Glossary of Horse Racing Terms:

Here, you will find a complete dictionary of horse racing terms both used in racetracks and online sportsbooks. Either select a word, search for it or read through:

• Abandoned: a race event canceled.
• Acceptor: the official runner to start in a race.
• Accumulator: a multiple bet on different selections.
• Across The Board: 3 bets in 1 on a horse to win, place or show. If it wins the bettor wins all 3 wagers.
• Age: thoroughbreds are said to have been born in January 1.
• All-age Race: a race where horses older than 2 years old participate.
• All Out: the horse which tries to be the best in his category.
• Allowances: reductions in weights under special circumstances.
• All Weather Racing: races on artificial surfaces.
• Also Ran: selections which do not finish in the first four places.
• Ante Post: predictions in advance. Also known as Futures.
• Approximates: the approximate price horses are quoted before the race starts.
• Arbitrage: bettors can back both sides when a variation in odds is available, thus guaranteeing a win.
• Back: to bet.
• Backed horse: a horse on which many bettors have wagered.
• Back Marker: the horse which gets the biggest handicap.
• Banker: the horse most expected to win.
• Bell Lap: the last lap of a harness race.
• Betting Ring: area at a racecourse where sportsbooks operate.
• Beyer Number: a numerical value assigned to each race of a horse which is based on final time and the condition of the track.
• Bismarck: a favorite horse not expected to win by bookmakers.
• Black-type: horses that have won are signified in bold in the listings.
• Bomb or Bomber: a winning horse quoted at extremely high odds.
• Boxed in: when a horse gets trapped between other horses.
• Bobble: a bad step on the ground which might cause horses to fall or be injured.
• Break Maiden: the rider or horse that win the first race of their career.
• Bug Boy: a novice rider.
• Bull Ring: a racetrack smaller than one mile.
• Closer: a horse which is especially good in the last part of a race.
• Daily Double: a wager for the selection of winners of two consecutive races.
• Daily Triple: a wager for the selection of the winners of three consecutive races.
• Dark Horse: a horse unknown to bettors.
• Dead Heat: 2 or more horses finishing equal in a race. Also known as tie.
• Derby: a race event for 3-year-old horses.
• Double: betting on the winners of 2 races.
• Each Way: a bet on a horse to place or win.
• Each Way Double: Two bets of a place double and a win double.
• Each Way Single: two bets, one to be placed and another to win.
• Equivalent Odds: Mutuel price horses that pay for each bet of 1 dollar.
• Even Money Bet: A 1:1 bet.
• Favorite: the most popular horse in a race and therefore quoted at the lowest
• Fixed Odds: when you place your bet, your dividend is fixed at the odds.
• Front-runner: a horse who is inclined to lead the race at the start.
• Futures: see Ante Post.
• Green: a horse with no experience.