All Gambling Terms Dictionary

 L 
L [Baseball]
Losses Pct. = Winning Percentage
  
L-Head [Motor Sports]
Both valves on one side of the cylinder.
  
L.T.W. [Horse Racing]
Lifetime Wins: The number of wins at licensed Trotting Meetings that the horse has accumulated during its lifetime.
  
L.T.W.$. [Horse Racing]
Lifetime Win Only $: The amount of winning prizemoney accumulated from Licensed Trotting Meetings by the horse during its lifetime.
  
L.W.$ - 2yo$ [Horse Racing]
Lifetime Win Only $ - 2YO Win $: The amount of Winning prizemoney accumulated from Licensed Trotting Meetings minus Winning prizemoney accumulated from 2YO wins by the horse during its lifetime.
  
La Belle [Fencing]
A sudden-death playoff to break a tie.
  
La Bouchere Betting System [Roulette]
A type of Cancellation Betting System where numbers are cancelled out from a user-defined string of numbers after a win and added to the string after a loss. The string of numbers determines the next amount to bet.
  
La Grande [Baccarat]
The French term for a 9 dealt as a natural.
  
La Hire [Poker]
The jack of hearts. May have come from a knight of the court of King Charles VII of France.
  
La Petite [Baccarat]
The French term for a 8 dealt as a natural.
  
Labor [Sailing]
Heavy rolling or pitching while underway.
  
Labouchere [Blackjack]
A betting progression, also known as the cancellation system. A bettor chooses a series of two or more numbers which add up to the profit he intends to make. He then bets the total of the two outside numbers in the series and cancels those numbers if he wins. He continues betting the two outside un-cancelled numbers until he has completed the series. If he loses a bet, he adds the amount of his loss to his series as a single number. He must therefore cancel out two numbers for each number added. This system is a good way to lose good money fast.
  
Labyrinth [Luge]
A series of three or more curves that follow in rapid sequence, with no intervening straightaways.
  
Lace [Baccarat]
To randomly place cards into a stack of cards one at a time.
  
Lacing [Sailing]
A line used to attach a sail to a spar.
  
Lacquer [Motor Sports]
A fast-drying pyroxylin paint often used to finish automobile bodies.
  
Lactic Acid [Horse Racing]
Organic acid normally present in muscle tissue, produced by anaerobic muscle metabolism as a by-product of exercise. An increase in lactic acid causes muscle fatigue, inflammation and pain.
  
Lady [Poker]
A Queen.
  
Lag [Golf]
A long putt, on which the object is to get the ball near the hole so that it can be sunk with the next putt. As a verb, to hit such a putt.
  
Laid Up [Sailing]
A boat in a dry dock.
  
Laird Shaft [Golf]
Rare type of steel shaft seen in clubs produced circa 1900. It is a solid shaft with numerous holes drilled in it to reduce weight. Clubs with such shafts are highly prized by collectors.
  
Lakan [Martial Arts]
The male black belt rank in the Filipino art of arnis.
  
Lalapalooza [Poker]
Lollapalooza (A freak hand, often five specific, but random, cards, allowed to win once a night; generally the punch line in an elaborate shaggy dog poker story.).
  
Lalapalooze [Poker]
Lollapalooza (A freak hand, often five specific, but random, cards, allowed to win once a night; generally the punch line in an elaborate shaggy dog poker story.)
  
Lallapalooza [Poker]
Lollapalooza (A freak hand, often five specific, but random, cards, allowed to win once a night; generally the punch line in an elaborate shaggy dog poker story.)
  
Lamb [Poker]
A sucker or mark; a poor player easily relieved of his money.
  
Lame [Horse Racing]
The term used to describe a horse which is limping or has difficulty walking properly. Lameness is often caused by an injury or problem with one or more of a horse's feet and/or legs.
  
Lame' [Fencing]
A metallic vest/jacket used to detect valid touches in foil and sabre.
  
Lamebrain Pete [Poker]
A form of widow game, a variant of Cincinnati, found only in home games, in which each player is dealt five downcards, as in draw, followed by a betting round, and then five cards are turned face up one at a time, with each followed by another betting round, the difference from Cincinnati being that the lowest card in the widow and any others of the same rank are wild. Each player makes the best hand possible by using any combination from his five and the five in the middle
  
Lamebrains [Poker]
Cincinnati, that is, the game described under Lamebrain Pete, but with no wild cards, and often played high-low.
  
Laminae [Horse Racing]
A part of the hoof. See insensitive laminae and sensitive laminae. See "Hoof" in veterinary supplement for a more detailed explanation.
  
Laminated Windshield [Motor Sports]
A windshield consisting of a thin layer of rubbery plastic sandwiched between two sheets of glass. When struck by the head in an accident, it bows out without puncturing, and the plastic holds the glass to prevent it from splintering.
  
Laminated Wood [Golf]
A type of wooden wood head manufactured by gluing and compressing thin pieces of maple together and forming them into the shape of the head.
  
Laminitis [Horse Racing]
An inflammation of the sensitive laminae of the foot. There are many factors involved, including changes in the blood flow through the capillaries of the foot. Many events can cause laminitis, including ingesting toxic levels of grain, eating lush grass, systemic disease problems, high temperature, toxemia, retained placenta, excessive weight-bearing as occurs when the opposite limb is injured, and the administration of some drugs. Laminitis usually manifests itself in the front feet, develops rapidly, and is life-threatening. In mild cases, however, a horse can resume a certain amount of athletic activity. Laminitis is the disease that caused the death of Secretariat. Also known as "founder."
  
Laminitis (Founder) [Horse Racing]
Laminitis is an inflammation of the sensitive laminae that are found on the inside of the wall of the hoof. It usually affects both forelegs at the same time. When the condition first occurs, the circulation in the foot is impeded and the hoses is in great pain. If the circulation is not re-established in 24 hours, the sole of the foot will usually drop and the horse will become a chronic cripple.
  
Lammer [Poker]
1) A special chip given to the winner of a tournament for which the award is an entry or buy-in to a larger tournament. The chip can be used only to buy in to a tournament, but can be sold to another player for this purpose. For example, a super satellite at the World Series of Poker might award three lammers each worth $500. The winner might use those three lammers to buy in to a $1500 tournament, or collect two more and use them for a $2500 tournament. The term originally came from the chip-shaped markers used in other table games, such as craps, where they might indicate, for example, "on" or "off." The name probably came from these chips being made of laminated plastic. 2) The marker chip that a chip runner (or other floor person) leaves in the tray of a house dealer at a poker table when taking cash out of the dealer's tray, for which the runner will return with chips.
  
Lammers [Baccarat]
Lammers are used to mark up commissions.
  
Lamé [Fencing]
A metallic vest or jacket that detects valid touches in foil and sabre.
  
Lancelot [Poker]
The jack of clubs. Comes from the famed knight of King Arthur's Round Table.
  
Lancewood [Golf]
A dark wood with a tight grain used as a premium shaft material in the late 1800’s.
  
Land Breeze [Sailing]
A wind moving from the land to the water due to temperature changes in the evening.
  
Landing Pad [Freestyle Skating]
A flat area on the rut line, usually just before or after the hole, which is the best spot to land.
  
Landlocked [Sailing]
Surrounded by land.
  
Landmark [Sailing]
A distinctive reference point that can be used for navigation.
  
Lane [Basketball]
The painted area between the end line and the free-throw line near each basket, outside which players line up for free throws. Also known as the key, because in the early years it was key-shaped. It was twice widened to its present rectangular shape.
  
Lane Press [Water Polo]
A defense in which players are positioned in passing lanes, between the ball and the players they are guarding, rather than between the offensive players and the goal.
  
Lane Violation [Basketball]
1) Entering the free throw lane when the free throw is in the air but before it has touched the backboard, net, or rim. If committed by a player on the shooter's team, the free throw attempt is negated and the ball goes to the other team for a throw-in. If committed by a defensive player, it's ignored if the shot goes in but the shooter is allowed another free throw if the shot misses. 2) A three-second violation.
  
Langkap [Archery]
A strong bow, Bali.
  
Langlauf [Skiing]
A German word meaning 'long-running', used to describe ski racing.
  
Lanyard [Sailing]
A line attached to a tool.
  
Lap [Motor Sports]
One time around a track. Also used as a verb when a driver passes a car and is a full lap ahead of (or has lapped) that opponent. A driver "laps the field" by lapping every other car in the race.
  
Lap Car [Motor Sports]
Any race car that is running one or more laps down to the leader of the race.
  
Lap Recorder [Speed Skating]
The official who's responsible for keeping track of how many laps remain in a race and ringing a bell that tells the skaters the last lap has begun.
  
Lap(s) Down [Motor Sports]
The number of laps a car is running behind the leader of the race. It can range from only one lap to several hundred.
  
Lap-and-Shoulder Belt [Motor Sports]
A safety belt that secures the driver and/or passenger in the seat with a continuous web of material which fits across the lap and crosses the upper body. It keeps the occupant from jerking forward in the event of a crash. Also called three-way belt, three-point belt, or three-point safety harness.
  
Lapped [Motor Sports]
When the race leader catches a car from behind and then passes that car. (The passed car has been lapped.)
  
Lapped Car [Motor Sports]
A car which is running slow enough (or been in the pits long enough), such that the race leader has come all the way around the track and passed it, has been "lapped".
  
Lapped Traffic [Motor Sports]
Cars that have completed at least one full lap less than the race leader.
  
Lapse [Motor Sports]
The termination of a policy due to failure to pay the premium.
  
Large [Poker]
Pertaining to $1000. "I lost six large" means "I lost $6000."
  
Large Bet [Poker]
In a double-limit game, a bet at the larger bet size. For example, in 10-20, small bets are $10 and big bets are $20.
  
Large Butt Shaft [Golf]
Any shaft with a butt diameter of over .620”.
  
Large Hill [Skiing]
A ski jump hill 120 meters high. Compare normal hill.
  
Las Vegas [Blackjack]
Small piece of Nevada desert - where gambling is legal - with mystic power to draw throngs of people and invite them into tossing coins into either holes made of metal or felt.
  
Las Vegas Riffle [Poker]
An appearance of shuffling the cards by a cheat, done by partial or complete concealment of the deck, but without actually changing their order (from a presumably set-up arrangement), by pulling one half of the pack through the other half, and then replacing the deck to its original position. Ironically, a concealed shuffle is not permitted anywhere in Nevada. Also called false shuffle or fast shuffle
  
Las Vegas Shuffle [Poker]
Las Vegas riffle (An appearance of shuffling the cards by a cheat, done by partial or complete concealment of the deck, but without actually changing their order (from a presumably set-up arrangement), by pulling one half of the pack through the other half, and then replacing the deck to its original position. Ironically, a concealed shuffle is not permitted anywhere in Nevada. Also called false shuffle or fast shuffle).
  
Las Vegas Strip [Blackjack]
The portion of Las Vegas Boulevard which extends roughly from Sunset Road to Sahara Boulevard. It includes many of the most well known casinos in Las Vegas, such as the Mirage, Caesar's Palace, the Flamingo Hilton, New York - New York, Circus Circus and the Bellagio, to name a few.
  
Las Vegas Strip Rules [Blackjack]
Rules referring to a game of Blackjack with a single deck, dealer standing on all 17's, double allowed on the two first cards dealt and no doubling after splitting permitted.
  
Lash [Sailing]
To tie something with a line.
  
Lasix [Horse Racing]
A drug given to horses in proper dosages, upon approval of the Stewards, to control bleeding through the nostrils of horses as a result of exertion.
  
Last Bet [Poker]
1) A betting scheme, used only in home games, in which the betting on one round begins with the player who initiated the betting on the previous round (if there was no raise), or with the player who put in the last raise that was called around. In stud games, the actual boards of the players have no relevance. If there was no betting on the previous round, then it goes back to the last bet of the round before. For example, in a stud game, after the first up card, John, under the gun, makes the forced high-card bet, showing an ace. Two players call, and Bill raises, showing a queen. One player calls behind, as do John and the other two players. On the next card, John has A-K and Bill has Q-J. Bill, having put in the last raise, bets first. All call. Bill is again first on the next round. 2) In a hand featuring bets with multiple raises, the last raise on a particular round. "The live one put in the last bet every round and caught runner-runner spades." This means that the player in question raised every round, perhaps putting in the third or fourth bet
  
Last Half [Horse Racing]
The time recorded by a horse during the last half of the last mile travelled in a race. It is equal to the combined time recorded in the third and fourth sectionals or quarters.
  
Last Position [Poker]
1) Last to act in a particular round. 2) The card farthest from the door (front position) when the cards are held squeezed together. "How come the free peek is always in last position?"
  
Last Raise [Poker]
1) In a hand featuring bets with multiple raises, the last raise on a particular round. "The live one put in the last bet every round and caught runner-runner spades." This means that the player in question raised every round, perhaps putting in the third or fourth bet. 2) Put in the maximum number of raises in a round of betting; usually followed by the bet, the bets, or the betting. Make the maximum raise permitted in the current round. "I'll cap it" means that someone has put in the, say, third raise.
  
Last to Act [Poker]
The player who acts last in a particular round. In a button game, this might be the dealer or, on the first round, the holder of the big blind. In a seven-card stud game, this is the player to the right of the high hand.
  
Last-Card Ouie [Poker]
A player who stays in a pot in a stud or hold 'em game, usually with inferior cards, to the bitter end, hoping to win by catching the winning card on the end.
  
Latch [Archery]
English name for the crossbow, 16th century.
  
Late 10 [Bowling]
Said of the 10-pin when it is the last to fall on a strike, usually after a moment's hesitation.
  
Late & Close [Baseball]
A Late & Close situation meets the following requirements: (1)the game is in the seventh inning or later, and (2)the batting team is either leading by one run, tied, or has the potential tying run on base, at bat, or on deck. Note: This situation is very similar to the characteristics of a Save Situation.
  
Late Apex [Motor Sports]
A point on the inside of a turn after the geometric apex. See geometric apex.
  
Late Blind [Poker]
In addition to "regular" blinds, some games allow a player (particularly a new one) to post a blind bet in return for the right to enter the game immediately and act last on the first betting round. The amount of the blind is determined by house rules, usually somewhere between the last blind and double the last blind.
  
Late Change [Horse Racing]
This term refers to any change in a race after the official program has been printed.
  
Late Double [Horse Racing]
A second daily double offered during the latter part of the program. See daily double.
  
Late Mail [General]
On the day of the race meeting, tipsters declare the final selection of horses which they believe have the best chance of winning each race. This allows for things like late scratchings and driver changes - which may have an affect on a tipster's original thoughts as to the likely winner of each race - to be taken into account. These tips are known as the late mail.
  
Late Model [Motor Sports]
A general name for an advanced-level Stock car class or division. These cars usually have purpose-built tube-frame chassis, fiberglass and aluminum bodies, and aluminum-block engines.
  
Late Money [Horse Racing]
This term is used to define money that has been bet within five minutes to post.
  
Late Night Bingo [Bingo]
"Session" of bingo that starts late at night, usually about 10:00 pm. Also Moonlight Bingo.
  
Late Position [Poker]
A position on a round of betting in which you act after most of the other players have acted.
  
Late Rush [Golf]
Picks up speed in the final stages.
  
Late Scratch [Horse Racing]
This term refers to a horse withdrawn from a race after the official program has been printed.
  
Late Scratching [Horse Racing]
A horse which is scratched from a race after acceptances have been declared. Any trainer who scratches a horse after acceptance time without an acceptable reason may be penalised by the Stewards.
  
Late Surrender [Blackjack]
A blackjack rule which allows the player to forfeit half of his bet after seeing the dealer's up card, unless the dealer has a blackjack, in which case the player loses his entire bet.
  
Lateral [Football]
Pass thrown to a teammate backwards from the team's line of scrimmage or parallel to it; unlike a forward pass (which can be thrown only once per play), players may lateral the ball as often as they want, similar to rugby.
  
Lateral Hazard [Golf]
A hazard that runs parallel to the line of play, usually alongside the fairway.
  
Lateral Parry [Fencing]
A parry made by redirecting the opponent's blade with a lateral arm movement.
  
Lateral Resistance [Sailing]
The ability of a boat to keep from being moved sideways by the wind. Keels, daggerboards, centerboards, and leeboards are all used to improve a boat's lateral resistance.
  
Lateral Stepping [Skiing]
Stepping one ski out sideways and parallel from the other ski -- often used when turning in slalom races.
  
Latex [Lotto]
The material used for the scratch panel on a lottery scratch card.
  
Lath [Equestrian Sports]
A thin white strip that marks the boundary of a water jump. It's lined with plasticine to show whether a horse's hoof touched it.
  
Lathered (Up) [Horse Racing]
Sweat that foams up usually along neck and flanks, often before a race. Too much sweat is considered a bad sign before the start of a race, may indicate a nervous horse. Also see washed out.
  
Lathi [Martial Arts]
"Staff." An Indian fighting art centered around a cane or bamboo staff about five feet in length.
  
Latitude [Sailing]
Imaginary lines drawn around the world and used to measure distance north and south of the equator. 90° north is the North Pole and 90° south is the South Pole, and the equator is at 0°. Also see longitude.
  
Launch [Motor Sports]
A car can be propelled or launched into the air (all four wheels are off the ground) by hitting a severe bump or another car.
  
Launch Angle [Golf]
The angle of a ball’s flight immediately after it leaves the club face.
  
Launch Monitor [Golf]
Computerized fitting unit used to determine the optimum driver loft for a given player through a series of hi tests..
  
Laws of the Game [Soccer]
The 17 main rules for soccer established by FIFA.
  
Lay [Craps]
A bet against a particular number by the wrong bettor, who gives the casino a 5% comission.
  
Lay (The) Odds [Craps]
After a point has been established, the don't pass bettor can place an additional odds bet that will win if the original don't pass bet wins. The lay odds bet is paid at less than even money.
  
Lay a Price [General]
Bet a favorite, lay the points
  
Lay Bet(s) [Craps]
A bet that a 7 will be rolled before the number you are placing (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) comes up. The casino requires you to lay slightly more than the correct odds, giving the house an edge of 3.03% on 4/10, 2.5% on 5/9, and 1.82% on 6/8. This bet is the opposite of Buy Bets, and the 5% charge is on the amount you could win, not on the amount you bet. The 5% commission is usually taken up front, but some casinos take the commission after the bet wins.
  
Lay Down [Poker]
To reveal one's hand in a showdown.
  
Lay Down your Hand [Poker]
To fold.
  
Lay Full [Freestyle Skating]
A double flip in the layout position with a full twist in the second flip.
  
Lay Full Full [Freestyle Skating]
A triple flip in the layout position, with a full twist in each of the last two flips.
  
Lay Full Tuck [Freestyle Skating]
A triple flip, the first in the layout position, the second in the layout position with a twist, the third in the tuck position.
  
Lay Lay [Freestyle Skating]
See double layout.
  
Lay Lay Full [Freestyle Skating]
A triple flip in the layout position, with a twist in the third flip.
  
Lay Line [Sailing]
An imaginary line on which a sailboat can sail directly to its target without tacking.
  
Lay Odds [Poker]
To give favorable odds to an opponent.
  
Lay Off [General]
Bets made by one bookmaker with another bookmaker, in an effort to reduce his liability in respect of bets already laid by him with investors.
  
Lay Paint [Poker]
To put markings on cards with paint, ink, or some other fluid.
  
Lay the Odds [Poker]
To wager more money on a proposition or situation than you can win. This does not necessarily mean you have the worst of it; it just means you're putting up more than the other wagerer. For example, if the odds are 4-to-1 against a particular event, and you lay the odds of 3-to-1 against someone, you have the best of it.
  
Lay the Points [General]
A wager on a favorite in a pointspread contest Lay The Price - A wager on a favorite in a moneyline contest
  
Lay the Price [General]
A wager on a favorite in a moneyline contest
  
Lay Tuck [Freestyle Skating]
A double flip, with the first in the layout position and the second in the tuck position.
  
Lay Tuck Full [Freestyle Skating]
A triple flip, with the first in the layout position, the second in the tuck position, and the third in the layout position with a twist.
  
Lay Tuck Tuck [Freestyle Skating]
A triple flip, with the first in the layout position and the last two in the tuck position.
  
Lay Up [Golf]
To play a shorter shot than normally might be attempted. Would be done to achieve a good lie short of a hazard rather than trying to hit the green in one less shot.
  
Lay Wager [Craps]
Betting against a point number that has been thrown by paying a 5 percent commission.
  
Lay-in [Basketball]
A shot on which the shooter leaps up from near the basket and drops the ball gently in with one hand.
  
Lay-Up [Basketball]
Similar to a lay-in, except that the ball is banked in off the backboard.
  
Layback [Rowing]
The backward lean of an oarsman's body at the end of a stroke.
  
Layback Spin [Figure Skating]
A spin on which the back is arched and the head and shoulders lie back.
  
Layer [General]
Person offering odds, usually a bookmaker. One to one betting services and some smaller bookmakers will allow a punter to lay as well as place bets.
  
Laying a Break [Croquet]
Positioning balls at future wickets to set up a break
  
Laying a Horse [General]
When a bookmaker takes a risk and increases the odds of a particular horse to entice investors because the bookmaker truly believes that horse has no chance of winning the race.
  
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