Sportsbook Glossary: Ss

Sacrifice bunt

Baseball, also called a sacrifice hit | A sacrifice bunt is a batter’s act of deliberately bunting the ball, before there are two outs, in a manner that allows a runner on base to advance to another base. The batter is almost always sacrificed (and to a certain degree that is the intent of the batter) but sometimes reaches base due to an error or fielder’s choice. Sometimes the batter may safely reach base by simply outrunning the throw to first; this is not scored as a sacrifice bunt but rather a single.

Safety

Football score | In professional and College football, the safety (American football) or safety touch (Canadian football) is a scoring play which results in two points being awarded to the scoring team. Safeties can be scored in a number of ways, such as when a ballcarrier is tackled in his own end zone or when a foul is committed by the offense in their own end zone.

Safety Car

Auto Racing | Safety Car or pace car is a car which limits the speed of competing cars on a racetrack in the case of a caution period such as an obstruction on the track or bad weather. The aim of the safety car is to enable the clearance of any obstruction under safer conditions, especially for marshals and/or await more favourable track conditions weather-wise.

Score

To win a race or a bet.

Scoresheet

The sheet, box or recording system used to display the score and game or event’s progress.

Scratch

The withdrawal of a competitor.

Second Half Bet

A bet on the second half of a game.

Sharp

A professional, savvy sports bettor.

Shula Bowl

College Football | An annual college football rivalry game between the Florida Atlantic University Owls and the Florida International University Panthers.

Sharp Line

A game in which the maximum bet is raised. This is usually done only for games involving the most popular teams and that are televised. Monday Night Football games and Final Four basketball games would be good examples.

Shootout

Ice Hockey | A series of penalty shots by both teams to determine the winning team after a regulation game and overtime period ends in a tie. In the NHL this occurs only during the regular season.

Shorthanded

Ice Hockey | A team is said to be shorthanded when they have fewer players on the ice than the opposing team as a result of a penalty or penalties.

Short Odds

An alternative term for low odds.

Shortening Odds

Odds that are getting lower.

Shot Clock

A shot clock is used in some sports to quicken the pace of the game. It is normally associated with basketball, but is also used in snooker, pro lacrosse, water polo, korfball, and ten-pin bowling. It is analogous with the play clock used in American and Canadian football.

Show

Term used to describe a 3rd place finish.

Shut Out

In sports betting, when the losing team does not score.

Side

Picking a team to win or cover a point spread (non-total wager).

Sides

The names of the two teams playing: the underdog and the favorite.

Single

A "straight" bet on one selection to win one race or event.

Single Elimination

A single-elimination tournament – also called an Olympic system tournament, a knockout (or, knock-out), single penetration, or sudden death tournament – is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each bracket is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event.

Slashing

Ice Hockey | The act of contacting an opponent’s body or stick with one’s own as a result of a swinging motion. A penalty.

SNR

Stake not returned free bet/bonus.

Spread

Point Spread.

Spread Betting

Also, Action Line or Money Line | The amount that must be wagered to win $100, or the amount won for a $100 wager. A bet is won or lost according to whether you correctly predict the result of an event (also known as ‘action line’ or ‘money line’). Returns or losses are calculated in proportion to how right or wrong the bettor is, and can lead to huge returns or losses.

Square

Player that is always on favorites and overs. This player is usually on the same side as the public and is considered as a gambling fool by the bookmaker.

Stake

Refers to the amount, which is placed as a bet.

Stanley Cup

Ice Hockey | Championship of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Starting Pitcher

In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team.

Steam

When a betting line starts to move quite rapidly; most "steam but are games that the mass of bettors somehow decide to key on.

Steam Move

A sudden, drastic and uniform line movement across the entire sports betting marketplace.

Stolen Base

Baseball | A stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base to which he is not entitled, and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or out at the next base, but the official scorer rules on the question of credit or blame for the advance under Rule 10.

Stoppage

An unplanned time-out in sport.

Straight Bet

Another term for a bet to win (i.e. "straight, place and show").

Submission

Boxing & MMA, also referred to as a ‘tap out" or "tapping out" | A submission, is a combat sports term for yielding to the opponent, and hence resulting in an immediate defeat.

Sucker Bet

A slang term for a "bad" bet, one that significantly favors the bookmaker.

Superfecta

Horse Racing | A pool-based bet involving four selections from the same race. They must finish first, second, third and fourth in the predicted order to generate a return. A selection becoming a non-runner voids the bet.

Sure Thing

Any bet that has very little chance of losing.

Sweep

Winning all games in a series. Major League teams usually play each other in a 3 or 4 game series of games. A sweep is winning all the games in a series. In the playoffs, it refers to winning the series 4 games to 0.