acca insurance
Short for accumulator insurance, an offer by a bookmaker to refund your stake if you win all but one of the wagers in an accumulator that includes a minimum number of selections - typically either five or six. In some cases, the stake is refunded in the form of a free bet.
accumulator
Also known as a parlay or all up bet, an accumulator is a series of wagers on the outcomes of multiple events. If an initial wager is won, the stake and winnings are placed on the next wager in the series. If any of the wagers is lost, the entire bet is lost.
accumulator insurance
action
Any valid bet.
against the spread
all in bet
A bet on which the whole bank is staked.
all up bet
all weather racing
Horse racing that occurs on an artificial surface - such as a polytrack or fibresand surface - and that as a result, can continue in all weather.
allowance
A condition that horses must meet to be eligible to run a particular race. Also see allowance race.
allowance race
In the UK, a category of race that ranks higher than a maiden race but lower than a stakes race. Typically conditions are set on which horses may run this race type. For example, the condition may be non-winner of three lifetime, meaning that the horses haven't won more than three races.
alphabet
An Alphabet bet combines several different multiple bets. It gets its name from the fact that every Alphabet bet comprises 26 separate bets.
also eligible
Abbreviated as AE, a term used in horse racing to describe horses that may enter a race if there's a scratch (cancellation).
American odds
ante-post bet
An antepost bet is a bet made before the day on which an event is held.
any to come
Abbreviated as ATC, an any to come bet is a bet on two selections that includes a condition. If part of the wager yields a sufficient return, an agreed amount is wagered on one or more other selections.
apprentice
In horse racing, a jockey who has been riding for less than a year or who has won fewer than 45 races. Jockeys in this category are typically allowed to carry less weight than more experienced jockeys.
apron
On a racecourse, the area between the grandstand and the track.
arber
A slang term for an arbitrageur - someone who uses the strategy of arbitrage, which involves backing all possible outcomes of an event in a way that exploits differences in bookmakers' odds to guarantee a risk-free return.
arbitrage
Arbitrage is backing all possible outcomes of an event in a way that exploits differences in bookmakers' odds, to guarantee a risk-free return irrespective of the actual outcome.
Asian handicap
A type of football handicap betting market originating in Asia. Teams are handicapped with goal deductions according to form. This requires them to not just win, but score more than a specified number of goals for the bet to pay out.
at the post
In horse racing, a phrase meaning that all horses are secure at the starting gate and ready for a race to start.
ATC
AW
Abbreviation for all weather. It's used to identify horse races that will be run in any weather, usually because they're run on an artificial surface, such as a polytrack or fibresand surface.
asian handicap bet
Asian handicap betting is a popular form of football match betting that typically ‘forces’ a bet on a football game to either win or lose by adding or subtracting goals to the final score of one of the teams.