A bet involving more than one sporting event with the winnings from each selection going onto the next. Accumulators must be placed with the same bookmaker. All selections must win for a return.
Betting on a sporting event a significant amount of time in advance. In the case of major horse races, high-profile International tours or football tournaments, it could be a year or more before they take place.
A selection that a punter or tipster feels is a certainty.
This shows what the lowest odds of horses or competitors not mentioned in the betting forecast are likely to be - "50-1 bar" means those not quoted are 50-1 or bigger.
Price percentages are used to calculate over-roundness. A completely fair book is classified as 100% over-round. However the bookmakers' profit margins mean the figure is almost always above 100%. But, if one aggregates the best prices from different bookmaking firms on any event, the percentages become lower. On some occasions, when odds greatly differ from firm to firm, the best price percentage may even drop below 100% showing that the best book on that event is actually in the punter's favour.
When a bookmaker takes a lot of money on one particular runner, it is said that it has been "heavily backed".
American term for someone who bets.
Term used to describe a favourite who bookmakers expect to be "sunk" or lose and are therefore happy to lay.
This refers to the currently available odds displayed on the boards of on-course bookmakers. It is from these that the starting price for horse races is derived.
The organisation or person who wins in the end.
The outcome of too many losing bets.
A two-leg accumulator with the winnings from the first selection automatically going onto the second selection. Both selections need to win to get paid out.
Betting on both a win and a place. A percentage of the win odds is paid for the place which usually ranges from second to fourth depending on the event.
For example, you bet £5 each-way on Sinndar to win the Derby at 12/1.
The first thing to realise is that your stake is now £10 with £5 on the horse winning and £5 on the horse getting a place.
If Sinndar wins, your winnings would be £60 (£5 stake x 12) and your stake would be returned too.
As well as that the place section of the bet is also successful (though there is no differential between the horse coming first, second or third).
Therefore in addition to Sinndar's £65 for a win, we get a further £20 for being placed (a quarter of 12 multiplied by the £5 stake plus the original stake).
If Sinndar came either second or third the win section of this wager would lose but you would still get £20 back for the place bet.
The participant with the shortest odds in the field, who the bookmakers think is most likely to win.
Some bookmakers may well group all the outsiders in a competition under the banner headline of 'field' and put it head-to-head with the favourite. This is known as favourite versus the field betting and is common in horse and golf betting.
Staking a set amount to win a set amount by multiplying the stake by the odds. As opposed to spread betting where the amount you can win or lose on a single bet may vary.
Often used for American football, soccer and rugby betting. One team, usually the away side, receives a head start for betting purposes. Punters can bet for or against the team with the head start. The handicap can also be known as the line or the spread.
Ever missed out on a winner because you didn't know 'your horse' was running? With HorseAlert this need never happen again. We will notify you automatically by email on the morning that any of your selected horses are running.
To build the list of horses you wish to track, select your favoured horses from the HorseAlert homepage, or from the HorseAlert links on each RaceCard or Results pages. The HorseAlert homepage can be accessed by clicking the HorseAlert link under Toolbox on the dropdown menu.
Some bookmakers offer odds on sporting events whilst they are in progress. Here, the betting odds will continuously change, with the odds quoted reflecting the current state of play.
When a bookmaker cannot split two runners for favouritism.
Another term for the favourite in a horse race or sporting event.
An alternative term for a bookmaker, someone who lays or accepts a bet. Click here for more information on Betting Exchanges.
Bookmakers' slang for £500.
A member of the public who places ill-considered bets.
A tipster's best bet.
When bookmakers are unwilling to offer a price on a participant (N/O).
Refers to a price where you have to stake more than the amount you expect to make as profit.
When the amount you win is more than your stake.
In theory, using natural odds, a betting book can be fairly weighted between bookmaker and bettor. However bookmaker profit margins mean that they must alter the odds in their favour. Over-roundness is a means of expressing to what extent the odds are in favour of the bookmaker. An evenly weighted book based on natural odds is expressed as 100%, and the more the odds move in the bookmaker's favour the more that figure rises. Thus a book that is weighted 20% in favour of a bookmaker is expressed as 120% over-round. See Best Price Percentage for further details.
A member of the public who places bets.
Bookmakers' slang for £25.
The outsider in the field, normally available at a big price.
If a horse is withdrawn shortly before the start of a race and there is insufficient time to form a new market the remaining horses are subject to a deduction if they win or are placed. These are calculated according to the starting price as follows:
| 3-10 or longer odds | 75p in the £ |
| 2-5 to 1-3 | 70p |
| 8-15 to 4-9 | 65p |
| 8-13 to 4-7 | 60p |
| 4-5 to 4-6 | 55p |
| 20-21 to 5-6 | 50p |
| Evens to 6-5 | 45p |
| 5-4 to 6-4 | 40p |
| 13-8 to 7-4 | 35p |
| 15-8 to 9-4 | 30p |
| 5-2 to 3-1 | 25p |
| 10-3 to 4-1 | 20p |
| 9-2 to 11-2 | 15p |
| 6-1 to 9-1 | 10p |
| 10-1 to 14-1 | 5p |
| 14-1 | unchanged |
An innovative form of betting introduced by City traders and based on stock market principles. It allows punters to lose more money than they thought they would. Click here for more information on Spread betting.
The official odds, calculated from selected on-course board prices, for a horse as the race starts.
A runner whose odds are continually shortened in the face of heavy support.
Betting is now TAX FREE on all horse racing and sports bets placed in betting shops. There is no tax for bets placed on-course. On the Internet, tax is usually lower than nine per cent while some firms charge no tax at all. Tax can either be paid on stakes or returns.
The 'sign language' with which bookmakers on the racecourse communicate.
Individuals who think they know what they are talking about giving betting advice.
The easyodds.com tipping challenge for people who really do know what they are talking about. Read more information here.
A three-leg accumulator. All three bets need to win with the winnings from the first selection automatically going on to the second and then onto the third.
Explanation usually put forward for a losing bet.
Betting markets where no each-way betting is available.
The term used for a bet that consists of four selections, combining them into six doubles, four trebles and one fourfold - eleven bets. At least two selections must win to get a return.