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

Be sure to read our Sports Betting Terms Explained.

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.

Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers.


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

Have you ever found yourself stuck in the middle of two bickering friends, both of whom have a completely different side of story? If you have, I'm sorry, but the right or wrong, fact or fiction details of the problem is usually a grey area and it's up to you to figure out who to believe. In sports betting, there are two sides to every game and it's very easy to determine who the favorite and underdogs is. Generally speaking, favorites and underdogs are separated by a few things like the rosters, current form or home/road splits. In some cases, underdogs can reach "longshot" status over a number of different things.

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.

dice man


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

In my experience betting on sports, not once have I heard someone say that betting on sports is easy. Sure, everyone has their hot streaks where no matter who they bet or what sport they are focused on, they do nothing but cash tickets and let everyone know how hot they are. But with every good streak comes a bad streak.

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.

hound dog


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

Sometimes people are lazy. The term "dog" in sports betting is for people who don't want to spend the time and effort required to say the entire word underdog. If you really want to change things up, an underdog can also be referred to as a puppy. Simply, the underdog is the team or individual that is determined - first by linemakers and then by the betting public - to be less likely to win a game.

hot twins


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 "double 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.

money bags


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

The sports betting term "sharp" is more than just a word to describe a person who refers to themselves as a professional bettor. It is what all rookie bettors aspire to become and it's a sort of philosophy of betting that rookie bettors try to incorporate into their betting mentality. People who are considered "sharps" are typically ghosts in the sense that they make their plays without attracting any attention to themselves.

sports betting


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

Who could forget the moment right after the Boston Celtics won their 17th NBA Championship when Kevin Garnett dropped one of the most famous lines during a live interview that I can remember in quite some time. The big 6-foot 9-inch power forward was overcome with emotion and caught everyone by surprise when he shouted "anything is possible" three times in a row. That statement couldn't be more accurate.

sports betting lines


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

We've all been in a situation before where we tried to buy something but the price just wasn't right. There are always two options when facing this issue and they are walking away and finding a lower price somewhere else, or trying to negotiate a bit on the price if possible. In a negotiation, the first person who says a number generally loses. The opening number is always the starting point and you can almost always determine whether or not it will go lower or higher based on what that initial number is. It is no different in sports betting, even if you can't negotiate on the opening number.

circle chalk


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

We've all been in a situation before where we've debated with ourselves whether or not we should bet a specific game. The reasons for doing so could range from the uncertainty of a key players health, a travel delay, the weather in an outdoor game or perhaps even the absence of a coach.

robin bird


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

I am probably just speaking from experience, but I can also guarantee you that I am not alone in saying the worst feeling in sports betting is losing a massive parlay by one team. That losing team is usually the last team you put in and are just not quite sure about them, but you do it anyways for the potential of a nice juicy payout. If only there was a way to cash in on all the hard work and research that went into picking the other five winning teams. This is a prime example of when you need to know about the round robin bet and how to place one so that your time and effort doesn't go unrewarded.

open hands


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

There are very few things in this world worse than making plans with someone, getting excited about going out and then having them cancel on you at the last possible minute. This happens to everyone and in sports betting the same thing happens but in a different context. Imagine this - you get the rundown of the night's action and find a game that really sticks out to you. You dig a little deeper and start loving the opportunity. You can't contain your excitement and place your bet. You get yourself ready to watch the action unfold only to find out its raining and the game just got cancelled and moved to tomorrow. Your bet is now graded "no action" and you have no idea what that even means. Talk about a major disappointment.

picture of a sportsbook


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

If you've ever talked with a mechanic and listened to them rhyme off a bunch of car parts, car part functions or car details you know absolutely nothing about, the chances of you actually retaining the information they are giving you is slim to none. You are likely standing their cold-faced, nodding in agreement to pretty much anything they say. The same can be said when a novice better is being given the rundown of the action available for wagering on any given day. They may understand bits and pieces but the amount of info they actually retain is limited.

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.

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.

Will Brett Favre come out of retierment again?


by Doc's Sports - 10/10/2014

Every serious bettor already knows that parlays are the highest risk bet you can make. With every team you add to the parlay card, the probability of cashing that parlay ticket decreases exponentially. The worst thing about making a parlay bet is missing a massive payout by going three-for-four. Fortunately for bettors, there is a way to ensure that you can make some money whilelosing by a single team playing parlays.

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.

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.

yankees hat


by Doc's Sports - 10/10/2014

Those crazy Brits - they do love to bet on sports. The Super Yankee is a crazy type of mega-bet involving multiple games that British bookmakers will take. It can be found in some spots online as well. Word is that is has its name because an American soldier once made the bet and won handsomely. It can also be referred to as a Canadian.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals.


by Doc's Sports - 10/10/2014

Every serious bettor already knows that parlays are the highest risk bet you can make. With every team you add to the parlay card, the probability of cashing that parlay ticket decreases exponentially. The worst thing about making a parlay bet is missing a massive payout by going three-for-four. Fortunately for bettors, there is a way to ensure that you can make some money while losing by a single team playing parlays.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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