doc's Sports - 10/10/2014

The variety of combinations in a "super heinz" consists of 21 two-team parlays, 35 three-team parlays, 21 four-team parlays, 7 six-team parlays and one seven-fold accumulator. An accumulator is an accumulator is a bet of four or more selections; those with fewer than four act as the same but have different names such as a two-team parlay being referred as a double, a three-team parlay being referred to as a treble, etc.

parlay card


by Doc's Sports - 10/10/2014

A progressive parlay operates much like a standard pointspread parlay, but with a twist - they are harder to lose. In a progressive parlay bettors choose between four and 12 teams. Like a standard parlay, bettors win and get a sizable return if they select all of the games correctly. Where these bets differ is that bettors also get a payout - albeit a much smaller one - if only most of their picks are correct. Typically, in 4-, 5- or 6-team progressive parlays you get paid with one wrong, while you can make two mistakes in 7-,8- or 9-team parlays and three with 10, 11 or 12 teams.

Kentucky Derby contenders will Run for the Roses.


by Doc's Sports - 10/10/2014

A "reverse" is a little used term in horse racing. To understand it we first need to know what an exacta is. The second most simple of the exotic bets in horse racing, the exacta is a bet in which you have to pick the top two finishers in a race and pick them in the correct order. You could, for example, bet that horse #4 is going to win, and #6 is going to finish second. If that happens then you have a winning bet, and a payoff that is typically quite a bit higher than a win bet. If one or both of the horses in the winning combination are longshots then exacta payoffs can be quite large.

empty pockets


by Doc's Sports - 10/10/2014

If you hear someone being described as a "stiff" when relating to sports betting it refers to an individual who does not pay his debt or the money he owes from lost wagers. This scenario likely describes a scenario between a bettor and his old-school bookie, as those are the only relationships in the sports betting world that don't require cash up front. You've seen this one TV a million times if you haven't experienced it first hand - and it always seems to wind up with broken legs for someone.

i love my bookie


by Doc's Sports - 10/10/2014

When you hear someone use the term "bookmaker" they are referring to a more formal way of saying bookie. Throughout the years, we've come to believe that "bookmakers" represent illegal gambling and have a shady way of doing business. This isn't always the case. If you changed the word bookmaker (the common UK word) with the word "sportsbook" (common North American word), then it all of a sudden becomes a legitimate gambling avenue. Simply put, a bookmaker takes bets on sports and guarantees a return should your bet be successful.

Crooked Line


by Doc's Sports - 10/10/2014

Generally speaking, when betting on sports, we are all at the mercy of the sportsbooks. Whatever lines or prices they put out, we must abide by them and decide if they are worth betting or not. Fortunately for bettors, there is a way around this and it comes in the form of "alternative lines." This option allows us to find a line we would like to bet and bet it. Easy, right? The setback to this is that the lines we choose typically come with very high odds, thus draining the bet of any real value.

crystal ball


by Doc's Sports - 10/10/2014

In the sports betting industry, anyone can claim they are the "best" handicapper in the world. Unfortunately, majority of people making these claims casual bettors that work a 9-5 job and have no time to dedicate to handicapping games. They spend more time ripping up tickets more than they do cashing them. If you fall into that category, I recommend seeking the help of a professional bettor AKA "tout."

Dollar Sign


by Doc's Sports - 10/10/2014

With a betting system you are using a series of rules or criteria to replace subjective decisions to guide your betting. Using trends from past results of games or events, you attempt to find the most logical ways to wager similar future games. Essentially, you are looking for situations where, consistently over time, after x has happened, y has tended to happen. Then, when you next see x happen you can bet on y. To find these systems, if you chose to develop them yourself instead of getting them from others, you would use some form of data mining. There are countless types of betting systems.

board meeting


by Doc's Sports - 10/10/2014

At the most basic level, a syndicate is merely a group of sports bettors working together to improve their chances of making a profit. Typically a syndicate would include sharp bettors with a great deal of skill and knowledge. They likely have an edge individually, but by combining forces they feel that they can increase that edge. Sharps, or wise guys, typically have well-developed and carefully-refined methods of handicapping games. By combining those methods, and bringing together people with different viewpoints and areas of specialization, they can increase their chances of beating the sportsbooks over the long term.

football hottie


by Doc's Sports - 10/10/2014

A football pleaser is not someone who works hard to keep the pigskin happy. A football pleaser is a multi-game bet on football, like a parlay, but one that allows you to move the pointspread to improve your potential payout. It is essentially the opposite of a teaser.

lolipop


by Doc's Sports - 10/10/2014

A "sucker bet" in sports betting refers to a wager considered to be unwise because the bookmaker has an overwhelming advantage. Let's call it like it is - you have to be an idiot to make these bets consistently, and you will feel like an idiot when you realize just how bad the bet was. Basically, these are bets that, over the long term, cost significantly more than they have any chance of making.

basketball hottie


by Doc's Sports - 10/10/2014

A basketball pleaser is something that sounds dirty, but really isn't. It's basically the opposite of a teaser, which, come to think of it, also sounds dirty. Like a teaser or a parlay, a pleaser is a multi-game bet in which you have to win every game in order to make money. In a parlay you bet the pointspread as it is posted. In a teaser you make the pointspread more favorable for you, but get a much lower return as a result. In a pleaser you are moving the pointspread so that it is more favorable for the sportsbooks, but in return for making the win harder for you, you enjoy a significantly higher potential profit. More risk, more reward.

graph


by Doc's Sports - 10/10/2014

Much like in baseball where the traditionalists complain that the new wave of players are taking over and disrespecting the game, sports betting is slowly becoming geared to the younger generation of players. The demand for quick results and instant gratification have taken the sportsbooks by storm and sportsbook have replied by offering up more and more obscure bets. However, one of the simplest form of betting has remained the same and that is betting on the "over/under" for a particular game or event.

<< Prev | 1 2 3 4 5 6 ... 6 | Next >>

One E-mail A Week Is All You Need!
Our weekly newsletter is loaded with exclusive free picks,insight and advice from our expert handicappers