Ts Meaning Horse Racing
Posted By admin On 08/04/22Betting Terms and Jargon Buster. The betting world can be a confusing place, especially with all the betting terms flying around. This handy jargon-buster guide can help you better understand some of the common betting terms, so you can join in with the punting-talk next time you’re at the races. Horse racing is arguably the biggest sport in the UK when it comes to betting, with racing every day and major events such as Cheltenham and the Grand National welcoming wagers totalling the millions. Horse Racing Terms and Jargon Buster. The world of horse racing contains plenty of confusing words, some of which may mean very little to the unseasoned horse racing fan. This handy jargon-buster can help you understand some of the common horse racing terms, so you can join in with the horse-talk next time you’re at the races. Term used by the bloodstock industry to denote a horse that has won or been placed in a Pattern/Listed race. Horses ‘going for black type’ are attempting to win or be placed in a Pattern/Listed race to improve their breeding value.
- Abandoned
- A race meeting which has been cancelled because a club did not receive sufficient nominations to be able to stage it, or because of bad weather which made racing on the track unsafe. All bets placed on abandoned races are fully refunded.
- Acceptor
- A runner officially listed to start in a race.
- Accumulator
- (Also, Parlay) A multiple bet. A kind of 'let-it-ride' bet. Making simultaneous selections on two or more races with the intent of pressing the winnings of the first win on the bet of the following race selected, and so on. All the selections made must win for you to win the accumulator.
- Across The Board
- (See 'Place') A bet on a horse to win, place or show. Three wagers combined in one. If the horse wins, the player wins all three wagers, if second, two, and if third, one.
- Age
- All thoroughbreds count January 1 as their birth date.
- Ajax
- UK slang term for 'Betting Tax'.
- All-age Race
- A race for two-year-olds and up.
- All Out
- A horse who is trying to the best of his ability.
- Allowances
- Reductions in weights to be carried allowed because of certain conditions such as; an apprentice jockey is on a horse, a female horse racing against males, or three-year-olds racing against older horses.
- All Weather Racing
- Racing that takes place on an artificial surface.
- Also Ran
- Any selection not finishing 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th in a race or event.
- Ante Post
- (Also, Futures) Bets placed in advance predicting the outcome of a future event. 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 or is cancelled.
- Apprentice
- A trainee jockey. An apprentice will usually ride only flat races.
- Approximates
- The approximate price a horse is quoted at before a race begins. Bookmakers use these approximates as a guide to set their boards.
- Arbitrage
- Where a variation in odds available allows a punter to back both sides and guarantee a win.
- ART
- Artificial Turf.
- ATS
- Against The Spread.
- AWT
- All weather track.
- Baby Race
- A race for two-year-olds.
- Back
- To bet or wager.
- Backed
- A 'backed' horse is one on which lots of bets have been placed.
- Backed-In
- A horse which is backed-in means that bettors have outlaid a lot of money on that horse, with the result being a decrease in the odds offered.
- Back Marker
- In a standing start event, which is handicapped, the horse who is given the biggest handicap is known as the backmarker.
- Backstretch
- The straight way on the far side of the track.
- Back Straight
- The straight length of the track farthest away from the spectators and the winning post.
- Backward
- A horse that is either too young or not fully fit.
- Banker
- (Also, Key) Highly expected to win. The strongest in a multiple selection in a parlay or accumulator. In permutation bets the banker is a selection that must win to guarantee any returns.
- Bar Price
- Refers to the odds of 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.
- Barrier
- (Also, Tape) A starting device used in steeple chasing consisting of an elastic band stretched across the racetrack which retracts when released.
- Barrier Draw
- The ballot held by the race club to decide which starting stall each runner will occupy.
- Bat
- (Also, Stick) A jockey's whip.
- Beard
- (US) - A friend or acquaintance or other contact who is used to placing bets so that the bookmakers will not know the identity of the actual bettor. Many top handicappers and persons occupying sensitive positions use this method of wagering.
- Bearing In
- (Out) - Failing to maintain a straight course, veering to the left or right. Can be caused by injury, fatigue, outside distraction, or poor riding.
- Beeswax
- UK slang term for betting tax. Also known as 'Bees' or 'Ajax'.
- Bell Lap
- In harness racing, the last lap of a race, signified by the ringing of the bell.
- Bet
- A transaction in which monies are deposited or guaranteed.
- Betting Board
- A board used by the bookmaker to display the odds of the horses engaged in a race.
- Betting Ring
- The main area at a racecourse where the bookmakers operate.
- Betting Tax
- Tax on a Bookmaker's turnover. In the UK this is a 'Duty' levied on every Pound wagered. Common methods of recouping this by the punter are to deduct tax from returns (winnings) or to pay tax with the stake/wager. In the latter case, no tax is deducted from the punter's winnings.
- Bettor
- (US) - Someone who places or has a bet. A 'Punter' in the UK.
- Beyer Number
- A handicapping tool, popularized by author Andrew Beyer, assigning a numerical value to each race run by a horse based on final time and track condition. This enables different horses running at different racetracks to be objectively compared.
- Bismarck
- A favourite which the bookmakers do not expect to win.
- Blanket Finish
- When the horses finish so close to the winning line you could theoretically put a single blanket across them.
- Blind Bet
- A bet made by a racetrack bookmaker on another horse to divert other bookmakers' attention away from his sizeable betting on his/her main horse thus to avoid a shortening of the odds on the main horse.
- Blinkers
- A cup-shaped device applied over the sides of the horse's head near his eyes to limit his vision. This helps to prevent him from swerving away from distracting objects or other horses on either side of him. Blinker cups come in a variety of sizes and shapes to allow as little or as much vision as the trainer feels is appropriate.
- Board
- Short for 'Tote Board' on which odds, betting pools and other race information are displayed.
- Bomb
- (er) - A winning horse sent off at very high odds.
- Book
- A bookmaker's tally of amounts bet on each competitor, and odds necessary to assure him of profit.
- Bookie
- (U.K.) Short for bookmaker. The person or shop who accepts bets.
- Bookmaker
- Person who is licensed to accept bets on the result of an event based on their provision of odds to the customer. (Sportsbook US).
- Bottle
- UK slang, odds of 2 to 1.
- Box
- A wagering term denoting a combination bet whereby all possible numeric combinations are covered.
- Boxed
- (in) - To be trapped between other horses.
- Bobble
- A bad step away from the starting gate, sometimes caused by the ground breaking away from under a horse and causing him to duck his head or go to his knees.
- Bolt
- Sudden veering from a straight course.
- Book
- A collection of all the bets taken on fixed odds betting events.
- Bookmaker
- (Bookie) - A person registered and licensed to bet with the public.
- Breakage
- Those pennies that are left over in pari-mutuel payoffs which are rounded out to a nickel or dime.
- Breeders' Cup
- Thoroughbred racing's year-end championship. Known as Breeders' Cup Day, it consists of eight races conducted on one day at a different racetrack each year with purses and awards totalling $13 million. First run in 1984.
- Bridge-Jumper
- (US) - Bettor who specializes in large show bets on odd-on favourites.
- Buck
- (US) - A bet of US$ 100 (also known as a 'dollar bet').
- Bug Boy
- An apprentice rider.
- Bull Ring
- Small racetrack less than one mile around.
- Burkington Bertie
- 100/30.
- 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.
- Canadian
- Also known as a Super Yankee. A Canadian is a combination bet consisting of 26 bets with 5 selections in different events. The combination bet is made up of 10 doubles, 10 trebles, five 4-folds and one 5-fold.
- Card
- Another term for fixture or race meeting.
- Carpet
- UK slang for Odds of 3 to 1 (also known as 'Tres' or 'Gimmel').
- Caulk
- Projection on the bottom of a shoe to give the horse better traction, especially on a wet track.
- Century
- GBP£ 100 (also known as a 'Ton').
- Chalk
- Wagering favorite in a race. Dates from the days when on-track bookmakers would write current odds on a chalkboard.
- Chalk Player
- Bettor who wagers on favorites.
- Chase
- See 'Steeplechase'.
- Checked
- A horse pulled up by his jockey for an instant because he is cut off or in tight quarters.
- Chute
- Extension of the backstretch or homestretch to allow a longer straight run.
- Client
- (US) - Purchaser of betting information from horseman or other tipster.
- Close
- (US) - Final odds on a horse (e.g. 'closed at 5 to 1'). Confusingly equates to 'Starting Price' in the UK.
- Closer
- A horse that runs best in the latter part of the race (closing race), coming from off the pace.
- Co-Favorites
- Where three or more competitors share the status as favorite.
- Colors
- (Colours) - Racing silks, the jacket and cap worn by jockeys. Silks can be generic and provided by the track or specific to one owner.
- Colt
- An ungelded (entire) male horse four-years-old or younger.
- Combination Bet
- Selecting any number of teams/horses to finish first and second in either order.
- Conditional Jockey
- Same as 'Apprentice' but also allowed to jump.
- Correct Weight
- Horses are allocated a weight to carry that is checked before and, for at least the placegetters, after a race. Correct weight must be signaled before bets can be paid out.
- Daily Double
- Type of wager calling for the selection of winners of two consecutive races, usually the first and second. See 'Late Double'.
- Daily Racing Form
- A daily newspaper containing racing information including news, past performance data and handicapping.
- Daily Triple
- A wager where the bettor must select the winner of three consecutive races.
- Dead Heat
- A tie. Two or more horses finishing equal in a race.
- Dead Track
- Racing surface lacking resiliency.
- Declaration Of Weights
- The publication of weights allocated to each horse nominated for a race by the handicapper.
- Declared
- In the United States, a horse withdrawn from a stakes race in advance of scratch time. In Europe, a horse confirmed to start in a race.
- Deductions
- When a horse is scratched from a race after betting on that race has already started, deductions are taken out of the win and place bets at a rate in proportion to the odds of the scratched horse.
- Derby
- A stakes event for three-year-olds.
- Dime
- (US) - A bet of USD$ 1,000 (also known as a 'dime bet').
- Distanced
- Well beaten, finishing a long distance behind the winner.
- Dividend
- The amount that a winning or placed horse returns for every $1 bet by the bettor.
- Dog
- (US) - The underdog in any betting proposition.
- Dog Player
- (US) - A bettor who mainly wagers on the underdog.
- Double
- Selecting the winners in two specific races.
- Double Carpet
- UK slang for Odds of 33 to 1, based on 'Carpet'.
- Draw
- Refers to a horse's placing in the starting stalls. For flat racing only. Stall numbers are drawn at random.
- Drift
- (Also, Ease) Odds that 'Lengthen', are said to have drifted, or be 'On The Drift'.
- Driving
- Strong urging by rider.
- 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.
Betting Terms and Jargon Buster
The betting world can be a confusing place, especially with all the betting terms flying around. This handy jargon-buster guide can help you better understand some of the common betting terms, so you can join in with the punting-talk next time you’re at the races.
Ts Meaning Horse Racing
What Does Ts Mean Horse Racing
Betting Term | Description |
Accumulator | A bet involving more than one selection with the winnings from each selection going on to the next selection. All selections must be successful to get a return. |
Ante-post | A bet on a race well in advance of the day of the race. |
Back | A bet on a horse to win (or each-way). The opposite of lay, and the more traditional bet type. |
Banker | A supposedly certain bet. |
Bar | The lowest odds of horses not mentioned in the betting forecast ’20-1 bar’ means those not quoted are 20-1 or bigger. |
Best Odds Guaranteed | A special offer whereby your bookmaker agrees to settle your bet at the starting price (SP) if it is greater than the early price you took when placing a bet |
Betting exchange | A betting website whereby you are betting against other people, rather than against the bookmaker. |
Canadian | A canadian consists of 26 bets involving 5 selections in different events. The bet includes 10 doubles, 10 trebles, 5 four-folds plus an accumulator. A minimum of two must win to guarantee a return |
Cash out | Taking a payout offered by your bookmaker before the completion of a bet. |
Co favourite | A horse who leads the market with one or more horses. |
Dividend | The amount that a winning bet or placed horse returns for every £1 bet. Term often associated with Tote pools. |
Drifter | A horse who finds its price getting bigger prior to the race beginning. |
Duel forecast | A reverse forecast (or dual forecast) is a bet where the aim is to predict the winner and runner-up in either order. |
Dutch | Backing two or more horses in a race, increasing your chances of finding a winner but essentially at shorter odds. |
Each way | A bet where half the total stake is for the selection to win and half is for the selection to be placed. The bet will be settled differently depending on whether the horse wins or places. |
Edge | A punters advantage in a bet. |
Evens | A price of 1-1. Your stake brings equal winnings: e.g. £10 staked at evens wins £10 (total return £20). |
Favourite | The shortest priced horse in the race, the market leader. |
Fold | A fold represents the number of selections in an accumulator, a four-fold consists of 1 bet with 4 legs that all must win for a return. |
Forecast | A bet where the aim is to predict both the winner and runner-up in a race. A straight forecast is the winner and runner-up in the correct order. |
Goliath | A bet consisting of 247 bets involving 8 selections. The bet includes 28 doubles, 56 trebles, 70 four-folds, 56 five-folds, 28 six-folds, 8 seven-folds and an accumulator. A minimum of 2 of your selections must be successful to get a return. |
Hedging | This involves placing a bet on opposing outcome to the punters original selected outcome in order to guarantee winnings of cut losses. |
Heinz | A bet consisting of 57 bets involving 6 selections in different events. The bet includes 15 doubles, 20 trebles, 15 four-folds, 6 five-folds and an accumulator. A minimum of two of your selections must be successful to get a return. |
In the frame | Another term for a horse who has finished in the places. |
In-running | A bet placed during the race, as opposed to before the race begins. |
Joint favourite | If two horses have the shortest odds in the betting, they are described as joint-favourites. |
Jolly | A different term for the favourite in the market. |
Lay | A bet on a horse not to win (or not to place). The opposite of backing a horse. |
Longshot | A horse who appears to be unfancied in the market (20-1 shot etc). |
Lucky 15 | A bet consisting of 15 bets involving 4 selections in different events. The bet includes 4 singles, 6 doubles, 4 trebles, and 1 fourfold. Only one selection must win for a guaranteed return. |
Market Mover | A selection that changes in price significantly either way, by increasing in odds (drifting) or decreasing in odds (steaming). |
Match betting | A technique employed by many by using fixed odds on the exchange market. The technique covers multiple outcomes either through in-play betting or by finding differences in bookmaker odds. By covering multiple outcomes say by backing Team X to win and when/if they go up, by laying Team X to win, returns are guaranteed whatever the result. |
Monkey | Slang for £500. |
Multiple | A bet that consists of multiple horses. This is a broad term that could refer to a simple accumulator or more complex bets like a Lucky 31. |
Nap | The best bet of the day for a tipster. |
Odds | The chance offered for a selection to win. Also known as price. |
Odds compiler | A person who sets the odds offered by a bookmaker for any given race. |
Odds-against | A price that is bigger than evens. Betting odds where the potential winnings are higher than the stake. |
Odds-on | A price that is shorter than evens. Betting odds where the stake is higher than the potential winnings if the bet is successful. |
On the nose | Turn of phrase used to describe a narrow winning margin, often photo-finish winner. May or may not have actually won by a nose. |
Overround | The practice of factoring in a profit margin on the prices offered by a bookmaker. |
Patent | A bet consisting of 7 bets involving 3 selections. Including a single on each selection, plus 3 doubles and 1 treble. Just one successful selection guarantees a return. |
Permutations | Also known as combination bets. A permutation bet is a wager that involves a number of selections. |
Place | Backing a horse to finish in the places. The number of places depend on the number of runners, with two places available for a five to seven runner race, three places for eight to 15 runners, and four places for handicaps with 16 runners or more. Extra place terms are often offered by bookmakers. |
Pony | A slang term for £25. |
Price | Often referred to as odds. The chance a horse has been given by the market to win the race. |
Return | The amount of money to be returned to the person who placed a bet if it wins. |
Round Robin | A series of three or more selections in 2-fold accumulators. A round robin means 3 selections in different races, in 3 doubles, 1 treble and 6 single stakes about bets. |
Rule 4 | One of the most commonly invoked betting rules, dealing with deductions from winning bets in the event of any withdrawn runner(s) from a race. The rule applies to winning bets struck at prices (e.g. morning prices) laid before a withdrawal (other than ante-post bets, which are unaffected by Rule 4 (c) and to starting-price bets where, after a late withdrawal, there is insufficient time to re-form the market. The rate of deductions is in proportion to the odds of the non-runner(s) at the time of the withdrawal. |
Score | A slang term for £20. |
SP | Starting Price. The starting prices are the final odds prevailing at the time the race starts and are used to determine the payout to winning punters, unless a punter took a specified price at the time of placing the bet. |
Spread Betting | Similar to the handicap betting system. If you back a team to cover the spread, so a team will lose bu no more than 5 points, or win by more than 6 points. |
Stake | The amount of money you bet on a horse. |
Steamer | A horse who has shortened in the market considerably. |
Ton | Slang term for £100. |
Tote | A type of bet frequently placed at a racecourse. You can back horses to win or place, and a dividend is paid out afterwards to winning bets as the bets all go into a pool. The tote also runs other bets such as the placepot and jackpots |
Trixie | A bet consisting of 4 bets involving 3 selections. The bet includes 3 doubles and a treble. A minimum of two selections must be successful to get a return. |
Void bet | This is a bet which is declared invalid. The stake is returned without deduction. |
Yankee | A bet consisting of 11 bets involving 4 selections in different events. The bet includes 4 doubles, 4 trebles and an accumulator. A minimum of 2 of your selections must be successful to get a return. |