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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.

whale


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

One would think that if a gambler had an endless supply of money to bet with and constantly wagers five or six figures per game, they would have a nickname that sounds a bit more appealing. Instead, these walking ATM's have the dubious distinction of being called a "whale". I guess when you are rich, it doesn't matter what your nickname is, but I have to believe there are about 20 other nicknames that would be more appropriate for someone who drops $100,000 on a game and doesn't even think twice about it.

bookmaker


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

The term "bookmaker" is a more formal term for the commonly used slang term bookie. Though bookie can have a shady, illegal connotation, that isn't always the case. The word bookmaker, which is more common in the UK can than the US, can be used interchangeably with sportsbook, or the shortened form of book. A bookmaker simply take bets on sports, and guarantees a return at agreed upon odds if the bet is successful.

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

In today's world, online shopping is all the rave. Sites like eBay and Amazon have taken the world by storm and people do whatever they can to avoid setting foot in a retail store. Unfortunately, there will be times where you receive your order and it's completely wrong or it looks nothing like you saw in the picture. Thankfully, you have the ability to get your money back and try again. To put that situation into sports betting context, let's talk about baseball. Baseball offers a unique bet called "listed pitchers" where your bet only goes live if the listed pitchers start the game. If not, just like Amazon, you will get a refund.

Nick Lodolo Cincinnati Reds


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

I'm sure we've all been in a situation before where we stare at the list of games and think to ourselves "if only I could hit a nice 10 team parlay". Now, depending on the odds of the games you selected or the amount of money actually wagered on the parlay, this bet won't necessarily make you "rich" but it could offer up a very nice four or five-digit return. The problem with hitting a parlay that size is that it's damn near impossible to do.

jump for joy


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

There are two types of bettors in the sports betting industry and each of them has their own unique way of doing things. Some bettors strictly bet money lines. They say that the winner of the game should be the only thing that matters. However, the majority of the betting industry lives and breathes with betting the point spread on NFL and NBA games. They will tell you there is nothing sweeter than cashing a winning point spread ticket because they were able to "beat the Vegas line". That's probably a bit of an exaggeration, but watching your team cover the spread does feel nice.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

In today's world, patience is a virtue that very few people have left in them. We live in a world with lightning quick internet, instant message and in a world where fast food reigns supreme. People love getting instant gratification. In the sports betting world, that also holds true. It's one thing to sit through a three-and-a-half-hour football game between two mediocre teams only to suffer a bad beat on a completely meaningless last-minute touchdown that does nothing but affect the point spread and burn your ticket.

Mike Smith gets the chance to ride Mine That Bird in the Preakness.


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

There are all sorts of reasons that a horse can be scratched from a race. First off is because of a decision by an owner or a trainer. Sometimes a trainer will enter a horse in two or more different races at the same time, and then wait until closer to the day of the race to decide which one sets up better for the horse. Other times, a trainer will scratch a horse if the conditions of the racing surface aren't going to be ideal - like if rain has made a turf course too soft for a horse to run his best, for example. A trainer could also scratch a horse if they aren't happy how the horse has trained leading up to the race, or if they have concerns about his health and readiness.

canada flag


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

Just when you think Canadians can't out do themselves, they go and get themselves a completely Canadian way of betting on the one sport they care the most about - hockey. As a Canadian, I can honestly say that we would chose hockey (plus beer) over just about anything in the world. It's our past time and it's our future because despite the lack of quality Canadian teams in the NHL, the fan bases are more passionate than ever in hopes of one day competing with and finally beating hockey's elite teams.

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.

Jockey Edgar Prado.


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

To understand what an exacta box is, we have to start by understanding an exacta. That is an exotic bet in which you have to pick the horses that will finish first and second in a race. To win you have to also correctly pick the order in which they will finish. It's one of the simpler exotic bets available to bettors.

Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

I honestly can't remember the last time I saw a Perfecta referred to at a race track. It's an old-fashioned term these days. It will show up in some racing books or forums, though, so it is important to know what the heck it is that people are talking about. Simply, a perfecta is another word for an exacta - which in turn can be also known as an exactor, or even a forecast in some places. They are all different words for the same thing - betting on which horses in a race will finish first and second in the exact order. They are a more complex version of a quinella - a bet in which you have to pick the top two finishers, but in which order doesn't matter.

Kentucky Derby Winner Mine That Bird.


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

In horse racing, when you buy the rack you buy every possible combination of a daily double or similar bet. A daily double is when you have to pick the winners of two races in a row - typically the first two races of the day. So, if there were eight horses in each of the first two races of a card, then to buy the rack you would buy 64 different combinations of bets.

miner


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

This may be the most scientific part of the sports betting industry and most bettors don't know that this is a thing even that exists. Most bettors continuously look forward and only bet on the upcoming games with very little regard with any prior happenings. The smart bettors know that looking at past games can prove profitable forfuture betting opportunities. This is called "data mining" and while it may not be an easy process, it is important to do every now and then.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

Sports betting has grown exponentially over the last 15-20 years with more betting options available now than ever before. I believe that the amount of information available and how easily accessible that information is has a lot to do the boom in sports betting. While the serious bettors still prefer the simple/straightforward kind of bets - money line, point spread, totals - the general public has grown fond of the prop bet opportunities. Prop bets offer up a quick win or loss which feeds right into society's terrible attention span. These bets are also known as exotic bets, which means they are bets that bettors wouldn't ordinarily think to make.

bank teller


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

It doesn't matter whether you are a novice bettor just learning the ropes or a serious bettor who has been in the industry for 20+ years, losing a bet by half a point is the most frustrating way to lose. Depending who you talk to, some say that if your bet loses by half a point, it is the bettors fault for not buying points and moving the line. By buying points, you are helping yourself get the best number possible, especially when you are moving the line through key numbers in football or basketball. Doing this can turn a push or loss into a win more often than you can imagine.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

hundred dollar bill


by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

It today's world, the English language has taken a back seat to slang. Whether it be on social media, instant messaging platforms, through text or email, every body is using some sort of slang which saves them the slightest bit of time and makes them sound like a goof. In sports betting, it is no different. There is a short form for pretty much anything you can think of including the currency used to place a bet.

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.

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.

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