Glossary

Moneyline (ML)

A bet on which team will win the game outright, with no point spread. Odds are expressed as positive or negative numbers.

Celtics -150 means you bet $150 to win $100. Hawks +130 means a $100 bet wins $130.

Spread (ATS)

A handicap applied to the favored team. The favorite must win by more than the spread for a spread bet to pay out.

Knicks -4.5 means they must win by 5 or more points to cover the spread.

Over/Under (O/U / Total)

A bet on whether the combined score of both teams will be over or under a set number.

O/U 215.5 means you bet on whether the total score exceeds 215 points.

Implied Probability

The likelihood of an outcome as suggested by the odds. Calculated by converting moneyline odds to a percentage.

-200 odds imply a 66.7% chance of winning. +200 odds imply a 33.3% chance.

Win Probability

The estimated chance a team has of winning, calculated from consensus odds across multiple bookmakers. Removes the vig for a fair estimate.

Vig (Vigorish / Juice)

The commission the sportsbook charges on each bet. It's why both sides of a bet don't add up to exactly 100%.

A typical -110/-110 line has about 4.5% vig built in.

Expected Value (EV)

The average amount you'd expect to win or lose per bet if you placed the same wager many times. Positive EV (+EV) bets are profitable long-term.

Closing Line Value (CLV)

The difference between the odds you got when you placed your bet and the final odds at game time. Consistently beating the closing line is the best predictor of long-term profit.

Sharp / Square

Sharp bettors are professional, well-informed bettors. Square (or public) bettors are recreational. Sharp books like Pinnacle are slow to limit winners; public books like DraftKings cater to casual bettors.

Steam Move

A sudden, significant line movement caused by heavy, coordinated sharp action. The line moves quickly across multiple sportsbooks.

Out

The player has been ruled out and will not play. This is confirmed and not expected to change.

Day-To-Day

The player has an injury that is being monitored daily. Their availability is uncertain and may be decided close to game time.

Questionable

The player has roughly a 50/50 chance of playing. Their status will typically be updated closer to tip-off.

ATS Record

A team's record against the spread. A team can lose a game but still cover the spread if they lose by fewer points than the spread.

If the Sixers are +6.5 and lose by 4, they covered the spread (ATS win).

First-Half / First-Quarter Lines

Bets on the outcome of just the first half or first quarter, rather than the full game. Useful for teams with strong or weak starts.

Consensus Line

The average or most common line across multiple sportsbooks. DunkCash shows consensus spreads and totals derived from all available bookmakers.