Betting terminology

  1. Accumulator: A bet involving more than one horse with the winnings from each selection going onto the next.
  2. Ante-Post: Betting on future races, well in advance of the event.
  3. Bar Price: The odds of horses at longer odds than the last quoted price.
  4. Boxed In: A horse that is racing on the rail and is surrounded by other horses in front, outside and behind it.
  5. Bridle: A horse running under a good hold from the jockey.
  6. Broke Maiden: A horse or rider winning the first race of their career.
  7. Claiming Race: A race where horses are entered for a specific price and can be claimed (bought) out of the race for that price.
  8. Dead Heat: Two or more horses finishing in an exact tie at the finish line.
  9. Each-Way: A bet where half the total stake is for the win, and half is for the place.
  10. Furlong: A distance measure in racing. One furlong is equal to 1/8th of a mile or 220 yards.
  11. Handicap: A race where horses carry different weights based on their ability.
  12. In the Money: Finishing first, second, or third.
  13. Juvenile: A two-year-old horse.
  14. Length: The length of a horse from nose to tail, used to describe the distance between horses in a race.
  15. Maiden Race: A race for horses that have never won a race.
  16. Nap: The best bet of the day from a tipster.
  17. Odds-On: Odds where the winnings are less than the stake. The horse is a strong favorite.
  18. On the Nose: Betting a horse to win only.
  19. Overlay: A horse whose odds are more than its potential to win.
  20. Pari-Mutuel: A form of betting where all bets go into a pool, and payouts are determined by the size of the pool minus the house take.
  21. Photo Finish: A result so close it requires a photograph to determine the winner.
  22. Place: A bet where the horse must finish either first or second.
  23. Quinella: A bet in which the first two finishers must be picked in either order.
  24. Show: A bet where the horse must finish first, second, or third.
  25. Sprint: A race that is shorter than one mile in length.
  26. Stakes Race: A high-level race for which the owner usually pays a fee for the horse to run.
  27. Starting Price (SP): The odds on a horse at the start of the race.
  28. Trifecta: A bet that requires picking the first three finishers in exact order.
  29. Underlay: A horse whose odds are less than its potential to win.
  30. Win: A bet that the horse will finish first in the race.
  31. Yankee: A bet consisting of 11 bets involving 4 horses in different races.

This glossary covers a wide range of terms, but the world of horse racing betting is extensive, and there might be more terms you encounter. This should give you a good foundation to understand the basics and more.