Betting Dictionary

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ABC bet

See 'Round the Clock' (which is the same as an ABC bet). (click to edit)

Acceptances

Stages leading up to a race by when a runner is to be confirmed as an entrant. (click to edit)

Accumulator

Also known as a "parlay" or "all-up", this is a bet which accumulates across a series of outcomes. The stake and winnings rolling over to be placed on the next bet in the sequence. Each outcome must be a winning bet for the accumulator to continue, if just one loses, then they all lose.

To give an example. Say you bet £10 on something daft like it raining on Monday, snowing on Tuesday and being Sunny on Wednesday. Bet one wins, earning you £15 and your £10 stake is still live. This whole amount (£25) is then automatically placed on bet two, If this wins, then the entire amount of both returns is placed on bet 3. If one, two or three loses, you loose everything. If all win, you get a very nice return for a small stake. (click to edit)

Across-the-Card

All selections running at different meetings. With horse and greyhound racing usually within 15 minutes of one another. (click to edit)

Ajax

See Bees Wax (click to edit)

All-up

See Accumulator (click to edit)

All-Ways

For forecast and tricast bets providing full cover. (click to edit)

Also ran

An unplaced runner. (click to edit)

Ante Post

An ante-post bet is placed on a future event, i.e. before the day of the even itself. Bets placed ante post typically give better odds. but are risky as if your horse, greyhound etc. is pulled out of the event then your bet may be void - or lost. (click to edit)

Any-to-Come

(If Cash)|Where part of the returns from one selection bet is placed on another. (click to edit)

Apprentice

Usually referred to a trainee jockey. (click to edit)

Arbitrage

Where a variation in odds available (from different bookies) allows a punter to back both sides of a game and guarantee a win. (click to edit)

Asian Handicap

An Asian handicap is a type of handicap bet popular in Asia and often used in betting on soccer matches. In addition to typical +1, 0, and -1 handicaps seen in standard handicap football match betting, Asian handicap allows for a ¼ goal, ½ goal and a ¾ goal start.

This might appear confusing, since any team that beats (or loses to) a ½ goal start will also beat (or lose to) a ¼ goal start. However, there is more to ¼ and ¾ ball betting than meets the eye. As for normal handicap betting, the underdog will be awarded a head start of a handicap, and the favourite will concede a handicap of the same magnitude. For the purposes of bet settlement, the predetermined number of the handicap will be added to the real number of goals. Where no handicap is awarded (0:0 handicap), a drawn game will result in a tied bet and returned stakes. if either side wins, bets backing that team will win, whilst bets backing the other will lose. Similar rules apply for 1 goal (0:1) and 2 goal (0:2) Asian handicaps. When ½ ball handicaps are applied, bets can only be won or lost - a tied bet is impossible. If the handicap is set at ¼ (or ¾, 1¼, 1¾ etc) of a goal, then any bets on the match will be settled as a split stakes bet, with half the stake going on the handicap ¼ of a goal less than the quote and half on the handicap a ¼ of a goal more.

For example, with a ¼ ball handicap, half the stakes will be settled as though the handicap was 0, and half as though the handicap was ½. It follows, then, that if a team beats a ¼ ball handicap by ½ or more, the backer will win the whole bet; if they lose by ½ or more, the backer will lose the whole bet. It is only when the result falls within ¼ of the handicap that the result is different from a conventional handicap. When a team beats the handicap by a ¼, the backer receives half stakes on a win, and half returned. For example, if £10 were staked at odds of 1.95 for a ¼ ball advantage, a drawn game would return a profit of £4.75. This is known as a "win ½". If a team loses by a ¼, the backer has only half his stake returned. This is known as a "loss ½". (click to edit)