General Sportsbook Terms

Action

The term for the amount of bets placed on a game or sporting event. It can also refer to how bets are settled. For example, 'all action' means every bet will be settled, regardless of the outcome.

Bad Beat

A tough loss on a bet that appeared to be won before a turnaround in a game or contest.

Bet Receipt

The confirmed 'ticket' of a placed bet. Each bet receipt will provide confirmation of selections, odds, results, and a unique identifier to help distinguish one bet from another.

Bet Slip

The 'cart' of a Sportsbook. The Bet Slip is an area containing selected picks and where you enter your wager amount(s) before confirming your bet(s).

For additional information, see our page on What is a bet slip?.

Buzzer Beater

When a game is decided with a winning score on the final play of the game.

Cash Out

A feature that gives you the opportunity to cash out a bet before the outcome is decided, allowing you to secure part of your winnings or cut your losses.

For additional information, see our page on How do I cancel a placed bet? [Cash Out].

Cover The Spread

The act of winning by enough to beat the Point Spread. When this occurs, the team 'covers the spread'.

For additional information, see our page on What is a point spread bet?.

Dead Heat Reduction

When two or more participants finish with the same results. In this instance, the bet is settled under 'Dead Heat Reduction Rules' for that event.

For additional information see our page on What is a Dead Heat Reduction?

Dog

The team or outcome expected to lose, also known as Underdog. Opposite of a Favorite.

Favorite

The team or outcome that is most likely to win. The opposite of a Dog or Underdog. Also known as Chalk.

Bonus Bet

A 'reward' that is able to be used in place of real money for wagering on the DraftKings Sportsbook platform.

For additional information, see our page on How do I use a Bonus Bet on DraftKings Sportsbook?

Lock

The favored team or athlete that is considered a guarantee to win. Opposite of a Long Shot.

Long Shot

The underdog team or athlete that is considered very unlikely to win. Opposite of a Lock.

No action

A wager that is canceled/void with money refunded.

Non-Starter

A participant that fails to compete in an event for which it is eligible to compete.

Odds Boost

A "reward" that "boosts" the odds of the particular outcome, which means that your winnings will become bigger for the same outcome.

For additional information, see our page on What is an odds boost?.

Off the Board (OTB)

A game that is scheduled, but the sportsbook is not currently accepting bets. In most cases, OTB simply means that the line for that particular game isn't available as of yet. If you see an OTB mark for a specific game, we recommend checking back into DraftKings Sportsbook at a later time to find the updated odds for that bet. 

Potential Win / Potential Return

Potential Win is the amount that would be returned to you on a placed wager, prior to settlement or results being known. The potential win is determined based on the odds of the selections, the bet type, and the wagered amount.

For additional information, see our page on What is a bet slip?

Profit Boost

A "token" that can be used to "boost" a specified selection and improve the potential winnings of a bet based on promotional qualifications and conditions.

For additional information, see our page on What are profit boosts?

Push

When a game results in neither outcome being correct and bets are returned/refunded.

Related Contingencies

Picks or selections that cannot be combined due to a correlation between them. Where there are related contingencies, DraftKings takes efforts to offer those selections as a combined offer.

Return

The amount that is returned to you on a placed wager following settlement and results being known. The return is determined based on the odds of the selections, the bet type, and the wagered amount.

Runner-up

A participant or team that finishes in second place. Sometimes the second-place finisher is called the 'first runner-up', the third-place finisher is called the 'second runner-up', and so on.

Shut Out

A term used to describe a game or period in which a team or player has not allowed a goal.

Steam

When an influx in wagers results in an adjustment of odds for some bets.

Tie

When two or more participants finish with the same results. Also known as a Draw.

Underdog

The team or outcome that is considered to be the least likely to win. Known as the 'Dog' for short.

Void

When a bet results in neither outcome being correct and bets are returned/refunded.

For additional information, see our page on Why does my bet result say 'Void'?

Wager

The money amount of your bet placed. Also known as the stake or bet.

Sports-Specific Betting Terms

Ace

In tennis, volleyball, or other racquet sports, this is a legal serve that isn't touched by the opponent. The serving player or team wins the point.

Booking

A term used in soccer to indicate when a player has been given a Yellow or Red card by a referee. The player is 'booked' when receiving the card.

Break (Snooker)

In snooker, a break is the total point score achieved by a player in a single visit to the table.

Clean Sheet

A soccer term describing a game or period in which a team or player has not conceded a goal.

Hat Trick

A player obtains 3 of a given outcome. Generally refers to a player scoring 3 goals, touchdowns, home runs, etc.

Home Run

In baseball, hitting the ball in such a way that they are able to make a complete circle of the bases and reach home in one play.

KO/Knock Out

A knockout in fighting/boxing is awarded when one participant is unable to rise from the canvas within a specified period of time after a knockdown. A technical knockout (also referred to as a TKO) is when the referee decides that a fighter cannot continue the match even though he didn’t fail the count.

Listed Pitchers

When pitchers for a baseball bet must start for the bet to action. When 'Listed Pitchers' accompanies a baseball bet, bets will be void/canceled should one or both of those pitchers not start.

Own-Goal

When a player causes the ball to go into their own team's goal. A goal is scored for the opposition. In Soccer, no player on the team credited with the goal is awarded the goal.

Playoff

The playoffs of a sports league are a series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion.

Overtime

When a game is tied at the end of normal time, the teams will play until one team wins or the maximum specified overtime periods have expired.

Promoted

Generally occurring in European sports leagues, promotion occurs when the best-ranked teams in the lower division are promoted to the division above for the following season. Opposite of a team being Relegated.

Puck Line

A Point Spread bet for hockey listed where the line is -1.5 goals for the favorite or +1.5 goals for the underdog. For additional information on Point Spreads, see our page on What is a point spread bet?

Relegated

Generally occurring in European sports leagues, the worst-ranked teams in a higher division are relegated (or demoted) to a lower division for the following season. Opposite of a team being Promoted

Run Line

A Point Spread for baseball listed with a line of 1.5 runs on either side and the associated odds between the favorite and the underdog. For additional information on Point Spreads, see our page on What is a point spread bet?

Touch Down

The primary method of scoring in football. To score a touchdown, one team must take the football into the opposite end zone.

Try

The primary method of scoring points in rugby. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area (on or behind the goal line).

Bet Types

Against the Spread

In order to win a bet against the spread, the underdog will need to win the game or lose by less than the Point Spread. This is opposed to a bet "with" the spread, which is where you are betting for the favorite to win and cover the spread.

For additional information see our page on What is a point spread bet?

Correct Score

A bet that is placed on the exact score of a match or event at full or part-time.

Double Chance

A bet where it is possible to bet simultaneously on two outcomes of a match or event when 3 outcomes are possible. The options are Home/Draw, Home/Away, and Draw/Away.

Double Result 

Odds that allow for you to bet on the results in halftime and the final outcome of an event. For example, if at halftime the score is 45-45 and the match ends 103-101, the winning outcome is Tie / Away Team (the team scoring 103). The bet is void if the regular time of the match is played in a different time format than those listed in the bet (i.e. other than two halves). For Baseball, half time is defined as the first 5 innings of a game. Similarly, Period Betting for hockey is available (i.e. 1st Period Result and 60 Minute Result). 

Even Money

A bet that returns as much profit as the initial wager was. For example, a bet of $100 with a $200 return ($100 profit). These are listed as odds of +100 (American) or 2.00 (Decimal).

Forecast

A bet on two or more selections to finish in a particular order. For example, a Forecast wager on the US Open Golf tournament would be if you select Rory McIlroy to win, Tiger Woods to come second and Dustin Johnson to finish third.

Futures

Bets for events in the future, where multiple events may take place to determine the outcome. Futures are offered well in advance of any season or tournament and are continually adjusted as the events unfold.

For additional information, see our page on What is a Futures bet?

Grand Salami

A bet on the total number of listed occurrences, such as a total run or total goals, happening in a collection of events on a specified day. All relative events must be completed for bets to stand except for those outcomes which have been decided prior to the abandonment and could not possibly be changed regardless of future events. These will be settled according to the decided outcome.

Hedging

Betting on the opposite side of a current wager in order to minimize losses or guarantee a small profit.

Also known as "Laying The Points".

Lines

Describes the odds for each game and are used to show the details for a Point Spread, Total, or a Money Line.

Live Betting

Betting while the action is unfolding live. When placing live bets, you will see odds continually changing based on the real-life events in the game.

For additional information see our page on What Is A Live Bet?

Moneyline

A bet you are picking the outright winner.

For additional information see our page on What is a Moneyline Bet?

Over/Unders

A type of bet available for many statistical categories, including the Final Score, Individual Team Score, or any Player Stats. For example, if a sportsbook can set the over-under for the score of the game at 40.0, a bettor could wager that the combined score of the two teams would be either more than or less than that number.

For additional information, see our page on What is a Total or Over/Under wager?

Parlay

A bet placed on multiple outcomes all to occur. For a Parlay bet to win, all outcomes within the Parlay must be selected correctly.

For additional information, see our pages on What is a Parlay Bet? and What is a same game parlay (SGP) bet?

Pick'Em

A bet offer in which there is no favorite or underdog. This can occur on Point Spread bets where the line is set at 0 points (so the winner of the game wins the Point Spread).

Point spread

A bet where each outcome has a + or a - handicap applied to it. This handicap is often called the 'line'. On a 'line' of 3.5, one team will have 3.5 points added to their score, one team will have 3.5 points subtracted from their score. The winner of the point spread is the team that 'covers' the spread based on the line and the final score. Also known as a Spread.

For additional information, see our page on What is a point spread bet?

Pools

Wagers which are placed against other bettors who have entered the same event. Each winner’s prize depends on the number of other players in the pool and the number of winners.

For additional information, see our page on Pools - overview

Props / Prop Bets

Bets related to specific outcomes in a game (Game Props) or player performance (Player Props).

For additional information, see our pages on What Is A Prop Bet?

Reverse Forecast

A bet on two selections to finish first and second in any order.

Round robin (RR)

A way to place multiple bets in one transaction. You can place singles and all combinations of parlays from the picks selected. Please confirm your desired wager amounts across all your bets when placing round robins.

For additional information see our page on What is a round robin (RR) bet?

Run Line

A Point Spread for baseball listed with a line of 1.5 runs on either side and the associated odds between the favorite and the underdog. For additional information on Point Spreads, see our page on What is a point spread bet?

Same Game Parlay (SGP)

A parlay that allows you to combine multiple bets from the same game into a single parlay, which is dependent on all of those outcomes winning.

For additional information, see our page What is a same game parlay (SGP) bet?

Singles Bets

A bet placed on one specific outcome to occur. You can place multiple 'Singles' bets at a time. Each bet placed is contingent only on the individual outcome.

Also known as a 'Straight' bet.

Teaser

A parlay placed on multiple Point Spreads or Totals where the line is bought or 'teased' down in exchange for a lower payout.

For additional information, see our page on What is a Teaser?

Tri-Bet/Win-Draw-Win

A bet requiring the prediction of one of three possible outcomes of a sports event. For sports where a tie is possible at the end of regulation, that is the 'draw' selection. For sports where there is no possibility of a real-life tie, a 'line' is set where any result either way within a particular win margin is deemed a 'tie'.

Win/Place

A bet where the chosen selection must either Win or else Place within the payout terms. The bet is divided into two parts (the 'Win' part and the 'Place' part) of an equal stake or wager. Settlement of such bets will take into account the rules governing the 'Win' and 'Place' bets, namely the Sport-specific rules as well as any applicable ‘Dead Heat Reductions’.

Also known as an “Each Way” (EW) bet