RACING TERMINOLOGY

It was suggested that listing Racing Termonology might be a good addition to the site, please feel free to add some South African terms.

enjoy, here is a start.


Action – A description of the way a horse moves OR placing a bet.

All Out – A horse extending itself to its full capability.

Allowances – Weight reductions assigned to a horse on the basis of age, sex or its jockeys experience.

Apprentice – A jockey at the beginning of his/her career until such a time that they win a certain number of races to achieve full professional status.

Black Type – A horse is assigned black type in sales catalogues if it has won (or been placed) in certain high-class races.

Blanket Finish – A race with a close finish involving 3 or more horses, often resulting in a photograph to decide the finishing order.

Blinkers – A device worn on the head of a horse to limit its vision, preventing it from swerving or being distracted by things around it.

Bolt – When a horse suddenly veers from a straight line.

Bred – A horse is bred at the place of its birth it is also the description of the mating of horses.

Broodmare – Female Thoroughbred used for breeding.

Claiming – Buying a horse out of a certain type of race for a designated price.

Claiming Race – Race in which horses are entered subject to claim for a specified price.

Classic – A top class flat race of which there are 5 in Great Britain (The Derby, The Oaks, 1000 Guineas, 2000 Guineas, St.Leger).

Clerk of the Scales – A person whose job it is to weigh each jockey before and after each race to ensure that the correct weight is assigned to each horse.

Class 1 – For horses who have not won more than one race

Class 2 – For horses who have not won more than two races

Class 3 – For Horses who have not won more than three races

Class 4 – For Horses who have not won more than four races

Class 5 – For Horses who have not won more than five races

Class 6 – For Horses who have not won more than 6 races, after winning six races horses progress to open class handicap and are not eligible for restricted class races

Colours – The silks worn by each rider which denote the owner.

Colt – A male horse aged under 4 years.

Condition Race – A race that is limited to horses based on their ability, age and sex.

Dam – Mother of a Thoroughbred horse.

Dead-Heat – Horses finishing in an exact tie for a place in a race. In these circumstances stakes are usually divided by the number of horses concerned, and only one portion is considered as winning.

Declared – A horse that is confirmed to start in a race.

Disqualified – A horse which has its finishing place altered by the officials for a breach of racing rules.

Distance – The length of a race OR the space between one horse and another at the finish of a race. Finishing Distances: Short head, Head, Neck, Length.

Driving Finish – The end of a race in which jockeys are strongly urging their mounts home.

Dwelt – When a horse is slow to break from the stalls which are used for flat races.

Eased – When a horse is deliberately slowed down by its jockey.

Easily – A horse that wins without much effort from its jockey.


Engagement – A race in which a horse or jockey has been assigned to enter in the future.

Exacta – A bet in which the first two finishers must be picked in the correct order.

First 4 – Wager where you need the first four across the line.

Field – The horses in a race.

Filly – Female horse under 5 years of age.

Flat – A type of racing on turf or sand without obstacles (fences or hurdles).

Foal – A newly born Thoroughbred.

Front-Runner – A horse which likes to lead from the head of the field in a race.

Gelding – A castrated male horse

Going – Description of the condition of the racing surface – Turf: Hard, Firm, Good, Soft, Heavy. All-Weather: Fast, Standard, Slow.

Group Race – High class flat racing which is usually divided into 3 sections 1, 2 and 3 (group 1 being the best quality).

Hand – A unit of measurement (equivalent to 4 inches) for the height of horses -.

Handicap – Race for which an appointed individual (handicapper) assigns a weight to each horse on the basis of past performances.

Handily – A horse racing with moderate effort.

Horse – A male horse that has not been gelded and is 5 or more years of age.

Hurdle – An obstacle used in jump racing which is lower than fences used for steeplechases.

In-Foal – A pregnant mare.

Irons – The stirrups a jockey uses to place his feet in when riding.

Jumper – A horse used for steeple chasing or hurdling.


Juvenile – A horse that is 2 years of age, the youngest age for racing.

Listed Race – The description of the quality of a race, which comes just below Group standard.

Maiden – A horse that is yet to win a race.

Maiden Race – A race for horses that have not yet won a race.

Mare – Female horse that is 5 years of age or older, or has already been bred from.

Middle Distance – A broad description of flat races between 1 mile and 1 and a half miles.

Mudlark – A horse that performs well in soft/heavy going conditions.

Objection – A claim of foul play from one jockey to another presented to race officials that may have affected the outcome of the race.

Odds-On – The price of a horse, less than even money.

On The Nose – A bet placed on a horse to win.

Overweight – Surplus weight carried by a horse due to the rider not being able to make the assigned weight.

Paddock – Area where the horses are paraded before post time.

Penalties – Extra weight horses must carry based on past performances, usually in a handicap.

Photo-Finish – A result of a race which is so close to call that a photograph is used to determine places.

Place – The position of a horse at the finish of a race. Place bets are usually settled on horses finishing 1st, 2nd or 3rd, although individual terms apply to each race based on number of runners and type of race.

Plates – The shoes that horses wear for racing. Spreading a plate refers to a shoe that has come loose and needs refitting before a race.


Post – Starting point of a race.

Post Time – Designated start time of a race

Quinella – Wager where you need the first two competitors across the line.

Refuse – When a horse declines to jump an obstacle or does not break from the stalls.

Ridden Out – When a horse is pushed to the full extent of its capabilities at the end of a race.

Sire – Father of a horse.

Stallion – A male horse that has not been gelded.

Stayer – A horse bred to compete over long distances.

Stewards – Officials at a race meeting responsible for enforcing the rules.

Stewards Enquiry – An investigation by race officials to determine any breach of the rules that could affect the result of the race.

Supported – means that a selection has had a lot of money put on it

Steeplechase – A race over high obstacles.

Stick – A jockey’s whip.

Stud – Male horse used for breeding.

Tack – Jockeys racing equipment.

Tongue Strap - Strap or tape bandage used to tie down a horse's tongue to prevent it from choking during a race.

Topweight – Horse with most weight in a handicap race.

Trifecta - A bet in which the first three finishers must be picked in the correct order.

Trip – Another term for the distance of a race

Each Way - a bet for a win and/or a place on a paricular horse.

Boxed - for exotic bets - exactas, swingers, trifectas, quartets - any combinations of the selected horses.

Banker - A Horse selected to run in a stated position in any bet.

Blow out - a Horse selected to win or place that runs nowhere.

Shat in - a Horse that beats the field going away by at least 3 lengths.

Good jockey - a horse rider that is priveledged to ride on a good horse that wins.

Bad jockey - a horse rider on a poor horse that has no chance.

pony is 25 quid
monkey is 500 quid
gorilla is a grand
skint is i am all out
I told you it would win..the usual diagnosis
I am cursed
Why didn't I listen to you
Why didn't you tell me...I did
I knew it
Jockey is a iffing twat
Trainer know nothing
Bookies fault it lost
That iffing tipster said it would win
What am I going to tell the wife
Next time it will win
Thats an omen for you
Number 3 is my lucky number..why did i not see that
How come I did not see that it was the only ride of the day for Dettori
You see, they scratched it last time and now they win with it
I'm sure I put the 10 in my trifecta
Hell I thought that it would have paid more
Always one out of my Place accumalator
Oh well tomorrows another day and another meeting

Look I marked it (Yeh right after the race was run/ why din't you back it then!!)
Only 1 leg out (Might as well been out all the legs)
If only I had followed my selections (Why then do you waste your time and money studying form)
Owner A says 'horse got a winning chance' so does owner B,C,D,E,F,G,H,.....got to love them!!
Shit in!! (normally looses)
I quit this game (The first guy punting the next day)

Now they come with the stable companion. They are too clever(to be heard in totes country wide every saturday).

Weight for Age (WFA) - A scale which is used to determine how much allowance (less weight) should a younger horse (2 or 3 years) carry when competing against its older rivals (4+ years)

Out at the weights - When a horse is carrying more weight than it should in terms of it's Merit Rating; usually occurs in 'plated' (or 'conditions') races (Novice Plate, Pinnacle Plate, etc) where the weights are not allocated based on the horse's MR, but in general according to the number of races the horse has won. Also occurs in most (if not all) of the 'Classic' races run at WFA.

Apprentice Allowance - The number of kg's that can be taken of the horse's set weight if an apprentice who has not yet won 50 races, rides the horse. This allowance could be anything from 4kg's to 1.5 kg's depending on the number of winners the apprentice has ridden

Draw - The starting stall gate from which a horse 'jumps' (starts); in races 'around the turn' (round a bend), the 'wider' (higher) the draw, the more problematic it gets for the jock to get the horse in a 'handy' position (sitting 2nd, 3rd or 4th on the 'fence' (railing on the inside of the course)

'But I know Germiston is 12' - uttered by my late dad on more than one occasion when he neglected to take a swinger and/or exacta where the card numbers add up to 12, eg. 1x11 or 2X10, etc. This 'theory' only applied to Gosforth Park and was sometimes extrapolated to include the draw, so if no 1 is drawn 5, and no 5 is drawn 1, the swinger and/or exacta 1x5 is a 'certainty' or 'can't lose' or will 'shit in' - lol.

Welcome to the Julie Alexander School Of Illiteracy, Scotia!

It's actually TERMINOLOGY and not TERMONOLOGY........

Last night Julie breathlessly announced the International Jockeys. Amongst the visitors ( according to Julie ) is one Christophe Soumillon ( pronounced sue-me-yon ) who Julie calls sue-millon. One would really like to believe that she has heard this world class jockey's name called at least once on Tellytrack. But then maybe she was busy unravelling the mysteries of a Cutex nail polish bottle at the time..........

Well spotted Garrick, no wonder I was having a problem trying to "Gooble" it!

This should cover most, I love the ZERO =

Accumulator A cumulative bet where the bettor designates a selection in several races or events and bets on the first one; if he wins, the winnings become his bet on the next; and so on (also see fold bets).
Across the Board Where (particularly US horse racing) win, place and show pools are offered, this is a bet of equal stakes on each outcome.
Action A bet or wager of any kind is deemed Action if valid. Different rules apply in different sports in determining if a bet is action or no action (e.g. baseball bets are action when the game gets beyond 4½ innings).
Ajax UK Slang term for Betting Tax.
Also Ran Any selection not finishing 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th in a race or event.
Ante-Post Ante-post prices are those on major sporting events, usually prior to the day of the event itself. In return for the chance of better odds, punters risk the fact that stakes are not returned if their selection pulls out.
Any To Come (ATC) Term used to describe when the whole or part of returns from one wager are automatically reinvested on a subsequent bet.
Arbitrage Where a variation in odds available allows a punter to back both sides and guarantee a win.
B


Banker A punter's strong selection or "sure thing". An almost guaranteed winner, as in a Lock. Also, in permutation bets the banker is a selection that must win to guarantee any returns.
Bar Those runners in a race not quoted with a price during early betting shows. The bar price is the minimum odds for any of those selections not quoted.
Baseball (US) In horse racing, a Daily double is a play in which a bettor couples a horse in one race with all horses in the other (also known as "wheeling").
Beard (US) A contact (friend or acquaintance) who places bets for a bettor who wants to hide their identity from bookmakers.
Beeswax UK slang term for betting tax. (also known as "bees" or "ajax")
Bettor (US) Someone who has a bet. A "punter" in the UK.
Betting Tax Tax on a bookmaker's turnover. More correctly, in the UK this is a "duty" charged by Customs and Excise at the rate of 6.75p on every pound wagered. Common methods of recouping this are to deduct tax from returns or allow the punter to pay tax with his stake. In the latter event, no tax is deducted from the punter's winnings.
Blind Bet A bet made by a racetrack bookmaker to draw other bookmakers' attention away from his sizeable betting on another horse- and thus to avoid a shortening of the odds on the other horse.
Book A bookmaker's tally of amounts bet on each competitor, and odds necessary to assure him of profit.
Bookmaker A person or company who accepts bets from the public, usually on racing or sports events (also known as a "bookie").
Bottle UK slang, Odds of 2 to 1.
Breakage (US) Difference between true pari-mutuel odds and lesser, rounded amounts given to winning bettors. The substantial residues go to the racetracks and controlling state authorities.
Bridge-Jumper (US) Bettor who specializes in large show bets on odd-on favourites.
Buck (US) A bet of $100 USD (also known as a "dollar bet").
Burlington Bertie Odds of 100 to 30 (also known as "scruffy and dirty"). About the only remaining example of French Odds still commonly used.
Buy Price In Spread or Index betting, the higher figure quoted by an Index bookmaker.
Buy the Rack (US) Purchase every possible daily-double or other combination ticket.
C


C of E Slang for UK Customs and Excise.
Canadian A multiple bet consisting of 26 bets (10 doubles, 10 trebles, 5 4-folds and 1 5-fold) with 5 selections in different events (also known as a "Super Yankee").
Carpet UK slang for Odds of 3 to 1 (also known as "tres" or "gimmel")
Carpet Joint US Slang for a luxury gambling casino.
Century £100 GBP (also known as a "ton")
Chalk (US) Betting favourite.
Chalk Player (US) Bettor on favourites.
Circled Game (US) When a bookmaker puts a limit on the amount of action they are prepared to take on the game. This is most often due to doubts about key players.
Client (US) Purchaser of betting information from horseman or other tipster.
Clocker (US) Person who times workouts, usually for betting information.
Close (US) Final odds on a horse (e.g. "closed at 5 to 1"). Confusingly equates to "Starting Price" in the UK.
Co-Favourites Where three or more competitors share the status as favourite (have lowest odds).
Combination (US) Across the board bet for which a single pari-mutuel ticket is issued.
Consolation Double (US) When horse is scratched from 2nd race after daily double betting begins, money is set aside to pay those who have bought tickets pairing this horse with winner of 1st race.
Cover In sports betting, beating the spread by a required number of points. To "cover the spread".
D


Daily Double (US) Form of pari-mutuel betting in which the bettor makes a combination bet on two horses in two races. If the bettor wins on the 1st race, his winnings become his stake on the 2nd.
Dead Heat Where two or more competitors finish tied. For non-pari-mutuel betting purposes in a dead heat, full odds are paid to half the stake (one third if a triple dead heat, etc.).
Dime (US) A bet of $1,000 USD (also known as a "dime bet").
Dividend (see Tote Returns)
Dog (US) The underdog in any betting proposition.
Dog Player (US) A bettor who mainly wagers on the underdog.
Double A bet consisting of two selections, both of which must win for the wager to be successful.
Double Stakes About (or DSA) Like Single Stakes About, but where returns from the 1st winning selection are invested at double the original stake on the 2nd selection. (Note: you can also have Triple SA, Quadruple SA etc.).
Double Carpet UK slang for Odds of 33 to 1, based on Carpet.
Doubling-up The basis of some widely used systems. After a loss the player doubles the size of his previous bet hoping to win back the money lost and make a profit. Also known as a Martingale system.
Drift When the odds on a competitor "lengthen", they are said to have "drifted" or be "on the drift".
Dual Forecast A tote bet operating in races of 3 or more declared runners in which the punter has to pick the first two to finish in either order.
Dutch (US) Eliminating heavily bet non-contenders, betting on others in exact proportions necessary to yield some profit no matter which wins.
E


Each-Way A bet which consists of two wagers. The first is for the selection to win and the second is for the selection to place, at a proportional price dependant on the place terms.
Evens Odds of 1 to 1 (also known as "scotch" or "levels").
Exacta (US) Form of betting in which bettor attempts to pick winner and 2nd horse, buying one mutuel ticket on the double choice (also known as "exactor" or "perfecta").
Exotic Wager (US) Any wager which is not a straight bet, e.g. round robin, parlay, teaser.
F


Favourite (fav) The competitor considered most likely to win and therefore has the shortest or lowest odds (also known as the "jolly" or "sponk").
Fold When preceded by a number, a fold indicates the number of selections in an accumulator (e.g. 5-Fold= 5 selections).
Figure To have a winning chance or the handicapper's rating number that identifies the winning chance (also "fig.").
Flag A bet consisting of 23 bets (a "Yankee" plus 6 "Single Stakes About" bets in pairs) on 4 selections in different event.
Flash (US) Change of odds information on tote board.
Forecast A wager that involves correctly predicting the 1st and 2nd for a particular event. This bet can be reversed or permed (also see dual and straight forecasts).
Form Past performances used to give an indication of the competitor's chances. In US, short for the Daily Racing Form.
Form Player A bettor who makes selections from past-performance records.
French Odds Expression of odds as 100 to 6, 100 to 8, etc. The name goes back to the days when the French had a "metric" money system while UK still used 1 pound of 240 old pence.
Full Cover All the doubles, trebles and accumulators involved in a given number of selections.
Futures (US) Odds offered on winners of sporting events in advance of the event itself (see ante-post).
G


Goliath A multiple consisting of 247 bets (28 doubles, 56 trebles, 70 4-folds, 56 5-folds, 28 6-folds, 8 7-folds and 1 8-fold) involving 8 selections in different events.
Grand £1,000 GBP (also known as a "big 'un")
H


Handicap A method used by bookmakers to make a one-sided event become a more attractive betting proposition. Teams are awarded a number of points start depending on their calibre (also known as the "pointspread" or "line").
Handle (US) Total sum bet on a race or in a day or some other period.
Hang Cheng A form of soccer betting popular in Asia where returns on a team winning or drawing are determined by part-goal handicaps.
Hedging A bet made by a cautious bookie on a horse on which he has accepted large bets - in order to cut his losses if the horse wins (also known as a "lay-off bet").
Heinz A multiple bet consisting of 57 bets (15 doubles, 20 trebles, 15 4-folds, 6 5-folds and 1 6-fold) involving 6 horses in different races.
House A casino or gambling centre. Also the operators of a gambling game.
I


In the Money Describes the horses in a race that finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd (and sometimes 4th) or the horses on which money will be paid to bettors, depending on the place terms.
J

Joint Favourites (jt-fav) When bookmakers cannot separate two horses or teams for favouritism, they are made joint favourites.
Jolly The favourite.
Juice (US) The commission paid to the bookmaker (also known as vigorish).
K


Kite UK slang for a cheque ("check" in the US).
L


Layer A bookmaker or one who "lays" odds.
LBO Acronym for "Licensed Betting Office" in the UK.
Long Odds Odds (e.g. 100 to 1) offered against a competitor unlikely to win.
Lines Handicaps, pointspreads and odds offered to the punter.
Linemaker One who compiles or sets the original or subsequent betting lines.
Lock (US) Term used for an almost guaranteed winner.
Longshot The outsider or unfancied runner, usually against which "long odds" have been offered.
Lucky 15,31,63 Multiple bets on all possible combinations of 4, 5 or 6 selections. A Lucky 15 (same as a Yap) is 4 selections, so 4 singles, 6 doubles, 4 trebles and 1 accumulator = 15 bets.
M


Machines (US) The pari-mutuel computers/calculators.
Martingale Betting system based on doubling-up.
Minus Pools (US) In pari-mutuel betting, a situation in which so much money is bet on a horse (usually to show) that the pool is insufficient, after take and breakage, to pay holders of winning tickets the legal minimum odds.
Monkey £500 GBP.
Morning Line Forecast of probable odds.
Mutuel Pool Total amount bet to win, place or show in a race. Also total amount bet on daily double, exacta, quinella, etc.
N


Nap The selection that racing correspondents and tipsters nominate as their strongest selection of the day or meeting. Reputed to stand for "Napoleon".
Nickel (US) A bet of $500 USD.
No Action see Action.
O


Odds Odds are the bookmaker's view of the chance of a competitor winning (adjusted to include a profit).
Odds-against Where the odds are greater than evens (e.g. "5 to 2").
Odds Compiler The person working for the bookmaker who sets the odds following research and his own feelings.
Odds Man (US) At tracks where computers are not in use, an employee who calculates changing odds as betting progresses.
Odds-on Where the odds are shorter than evens (e.g. "4 to 7"). If the selection wins, the amount won is less than the amount staked (don't forget, you get your stake back as well!).
Off the Board (US) A horse so lightly bet that its pari-mutuel odds exceed 99 to 1. Also, a game or event on which the bookie will not accept action.
Off the Top The practice of deducting a fixed "take" percentage from the pari-mutuel pool before paying holders of winning tickets.
Off-Track Betting conducted away from the track.
On the Nose (US) A bet that a horse will win.
OTB (US) Acronym for "Off-Track Betting" in the US, legal only in certain states.
Outsider (also known as "The Rag").
Overbroke Where the book results in a loss for the bookmaker.
Overlay Horse whose odds are high by comparison with its good winning chances.
Overround Profit margin in the bookmaker's favour.
P


Pari-Mutuel A means of gambling on races in which all bets are pooled and winners are paid according to size of pool and the number of other winners. Often shortened in US to mutuel.
Parlay (US) Term for an accumulator bet in horse racing. Also, a wager on two or more teams in which both must win or "cover" for the bet to be lucrative.
Patent A multiple bet consisting of 7 bets involving 3 selections in different events. A single on each selection, plus 3 doubles and 1 treble.
Permutations It is possible to "perm" bets or selections (e.g. on 4 selections all the possible doubles could be "permed" making 6 bets).
Pic Six (US) A proposition which challenges the bettor to pick six winners of six successive races (also known as "pick six" or "five-ten").
Picks The selections chosen by an expert to bet on (also known as "tips").
Pitch The position where a bookmaker conducts his business on a racecourse.
Place (US) The term used to describe a 2nd place finish.
Place Terms In non pari-mutuel betting, the returns for place bets are calculated as a proportion of the win odds. This varies between events and sports. Bookmakers clearly advertise the place terms in operation when the bet is struck.
Pointspread The start that the favourite gives the underdog. Also known as the "line" or "handicap".
Pony £25 GBP.
Pool Total amount bet for win, place or show, or in a daily double.
Punter UK term for someone who has a bet ("bettor" in the US).
Q


Quinella (US) A bet in which the bettor predicts the horses that will finish 1st and 2nd, regardless of order (sometimes called a "quiniela").
R

Right Price (US) Among players, pari-mutuel odds high enough to warrant risking a bet on a particular animal.
Ringer A horse (or greyhound) entered in a race under another's name - usually a good runner replacing a poorer one.
Roundabout A bet consisting of 3 bets involving three selections in different events (i.e. 1 single any to come and double stake double on remaining two selections, 3 times).
Rounder A bet consisting of 3 bets involving three selections in different events (i.e. 1 single any to come a single stake double on remaining two selections, 3 times).
Round Robin A bet consisting of 10 bets (3 pairs of "Single Stakes About" bets plus 3 doubles and 1 treble) involving three selections in different events.
Round Robin (US) A series of three or more teams into two-team wagers.
Runner (US) In racing, a bookie's employee who gathers information on the progress of betting elsewhere on the course. Also, a messenger "running" to and from pari-mutuel windows for occupants of clubhouse boxes.
S


Sawdust Joint (US) A term for a non-luxury gambling club.
Score £20 GBP.
Score (US) To win a race or a bet. Also, a victory.
Scratch (US) The withdrawal of a competitor.
Scratch Sheet (US) Daily publication that includes graded handicaps, tips and scratches.
Settler A bookmaker's expert who calculates payouts.
Shoo In (US) A supposed cinch bet or guaranteed victor. Also, a fixed race.
Shortening the Odds A bookmaker's reduction of the odds offered in the face of heavy betting.
Short Price (US) Small pari-mutuel payoff.
Show (US) The term used to describe a 3rd place finish.
Shut Out (US) What happens to a bettor who gets on the betting line to late and is still waiting in line when the window closes. Also, in sports betting, when the losing team do not score.
Single A "straight" bet on one selection to win one race or event.
Single Stakes About (or SSA) A bet consisting of 2 bets on two selections (1 single on each selection any to come 1 single on the other selection reversed).
Six-Dollar Combine (US) An across-the-board bet in racing.
Smart Money Insiders' bets or the insiders themselves.
Spot Play (US) Type of play in which bettor risks money only on types of races and horses which seem relatively worthwhile risks.
Spread Betting A bet is won or lost according to whether you correctly predict the result of an event (also known as "action line" or "money line"). Returns or losses are calculated in proportion to how right or wrong the bettor is, and can lead to huge returns or losses.
Spreads Also known as handicaps.
Starting Price In non-pari-mutuel betting, unless a punter requests otherwise, all wagers are settled at starting price (SP). The SP is arrived at by taking the average available in the betting ring on the racecourse, shortly before the "off".
Stooper (US) Those who make a living picking up discarded mutuel tickets at racetracks and cashing those that have been thrown away by mistake.
Super Yankee Alternative name for a multiple bet known as Canadian, a Super Yankee is a Yankee type bet with five selections instead of four.
Store (US) A bookie.
Straight (US) Another term for a bet to win (i.e. "straight, place and show").
Straight Forecast A tote bet operating in races of 3 or more declared runners in which the punter has to pick the first and second to finish in the correct order.
Super Yankee see "Canadian".
Sure Thing Any bet that has very little chance of losing.
System A method of betting, usually mathematically based, used by a punter to get an advantage (if successful!).
T


Take (US) Money deducted from each pari-mutuel pool for track revenue and taxes.
Taking (US) Betting on the underdog. In a match bet, the underdog is usually odds against, so the bettor is "Taking the odds".
Take Out (US) That part of the pari-mutuel pools not returned as winnings.
Teaser (US) A pointspread based bet where the bettor can move the line in his favour (in return for reduced odds).
Thick 'un A big bet.
Ticketer (US) A forger of bookmakers' tickets.
Tic-Tac The code of hand signals by which UK oncourse bookmakers' employees relay information on current odds and betting around the course (e.g. "top of the head"= 9 to 4, "up the arm"= 11 to .
Tiercé A French combination bet in which the bettor predicts the horses that will finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
Tips The selections chosen by an expert to bet on (also known as "picks").
Tipster A person who gives or sells to bettors his estimate of likely winners of a race, game or event (also known as a "tout").
Totalisator (US) Automated pari-mutuel machine which records bets as soon as tickets are dispensed at betting windows.
Totals Sports bet on whether the total score will be over/under a given mark.
Tote 'The Horserace Totalisator Board' otherwise known as "The Tote". A body in the UK set up to operate pool-betting on all racecourses.
Tote Returns Returns from a tote pool (also known as a "dividend"). Calculated by taking the total stake in each pool (after the take out) and dividing it by the number of winning tickets. A dividend is declared to a fixed stake, for various win, place and forecast pools.
Tote Board A racecourse information board that displays approximate odds, betting totals, payout prices and other information necessary to the punter.
Tout To give or sell betting advice or one who does so (also known as a "tipster").
Treble A bet consisting of 3 selections, all of which must win for the wager to be successful.
Tricast A bet which involves correctly predicting the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in an event.
Trifecta (US) Bet in which the bettor picks the first three finishers in exact order (also known as "triple").
Trixie A multiple bet consisting of 4 bets (3 doubles and 1 treble) with 3 selections in different events.
Turf Accountant The UK euphemism for a bookmaker.
U


Underdog The team that receives a point start in a handicap.
Union Jack A bet consisting of 8 trebles on 9 selections A to I: ABC, DEF, GHI, ADG, BEH, CFI, AEI, and CEG. Union Jack
V


Value Getting the best odds on a wager.
Vigorish (US) The bookmaker's commission (also known as "vig" or "juice").
W


Welsh/Welch To fail to pay a gambling bet.
Wheel (US) A form of betting in which daily double, perfecta or quinella player makes every possible combination bet on his favoured horse or horses.
Wheeling (US) A racing system devised for the daily double bet in which the bettor backs one horse in the first race and every horse in the second (also known as "baseball" or "locking").
Win The term used to describe a 1st place finish.
Winning Margin A bet to predict the winning margin of one team over another.
Wise Guy (US) A knowledgeable or well-informed bettor or handicapper.
With the Field Having one horse linked with all the other horses in an event. It can apply to forecasts or in doubles.
X


"X" Taken to mean 'a draw' on a soccer betting coupon.
Y

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Yankee A multiple bet consisting of 11 bets (6 doubles, 4 trebles and 1 4-fold) on 4 selections in different events.
Yap "Yankee Patent" - The same 11 bets as a "Yankee", but with singles on each of the 4 selections as well, making 15 bets in all (also known as a "Lucky 15").
Z


Zero The value of most betting systems and tips!

" GIN STRIKE " means exactly what ?

And a RIG?

a roar when your horse comes to challenge "COME ON YA HONEY I NEED THE MONEY"