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PlayUp Sportsbook Betting Terminology

Popular football betting markets

Point spread, or the spread.

The team you bet on has to ‘cover the spread’ (i.e. beat the margin) in order to win your bet. Example: ‘Broncos -6 vs. Giants’. A spread bet on ‘Broncos -6’ is a winner if the Broncos win by 7 or more points, and a spread bet on ‘Giants +6’ is a winner if the Giants win the game outright or lose by 5 points or fewer. The spread bet on either side is a ‘push’ if the Broncos win the game by exactly 6 points, meaning all spread bets are refunded. 

Total.

Bet ‘over’ or ‘under’ a certain amount of points scored in the game, including overtime(s). Example: If a game total is 42.5, an ‘over’ bet is a winner if 43 or more points are scored and an ‘under’ bet is a winner if 42 or fewer points are scored. 

Moneyline.

Wagering on a team to win the game outright, meaning no point spread is involved in such bets. A moneyline includes a favorite that is denoted with a “-” and an underdog that’s denoted with a “+”. Example: Broncos -160 vs. Giants +140. Risk $160 to win (profit) $100 on the Broncos, or bet $100 to win (profit) $140 on the Giants. 

Parlay.

A bet containing 2 or more legs, all of which must be successful for the wager to be a winner. Parlays pay off at high odds and are therefore attractive to many recreational bettors. Example: With a ‘2-team parlay” of Broncos -6/Jets +4.5, the Broncos and Jets must both cover the spread for the bet to pay at +265 odds. A “3-teamer” pays out at about 6/1, a “4-teamer” at about 12/1. Moneyline parlays are also available, where a spread is not involved and the payout is a factor of the winning teams’ odds. 

 

First Half.

Bet a moneyline, spread or total for the first half of the game.

Futures.

Bet a team to win a division, conference, or championship. Example: A bet on the Jets to win the Super Bowl at +10000, or 100/1 odds, would pay $100 for every $1 risked. 

Teasers.

A group of 2 or more bets combined into one wager where the odds of each individual leg are shifted in the bettor’s favor by the number of points stated in the teaser. Example: The Colts are 8-point favorites against the Jaguars and the Bears are 3-point underdogs against the Packers. A bettor decides to play a 2-team, 6-point teaser on the Colts and the Bears at -115 odds, wagering $115 to win $100. The teaser allows the bettor to “buy” 6 points with each team. In this case, the bettor is buying the Colts down to -2 and the Bears up to +9. Each team has to cover its respective leg of the teaser in order for the bet to win. In this example, the Colts must win by 3 points or more and the Bears must win outright or lose by 8 points or fewer. Unless noted otherwise, a tie on one leg of a teaser reduces the potential payout. 

Props.

Popular props markets include betting on a team’s margin of victory or on specific events within a contest, such as the total number of field goals made in a game, total number of sacks, whether the first score will be a touchdown or a field goal, or whether there will be a safety.  

Live betting.

Many NFL bets traditionally offered pregame are also offered in-game, or after the game has startedThe point spread, total and moneyline, for example, will change based on the score of the game, how much time is left in the game, how the teams are performing, whether key players have been injured, etc. 

NFL Draft.

The popularity of this market has increased rapidly in recent years. One common way to wager on the draft is betting ‘over’ or ‘under’ a specific player’s draft position. Example: Player X’s draft position over/under is set at 14.5. An ‘under’ bet wins if Player X is drafted before or on the 14th pick, while an ‘over’ bet wins if Player X is drafted 15th or later (or not drafted at all). Other popular bets are which player will be selected first, second, third, etc overall. 

Popular basketball betting markets

Spread.

The point spread, also known as the ‘great equalizer’ because it theoretically makes the teams even for betting purposes, is a projected margin of victory set by oddsmakers. The team you bet on has to ‘cover the spread’ or beat the margin in order to win your bet. Example: ‘Nuggets -4 vs. Pistons’. A spread bet on ‘Nuggets -4’ is a winner if the Nuggets win by 5 or more points. A spread bet on ‘Pistons +4’ is a winner if the Pistons win the game or lose by 3 points or fewer. The spread bet on either side is a ‘push’ if the Nuggets win by exactly 4 points, meaning these spread bets are refunded to bettors. 

Total.

Bet ‘over’ or ‘under’ a certain amount of points scored in the game, including overtime(s). Example: If a total is 225.5, an ‘over’ bet is a winner if 226 or more points are scored and an ‘under’ bet is a winner if 225 or fewer points are scored. .

Moneyline.

Wagering on a team to win the game. Similar to moneyline bets in other sports, a favorite is denoted with a “-” and an underdog with a “+”. Example: Nuggets -140 vs. Pistons +120. Risk $140 to win (profit) $100 on the Nuggets, or bet $100 to win (profit) $120 on the Pistons. 

First Half.

Bet a moneyline, spread or total for the first half of the game.

Futures.

Bet a team to win a division, conference, or championship. Example: A bet on the Nuggets to win the NBA Finals at +3000, or 30/1 odds, would pay $30 for every $1 risked. 

Parlay.

A bet containing 2 or more legs, all of which must be successful for the wager to be a winner. Parlays pay off at high odds and are therefore attractive to many recreational bettors. Example: With a ‘2-team parlay” of Nuggets -3.5/Bulls +6.5, the Nuggets and Bulls must both cover the spread for the bet to pay at +265 odds. A “3-teamer” pays out at about 6/1, a “4-teamer” at about 12/1. Moneyline parlays are also available, where a spread is not involved and the payout is a factor of the winning teams’ odds. 

Live betting.

Many NBA bets traditionally offered pregame are also offered in-game, or after the game has startedThe point spread, total and moneyline, for example, will change based on the score of the game, how much time is left in the game, how the teams are performing, whether key players have been injured, etc. 

NBA Draft.

This market has increased in popularity in recent years. One popular way to wager on the draft is betting ‘over’ or ‘under’ a player’s draft position. Example: Player X’s draft position over/under is set at 11.5. An ‘under’ bet wins if Player X is drafted before or with the 11th pick, while an ‘over’ bet will win if Player X is drafted 12th or later (or not drafted at all). 

  

Popular baseball betting markets

Moneyline.

Bet a team to win a game. The favorite is denoted with a “-”, the underdog with a “+”.  Example: Rockies -140 vs. Reds +120Risk $140 to win (profit) $100 on Rockies, or bet $100 to win (profit) $120 on Reds. 

Runline.

Typically a 1.5-run spread with odds assigned to each side of the betExample: Bet the Cardinals -1.5 runs (+150). For your bet to win, in which case you would net $150 on a $100 wager, the Cardinals must win by at least 2 runs. Or bet the Pirates +1.5 runs (-130); if the Pirates win the game or lose by just one run, net $100 on a $130 wager.

Total.

Bet ‘over’ or ‘under’ a certain number of runs being scored in a game. Example: If the total is 8.5 runs, an ‘over’ bet is a winner if 9 or more runs are scored; an ‘under’ bet is a winner if 8 or fewer runs are scored. 

First 5 Innings.

A moneyline or total bet that is official and graded after the fifth inning. 

Props.

Popular baseball prop bets include whether a player will hit a home run, total bases by a certain player, over/under strikeouts by a pitcher, etc. 

Live betting.

Many MLB bets traditionally offered pregame are also offered in-game, or after the game has startedThe moneyline and total, for example, will change based on the score of the game, what inning the game is in, whether key players have been injured, etc. 

Futures.

Bet a team to win its division, league or championship. These bets typically pay off at high odds. Example. A bet on the Cubs to win the World Series at +2000, or 20/1 odds, would pay $20 for every $1 risked. 

Popular ice hockey betting markets

Moneyline.

Identical in concept to moneylines in all sports, wager on a team to win the game. As in all sports, the favorite’s odds are denoted with a “-”, and the underdog’s odds are denoted with a “+”.  If the Avs are -140 against the Red Wings, a winning $140 bet on Colorado nets a $100 profitConversely, a $100 winning bet on Detroit (+120) nets a $120 profit. 

Total.

Also identical in concept to totals bets in other sports. Hockey totals are typically in the 5-6 goal range. An ‘over’ bet against a total of 5 is a winner if the teams combine to score 6 or more goals; in the same game, an ‘under’ bet wins if 4 goals or fewer are scored; exactly 5 goals results in a ‘push’, where all bets are refunded. 

Puckline.

Similar to the runline in baseball, there is a 1.5-goal spread, with the team ‘laying’ the 1.5 goals assigned plus-money odds (for example the Penguins  -1.5 goals +165 vs. Blue Jackets +1.5 goals -185)The moneyline and total are the more traditional ways to bet hockey, and while some gamblers look at puck-line wagers as sucker bets, there’s nothing sweeter than your team burying an otherwise meaningless empty-netter late to go up by 2 goals when you’re laying 1.5 goals and collect at plus-money. In the example listed here, if the Penguins win by 2 goals or more, a $100 bet results in a $165 win (profit). 

Period wagering.

This type of betting breaks up the full game into 20-minute timeframes. In recent years, first-period totals have become a popular betting market. Also available for period wagering at PlayUp is Spread, 3-Way Moneyline, Draw No Bet, First and Last Team to Score and Both Teams to Score derivatives.   

Props.

Hockey props markets include whether a player will score a goal, whether a goalie will register a shutout, etc. 

Live betting.

Many NHL bets traditionally offered pregame are also offered in-game, or after the game has startedThe moneyline and total, for example, will change based on the score of the game, how much time is left in the game, how the teams are performing, whether key players have been injured, etc.

Popular MMA betting markets

Moneyline.

Bet on one fighter to win the bout, with odds associated with each side, just like in other sports.

Method of victory prop.

Bet on which fighter you think will win and by what method. In MMA, there are 3 victory outcomes: knockout, submission, and judge decision (score). While rare, it’s possible for judges to score the fight as a draw. As such, PlayUp offers a 3-way moneyline in addition to the traditional 2-way moneyline outcome.  

Total rounds.

These bets are over-under wagers based on the number of rounds the fight will last before a winner is decided. Typically, 2.5 rounds in a championship bout is the standard line, while a total of 1.5 rounds is normal for a regular 3-round contest. 

Popular auto racing betting markets

Outrights.

Bet a driver, manufacturer, or constructor to win qualifying, a race or the overall championship.  

Driver matchups.

Bet on one driver to finish ahead of another he is matched up against in a race. Group matchups featuring 4 drivers are also typically available.  

Podium finishes.

Odds to finish in the top 3 or top 5 are available for most races with PlayUp. 

Popular golf betting markets

Outrights.

Bet a golfer to win a tournament, major championship or FedEx Cup championship with golf futures betting that typically pay off at longer odds. 

Matchups.

Head-to-head matchups by round or tournament narrow an often 100-plus field to just 2 players for bettors to handicap. In matchup bets featuring 3 players, known as 3-balls, if 2 players tie for low score in the group then the dead-heat factor applies. 

Props.

Betting a player to finish in the top 5, top 10 or top 20 of a tournament has become increasingly popular, as has betting a golfer to make or miss the cut. Other props include whether there will be a hole in one during a tournament, or over/under the winning score. 

Popular soccer betting markets 

Note: 90 minutes + stoppage time unless otherwise stated

3-way moneyline.

Bet either team to win or for the game to end in a drawEach of the 3 potential outcomes has odds associated with itFor example, in a FA Cup game featuring Manchester City and Chelsea: Manchester City is priced at -245 (bet $245 to win $100), Chelsea is +775 (bet $100 to win $775), and the draw is +335 (bet $100 to win $335). These bets are graded after 90 minutes plus stoppage time. In this example, if the game is tied 1-1 before extra time, draw is the winner. 

To advance or outright winner.

In tournaments where the game results on one team being eliminated and thus cannot end in a draw, ‘to advance’ bets are graded at the game’s completion regardless of minutes played. In the above example, City is -400 and Chelsea is +300. Draw is not an option in this market because the game cannot end in a draw. 

Goal line.

Just like in hockey betting, a spread and odds are associated with this bet in soccer. In the example we’re using, Man City is -1.5 goals (-110) and Chelsea is +1.5 goals (-110)For a bet on Man City to be a winner, Man City must win by at least 2 goals. A bet on Chelsea is a winner if they win the game, the game ends in a draw or they lose by no more than one goalLike the 3-way moneyline, this bet is graded after 90 minutes plus stoppage time. 

Total.

Similar to totals markets in other sports bet ‘over’ or ‘under’ a certain number of goals being scored by both teams.  

Props.

Markets such as ‘Will Team A keep a clean sheet,’ ‘Will Player B score a goal’, ‘total number of corner kicks’, ‘will either team score in the first 10 minutes’ and ‘time of first goal’ are becoming increasingly popular in soccer betting.

Live betting.

Many soccer bets traditionally offered pregame are also in-game, or after the game has startedThe point spread, total and moneyline, for example, will change based on the score of the game, how much time is left in the game, how the teams are performing, whether key players have been injured, etc.

Futures.

Similar to other sports, you can bet on a team to win a championship or its group in the first round of a tournament, for example.

Popular tennis betting markets

Popular tennis betting markets include tournament winner, match winner, total games and game handicap. Set betting is also available. For example, Player A is the -125 moneyline favorite (risk $125 to win $100) in a match with a game handicap of -1.5. The total amount of games is set at an over-under of 42.5. A 7-6, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory by Player A cashes moneyline tickets for Player A, but Player B wins the games handicap (since each player won 20 games and he was +1.5), and the match stayed ‘under’ the games total.

Popular Aussie rules betting markets

Similar to American football, popular betting markets include moneyline, point spread and total. Also, futures bets such as odds to win the Grand Final, as well as season-long wagers such as a team to finish within the top-4 of the table, win the regular season or accumulate the most defeats are available.

Popular boxing betting markets

Moneyline.

Similar to moneyline bets in other sports, you may bet on either boxer to win the fightFor example, for the heavyweight title fight last year, Deontay Wilder was a -130 favorite (bet $130 to win $100), Tyson Fury was a +110 underdog (bet $100 to win $110)With a 3-way moneyline, you may also bet on the fight ending in a draw, which was priced at +2000 (bet $100 to win $2,000) in the Wilder-Fury bout.

Method of victory prop.

Bet on which fighter you think will win and by what method. Using the same Wilder-Fury fight as the example, here were the odds for the ‘method of victory’ prop: Wilder by KO, TKO, DQ (+125), Wilder by decision (+1000), Fury by KO, TKO, DQ (+500), Fury by decision (+175), Draw (+2000).

Exact round prop.

Bet on a fighter to win the bout in a certain round. These bets pay off at high odds, as they are extremely difficult to win. Bettors who played ‘Fury in Round 7’, were paid off at 33/1 odds.

Fight specials and other props.

For bigger prize fights, props such as ‘Will Fighter A be knocked down?’, ‘Will both fighters be knocked down?’, ‘Will Fighter A be knocked down and win the fight?’ and ‘Will Fighter B have a point deducted?’, may be offered.  

Popular Rugby betting markets

Moneyline.

In addition to a 2-way win-loss moneyline, 3-way moneyline markets for rugby include the draw as a third option. Each team and the draw represent a separate wagering interest. If the match ends in a draw after regulation, the draw selection is the winning wager, and wagers on both teams is deemed a loss.

Total.

Over/under the total points scored in a game or half. Keep in mind the scoring differences of Rugby League and Rugby Union. In Rugby League, a try is worth 4 points, a goal is worth 2 points and a field goal/drop goal is worth one point. In Rugby Union, a try earns 5 points, a penalty kick or a drop goal is worth 3 points, and a conversion kick is worth 2 points

Point spread.

Like in its full-contact brethren, American Football, the Rugby team you bet on has to ‘cover’ or beat the margin in order to win your bet. Example: ‘Brisbane Broncos -4 vs. Sydney Roosters’. A spread bet on ‘Broncos -4’ is a winner if the Broncos win by 5 or more points and a spread bet on the Roosters +4 is a winner if the Roosters win the game or lose by 3 points or fewer. The spread bet on either side is a ‘push’ if the Broncos win by exactly 4 points.

Popular cricket betting markets

Moneyline.

In addition to a traditional win-loss moneyline, 3-way moneyline markets for test cricket include odds on the draw as a third option. Each is a separate wagering interest. If the match ends in a draw, the draw selection is the winning wager, and wagers on both teams are deemed a loss.

Total.

Along with the over-under on total runs scored in the match, bettors can put their money on total runs scored in the first inning and an individual player’s score for the match or in a certain inning.

Props.

Method of first wicket is a popular bet with the chance to win money early in a cricket match. The 6 options are Caught, Bowled, LBW (Leg Before Wicket), Run Out, Stumped and Others.

Popular Darts betting markets

Tournament outrights, moneyline and spread betting are popular for darts handicappers, but there are also in-demand scoring markets unique to the sport:

Player with most 180s.

The highest score possible with 3 darts per turn is 180 and is achieved by hitting the inner ring of the dart board 3 times.

Total legs.

When a player reaches zero from 501, he or she wins a leg. To win a set, players must be the first to win 3 legs. Betting ‘over’ or ‘under’ on total legs is similar to wagering on the total number of games in tennis. 

For more information regarding grading procedures for sports offered by PlayUp, please read our house rules before placing a wager.