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All-Weather (AWT) - The name given to the four artificial surfaces at Lingfield Park, Wolverhampton, Southwell and most recently Kempton Park. Sometimes the term 'all-weather' is a bit of a misnomer as these meetings have been known to be abandoned because of weather! However, generally 'all-weather' racing does go ahead in weather that would cause the meeting to be cancelled elsewhere.

Ante Post - An "ante-post" bet is a long term advance bet on 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. In the Classics or big National Hunt events in horses racing this could be a year or more before the race takes place.

Apprentice - A young jockey who is tied to a trainer whilst gaining race-riding experience. When racing against professional jockeys, apprentices receive weight concessions to compensate for their relative inexperience.

Asian Handicap - A form of betting normally used with football which is very popular in Asia hence the name. "Handicap" means that a team receives a virtual head start, effectively leading the match by differing amount or amounts before it actually kicks off.
See our article on Asian Handicaps for more information.

Banker - A punter's strong selection or "sure thing". An almost guaranteed winner and very very fancied indeed. Also, in permutation bets the banker is a selection that must win to guarantee any returns. It is often the cornerstone of combination / perm bets.

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. Eg. '50 - 1 bar' means those not quoted are 50-1 or bigger

Best-price percentage - The odds available are nearly always balanced in favour of the bookmaker. A simple example is the toss of a coin where the chances of head or tails are 50:50. However, if the bookmaker were to offer even money on either event there would be no profit margin. Hence odds of 5-6 each of two would probably be offered. The Best Price Percentage figure (BPP) at the bottom of most of our odds tables calculates the percentage in favour of the bookmaker (i.e. 111 per cent means 11% in bookmaker's favour). Sometimes (very rarely) when some bookmakers oods wildly disagree the percentage can drop below 100% and therefore in the punter's favour.

Betting Forecast - A best guess in newspapers as to the likely starting prices in a race.

Birthday - All northern hemisphere thoroughbreds have their official birthday on January 1st regardless of their original day of birth.

Bismarck - A horse which is favourite but which the bookmakers nevertheless do not expect to win. Made famous by loudmouth bookie Barry Dennis who often names his 'Barry's Bismarck' selections on Channel 4 Racing.

Board Prices - Refers to the currently avaiable odds displayed on the boards of on-course bookmakers. It is from these that the starting prices (SP's) are derived.

Bottle - UK slang. A 'tic-tac' term for odds of 2 to 1.

Bumper - The informal term for a flat race for jump horses, in which they gain racing experience before going hurdling or chasing. Name originates from the days when they were restricted to amateur jockeys and is a description of their slightly ungainly riding styles!

Burlington Bertie - The 'tic-tac' term for oods of 100-30. Rhyming slang (One hundred to thirty).

Claimer - Race where a horse is handicapped by its trainer, with the weight relating to the amount of money the horse would cost should someone 'claim' it afterwards. As a result trainers are left with a balancing act between making the horse carrying too much weight to win the race or allowing it to be taken away too cheaply. It is also the colloquial term for an apprentice.

Classics - The collective term for the 1,000 Guineas, 2,000 Guineas, Oaks, Derby and St.Leger. These races are only open to three-year-olds, with the 1,000 Guineas and Oaks just for the female horses.

Co-Favourites - Where three or more competitors share the status as favourite. (have lowest odds).

Cockle - The 'tic-tac' term for 10-1.

Conditional - The jump equivalent of an apprentice.

Conditions Race - A race in which horses carry the same weight according to sex. They may be penalised by the adding of weight for races previously won or given allowances for age (called `weight for age').

Connections - Term used to refer to a horse's jockey, trainer and owner.

Dead Heat - Where two or more competitors finish tied. For betting purposes in a dead heat, full odds are paid to half the stake (one third if a triple dead heat, etc.).

Double - A multiple bet in which two selections must win or be placed (each way) on the same day. In sports betting, two events may be nominated on different days including major horse races advertised ante-post.

Double Carpet - UK slang for Odds of 33 to 1, based on Carpet.

Draw - The position a horse takes in the stalls prior to a flat race. The draw always goes from left to right, so on a right-handed or clockwise course stall the draw goes from outside to in but on a left-handed or anti-clockwise course the draw is inside to out. The draw can provide an advantage on some racecourses.

Drift - When the price of a selection moves out (or gets bigger), often due to a lack of support in the market. That selection is said to be "on the drift".

Dual Forecast - A tote bet where to win you must correctly forecast the first and second placed horses in a race in either order.

Ear'ole - The 'tic-tac' term for 6-4.

Enin - The 'tic-tac' term for 9-1.

Entire - Term for a thoroughbred horse aged five and above who hasn't been gelded. Also known as a horse.

Evens - Odds of 1 to 1 also known as "levels".

Filly - A female horse up to five years of age.

Flip Flop - Relates to the situation in the on-course betting market when two horses (usually the first two in the market) switch places with one's price getting larger and the others' getting smaller. Flip-flop favourites. Often used by the bespectacled deer-stalking wearing loudmouth John McCririck.

Furlong - The distance all flat races in the British Isles are measured. Equates to 220 yards and there are eight furlongs in a mile.

Gelding - A male horse that has been castrated. Geldings often show more consistent form.

Going - In horse racing, the official description of the state of the ground. This can range from Yielding to Hard with variants in between. (Yielding, Heavy, Soft, Good to Soft, Good, Good to Firm, Firm, Hard). A device called a Penetrometer is used in France to give a numbered reading and although it is used at a minority of British racecourses, the good old trusty stick remains the preferred tool for the job!

Goliath - A multiple bet consisting of eight selections in eight different races comprising 28 doubles, 56 trebles, 70 fourfolds, 56 fivefolds, 28 sixfolds, 8 sevenfolds and one eightfold. It is 247 bets win and 494 bets each way.

Guineas - Despite being phased out by the rest of the country during decimalisation in the early seventies, racehorses are still bought and sold at public auctions in the UK in Guineas. A Guinea is the equivalent of 21 shillings or £1.05 for those younger than 35.

Handicap - Probably the single most confusing issue for newcomers to racing. After it has raced a few times and been adequately assessed (there are different methods in different circumstances) a horse is awarded a handicap mark that allows it to be compared to all other horses under that code (horses can have different handicap marks for turf, all-weather, chase and hurdles races). A horse's handicap figure is then adjusted by the official handicappers judged on its subsequent racing performances. The mark a horse receives relates to the weight in carries in handicap races. So when a horse runs in a handicap, this figure will come into operation. If a colt is allotted a mark of 83 (130 is the mark of a top-class horse on the flat, over jumps it is nearer 180) and he wins a race, the handicapper may give him a 3lb rise meaning next time he runs his mark is 86 and so on. Remember this is a theoretical mark and does not relate to the physical weight a horse carries. The actual weight a horse carries is defined by the horses he races against.

Hedging - Offsetting a risk by using an investment which exposes you to an equal an opposite risk, or by making a gamble which exposes you to an equal and opposite risk. A bookmaker also hedges part or all of a bet (or an accumulation of wagers) in order to adjust the level of potential loss he is carrying on his book - this is also called 'laying off'. With the advent of betting exchanges regular punters can now hedge, lay off and adjust their positions during an event.

Heinz - A multiple bet consisting of six selections in six different races comprising 15 doubles, 20 trebles, 15 fourfolds, 6 fivefolds and one sixfold. It is 57 bets win and 114 bets each way.

Hunter Chase - A race restricted to horses that have hunted during the present hunting season. Not clear how this will evolve in a post-hunting world.

Hyped Horse - A horse given credence in the press or on TV for form that has not in fact been achieved.

Joint-favourite - When a bookmaker cannot split two selections for favouritism.

Jolly - The favourite.

Juvenile - In a flat race this refers to a two-year-old; in jump racing it is a three-year-old who turns four in mid-season on January 1st.

Layers - Another name for bookmakers.

Laying Off Bets - see Hedging.

Listed - A race just below group standard but above that of handicap and conditions races.

LBO - Acronym for "Licensed Betting Office" in the UK.

Longshot - The outsider or unfancied runner, usually against which "long odds" have been offered.

Lucky 15 - A multiple bet consisting of four selections in four different races/events comprising, four singles, six doubles, four trebles and one fourfold. It is 15 bets win and 30 bets each way. Usually, if there are four winners a 10% bonus is paid, usually at starting price. If there is only one winner, double the starting price odds are paid.

Lucky 31 - A multiple bet consisting of five selections in five different races/events comprising five singles, ten doubles, ten trebles, and one fivefold. It is 31 bets win and 62 bets each way. The bonuses paid vary with different bookmakers.

Lucky 63 - A multiple bet consisting of six selections in six different races comprising six singles, 15 doubles, 20 trebles, 15 fourfolds, six fivefolds and one sixfold. It is 63 bets win and 126 bets each way. Bonuses vary with different bookmakers.

Make Up - This is the value of an index which reflects the results of an event on which you had placed a spread bet.

Mare - Female horse aged five and above. Can also be used to mean having a bad day's punting. (having a nightmare)

Monkey - £500 GBP.

Morning Glory - A horse which impresses on the home gallops but fails to show the same form on the race course.

National Hunt - The traditional name used for horse racing over jumps. (hurdles and fences)

Neves - The 'tic-tac' term for 7-1.

No offers - When bookmakers are unwilling to offer a price on a selection N/O is displayed.

Non-Trier - A horse which is prevented from running to its full potential in order to disguise its true ability.

Over-round - In theory a betting book should be 100%, so a toss of a coin would be even money (50%) heads, even money (50%) tails. This means the book is totally round and that a bookmaker with a level book would break even. However bacause of the bookmakers' profit margins mean the figure is usually above 100%, this is known as over-round. The more over-round it is, the more in favour of the bookmakers the book is. In cases where it is less than 100% (one bookmaker betting 11/8 against on Horse A, another going evens on Horse B in a two horse race) this is referred to as 'over-broke'.

Pari-Mutuel - Another name for pool betting. Used in France and their equivalent to our Tote.

Patent/Twist - A multiple bet consisting of three selections in three different races, comprising three singles, three doubles and one treble. There are seven bets win and 14 bets each way.

Pattern races - In order that the best races across the continent do not clash, the various governing bodies of the major European racing nations got together to create the pattern in 1971. The idea was to co-ordinate the racing programme and so give the season a set pattern. Pattern races are categorised as Group Three, Group Two and Group One with the latter being the most important and including races such as the Classics. Races can move up and down the scale judging on the quality of horses winning them. If a race is not producing the quality required then it can be downgraded and vice versa.

Penetrometer - In horse racing this is a stick used to measure the 'going'.

Placepot - A Tote pool bet consisting of 6 selections, one in each of the first 6 races at a meeting. Each selection must be placed for the bet to be a winner. Winning dividends are declared to a £1 stake although you can do permutation bets for lower unit stakes.

Pony - £25 GBP.

Pulled Up - When a horse fails to finish the race and is 'pulled up' by the jockey before the finish. This is usually because they are so far behind the rest of the runners or sometimes because of an injury or lameness.

Punter - UK term for someone who has a bet ("bettor" in the US).

Rails Bookmakers - Bookmakers betting largely on credit from a position between the main enclosures on a race course.

Reversed Forecast - Nominating two selections to finish first and second in either order. It comprises two bets.

Roof - The 'tic-tac' term for 4/1.

Round Robin - Three selections in three different races, in three doubles, one treble and six single stakes about bets. It is ten bets win and 20 bets each way.

Rule 4 - If a horse is withdrawn and there is insufficient time to form a new market the remaining horses in the race are subject to a deduction if they win or are placed. These are calculated accoring to the starting price as follows: 3/10 or longer odds - 75p in the £, 2/5 to 1/3 - 70p, 8/15 to 4/9 - 65p, 8/13 to 4/7 - 60p, 4/5 to 4/6 - 55p, 20/21 to 5/6 - 50p, Evens to 6/5 - 45p, 5/4 to 6/4 - 40p, 13/8 to 7/4 - 35p, 15/8 to 9/4 - 30p, 5/2 to 3/1 - 25p, 10/3 to 4/1 - 20p, 9/2 to 11/2 - 15p, 6/1 to 9/1 - 10p, 10/1 to 14/1 - unchanged.

Steamer - A horse whose odds are continually shortened in the face of heavy support.

Tissue - The betting forecast of how an on-course bookmaker thinks the betting on a race will open.

Visor - Type of headgear worn by some racehorses. It's meant to help the horse focus on looking ahead and running straight and not wandering around. Other types of headgear include blinkers and cheek pieces. A visor can sometimes significantly improve a horses performance. Watch for horses wearing headgear for the first time.

Xis - The 'tic-tac' term for 6/1.