A Glossary Of Bets And Betting Terms
Accumulator - An investment on four or more selections for one stake, the winnings plus stake being invested on to each successive selection. Also called "Roll Up" or "All On".
Across the Card - meaning to bet in doubles etc. on races at different meetings run at or about the same time.
All Up To Win
In horse races of four runners or less, the place portion of an each-way wager goes on to win as there is no place betting returned in such cases
Ante-Post (also known as "Futures") - A wager made at an agreed price some time before the event is decided.
Any to Come - or ATC - A form of betting contingent upon money in hand from the original investment. "Stakes On" is a variation meaning re-invest original stake.
Banker
Term used to describe the bankers most fancied selection, and when included as a bet instruction, that selection must win
Bar
This term refers to those runners in a race not quoted with a price during early betting shows. For example: S.I.S quoting '14/1 bar six' means that at least 14/1 is available against any of the runners other than the six already quoted. Bookmakers do not usually lay the bar price against any named horse.
Betting Forecast
The odds of a race as predicted by the daily newspapers or websites like Racingpost.co.uk
Board/Show Price
The price, relayed by S.I.S from the racecourse, which may be taken by punters, and, regardless of the final returned starting price, as the price at which bets are settled
Canadian (Super Yankee): 5 selections, 26 bets - 10 doubles, 10 trebles, 5 four-timers, 1 accumulator.
Conditional Bet
A bet which is dependent on a specific condition being fulfilled. eg 'if win', 'if lose', 'any to come' etc
Combination - An algebraic term denoting that a series of groups is to be taken from a larger group without regard to order. It is also loosely used as an instruction to permute a series of forecasts.
Computer Forecast
The computer forecast and B.A.G.S forecasts are the returns used by bookmakers to calculate forecast bets
"Course" Betting - Usually applied to bets made in betting shops in accordance with pre-race odds.
Cover to Win - A wager in which the selection is backed to win a fixed amount, the liability being dependent on the starting price.
Credit Limit - The amount that a backer is allowed to lose in any one week's business by the bookmaker before settlement is required.
Cross Bet - (Single stakes about, up and down, vice versa): 2 selections, 2 bets - 10p win A, if cash (any to come) 10p win B; 10p win B, if cash 10p win A.
Cumulative Odds - An Ante-Post term denoting full accumulative odds for a double event as at starting price.
Daily Tote Double - A double event in the Totalisator pool operated on the third and fifth races at any meeting. Backer has to forecast, by name, the winner of each of the two races. Unnamed selections, such as favourites, are not accepted.
Daily Tote Treble - A Totalisator pool operated usually on the second, fourth and sixth races at a meeting. Backer has to forecast, by name, the winner of each of the three races. Unnamed selections, such as favourites, are not accepted.
Double - A bet made on two selections for one stake, the winnings and stake being invested from one to the other.
Double Out - A variation of the "Round Robin" bet, on three selections 3 "Up and Down Double Stakes" bets, a "Round-about" and three doubles and a treble, 13 bets in all.
Down-The-Card
Indicates races at the same meeting
Each Way - A wager made on any selection involving two bets, to win and to be placed 1-2-3.
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Favourite - The favourite is the selection quoted at the lowest rate of odds in any event.
Flag - A bet on four selections - 6 doubles, 4 trebles and one accumulator and 6 "Up and Down" bets in pairs - 23 bets in all.
Forecast - A wager where the backer is required to nominate the finishing order of the first and second horses or greyhounds.
Goliath - 8 selections, 247 bets - 28 doubles, 56 trebles, 70 four-timers, 56 five-timers, 28 six-timers, 8 seven-timers, 1 accumulator.
Harlequin - A speciality wager of 24 bets with four selections covered in "Up and Down," "Round the Clock," Doubles, Trebles, etc. for win, Each Way and Place only.
Hedging - When a bookmaker lays-off a portion of his liabilities, this is termed hedging.
Heinz - 6 selections, 57 bets - 15 doubles, 20 trebles, 15 four-timers, 6 five-timers, 1 accumulator.
Layer
A bookmaker is known as a layer: one who lays odds
Laying Off
Bookmaker passing on all or part of a bet to another bookie
Multicast - A speciality wager combining Straight Forecasts in Doubles, Trebles, etc.
Multiplied Odds - A term usually applying to Ante-Post doubles where the odds are multiplied, e.g., 10/1 and 10/1 equals odds of 100 to 1.
Odds Against-Odds On - Represent the chances of any particular horse as quoted by the bookmakers. If a horse is quoted at 6/1 against its chance is 1 in 7, if it is 6 to 1 on, the chances of success are 6 in 7.
Patent - 3 selections, 7 bets - 3 singles, 3 doubles, 1 treble.
Round Robin - Three selections in three "Up and Down" bets, three doubles and a treble - ten bets in all.
Round the Clock - Three selections or more - a stake on each "ATC" stakes on the other two rotating clockwise, e.g., ABC, BCA, CAB. Also known as "ABC," "Box Up" or "Roller."
Rounder - 3 selections, 3 bets - 10p win A, if cash 10p double BC; 10p win B, if cash 10p double AC, 10p win C, if cash 10p double AB.
Roundabout - 3 selections, 3 bets - as Rounder except doubles are to double stakes (20p).
Single - A wager made on one selection, either for a win, Each Way or Place Only.
Stake - The amount invested on any selection.
Starting Price - The odds returned from the racecourse at the time of the "off" by representatives of the "Sporting Life" and "Sporting Chronicle" and compiled by reference to the book of the leading bookmakers in Tattersalls.
Strike Rate
The ratio between winners and loses
Super Heinz - 7 selections, 120 bets - 21 doubles, 35 trebles, 35 four-timers, 21 five-timers, 7 six-timers, 1 accumulator.
System - A wager or series of wagers usually based on statistics or mathematical probability and which determine the selections.
Union Jack - 9 selections, 8 bets - 8 trebles from the diagram: A B C D E F G H I ABC, DEF, GHI, ADG, BEH, CFI, AEI, CEG.
Tic Tac
Manual system used by on-course bookmakers to transmit prices of horses
Tip - A tip is information about the winning chance of a horse in any particular race.
Tipster - An individual who collects special information concerning the chances of horses and who informs his clientele accordingly, usually for an agreed fee.
Totalisator - The Totalisator is run by the Horse Race Totalisator Board and is operated on all racecourses. It operates as a pool wherein investors' money, less a fixed percentage, is shared between backers of successful selections.
Tout - A person who frequents training grounds for the purpose of gaining information about the capabilities of the horses and which he passes on for a fee.
Treble - A wager made on three selections for one stake, the winnings plus stake travelling from the first selection on to the others in turn.
Tricast - A special bet operated on important races where the backer is required to forecast 1st, 2nd and 3rd in correct order.
Trixie - 3 selections, 4 bets - 3 doubles, 1 treble.
Up and Down - An "Up and Down" bet is an abbreviated method of writing two "Any to Come" bets, e.g., 10p- win A "ATC" 10p-win B - 10p- win B "ATC" 10p-win A. In different parts of the United Kingdom the wager is variously described as: "Cross Over," "Lap," "Over and Over," "Reverse," "Stakes About," "Twist" and "Vice Versa."
Void Bet
A bet which is declared invalid. The stake is returned without deduction
Wager - is a transaction on any event where an amount of money is staked.
Waterfall - A variation of a "Round the Clock" bet on three or more selections where money in hand is invested on to the next horse only, for example, (ABC) 10p win A "ATC" 10p win B, 10p win B "ATC" 10p win C, 10p win C "ATC" 10p win A.
Yankee - 4 selections, 11 bets - 6 doubles, 4 trebles, 1 accumulator