All Gambling Terms Dictionary

 P 
Penalty Box [Ice Hockey]
An area containing a bench, just off the ice and behind the sideboards, where players serve penalty time. There are two penalty boxes, one for each team.
  
Penalty Corner [Field Hockey]
When a defending player deliberately hits the ball over the back line, the attacking team is awarded a penalty corner. The ball is placed on the goal line at least 10 yards from the goal and an offensive player is given a free hit from that point.
  
Penalty Foul [Water Polo]
A foul that results in a penalty throw for the opposing team. Penalty fouls include: A foul committed by a defending player behind the four-meter line that is judged to have prevented a goal from being scored; an act of brutality behind the four-meter line; or pulling the goal over with the object of preventing a score.
  
Penalty Kick [Rugby]
An uncontested kick awarded for a major infraction. It can be taken directly on goal and is worth 3 points if successful.
  
Penalty Killer [Ice Hockey]
A player expert at backchecking and keeping or gaining control of a loose puck under difficult circumstances who is trained to break up a power play when his team is shorthanded.
  
Penalty Minutes [Ice Hockey]
A statistic that shows the amount of penalty time accumulated by a player or team.
  
Penalty Point [Table Tennis]
A point awarded by the umpire to a player because of a rules violation by that player's opponent. A penalty point can be awarded for a second misbehavior offense, after the player has been cautioned with a yellow card for the first offense. A third offense incurs two penalty points.
  
Penalty Points [Wrestling]
Points used in a negative scoring system, under which the wrestler with the fewest points wins. They're essentially the same as technical points, but they go to the other wrestler. For example, the wrestler who suffers a near fall is given two penalty points.
  
Penalty Shootout [Ice Hockey]
A method of deciding a winner, in amateur hockey, if the score is still tied after one overtime period. Each team designates five shooters and a goalie, and the teams alternate penalty shots, with a different shooter each time. If the score remains tied after each team has taken five shots, five new shooters are designated and the shootout continues until one shooter scores and his counterpart on the other team fails to score.
  
Penalty Shot [Ice Hockey]
A shot on goal, with only the goaltender defending, awarded for certain infractions. The player taking the shot is given the puck at the center ice spot and must keep the puck moving forward once across the blue line. Once the shot is taken, the play is over; a goal can't be scored on a rebound. If a penalty shot is awarded to a player who was interfered with or otherwise fouled on a breakaway, that player takes the shot. In other cases, such as when a defensive player other than the goaltender falls on a puck in the goal crease, the team captain selects a player from among those on the ice to take the penalty shot.
  
Penalty Situation [Basketball]
When a team has committed more than its allotted four fouls per quarter and thus each subsequent foul becomes a shooting foul. Also: Over the limit.
  
Penalty Spot [Soccer]
The small circular spot located 12 yards in front of the center of the goal line from which all penalty kicks are taken; positioned at the center of the penalty arc.
  
Penalty Stroke [Field Hockey]
If a defending player fouls an opponent in the goal circle, a penalty stroke is awarded. The ball is placed 7 yards (6.4 meters) from the goal and only the goalkeeper is allowed to defend.
  
Penalty Throw [Water Polo]
A throw taken from the four-meter line by a member of the attacking team, with the goalkeeper as the only defender.
  
Penalty Timekeeper [Ice Hockey]
An official who sits between the two penalty boxes and is responsible for recording and timing every penalty.
  
Penalty Try [Rugby]
A try that is awarded because the opposing side committed a flagrant violation to prevent an obvious try from being scored.
  
Penchak [Martial Arts]
"Evasion" or "warding off." An unarmed Indonesian martial art similar to a two-person dance.
  
Pendant [Sailing]
A small line attached to a mooring chain. Also sometimes called a pennant.
  
Penetrate [Soccer]
To advance the ball behind opposing defenders (between them and their goal).
  
Penetration [Blackjack]
How deeply into the pack or shoe a dealer goes before shuffling. In CBJN, penetration is expressed as number of decks left when the shuffle point is reached. Penetration is sometimes expressed as the number of decks dealt out of the total (eg 5½/6, which means 5½ decks out of six) or as percentage of cards dealt out (e.g. 60%, 75% etc).
  
Penholder Grip [Table Tennis]
A grip, especially popular in Asia, in which the racket is held between the thumb and first finger, with the handle pointing up.
  
Pennant [Sailing]
(1) A small flag, such as can be used for signaling. Flags can be used together to spell words or individually as codes, such as the quarantine flag. (2) A small line attached to a mooring chain, sometimes called a pendant.
  
Penny Ante [Poker]
Describing a small game, often referring to small limit; usually part of the phrase penny-ante game. The phrase has passed into general usage meaning petty or small-time. "We're playing penny ante."
  
Penny Line [General]
A money line that is adjusted in increments of a penny, or one cent at a time.
  
Penny Poker Dictionary [Poker]
Describing a small game, often referring to small limit; usually part of the phrase penny-ante game. The phrase has passed into general usage meaning petty or small-time
  
Penny-Ante [Poker]
Describing a small game, often referring to small limit; usually part of the phrase penny-ante game. The phrase has passed into general usage meaning petty or small-time
  
Penny-Ante Game [Poker]
A small home poker game, in which the stakes generally are literally pennies. Sometimes shortened to simply penny ante.
  
Pentjak [Martial Arts]
One of numerous terms used to indicate Indonesian unarmed combat.
  
Penultimate [Poker]
The next-to-last card in the deck.
  
Penultimate Card [Poker]
The next-to-last card in the deck.
  
Pepper [Baseball]
Pepper is a common pre-game exercise where one player bunts brisk grounders and line drives to a group of fielders who are standing about 20 feet away. The fielders try to throw it back as quickly as possible. The batter hits the return throw. (Some ballparks ban pepper games because wild pitches could land in the stands and injure spectators).
  
Per Hour [Blackjack]
The expression "Hourly winnings (or losses)" (in dollars) of winnings or losses "per hour" is often encountered. This assumes "100 hands per hour" played, a figure arrived at through observation of dealers' dealing & shuffling speed, combined with player's speed in playing their hands etc. The win rate (or loss rate) per hour is straightforwardly calculated as W per hour = number of hands per hour * EV * average bet. It is admittedly on the arbitrary side but helps to give a good approximation of an expected win rate (or conversely, loss rate) in money.
  
Percentage [Poker]
1) The edge or money odds a player has or thinks he has in making a particular call. Frequently a player who calls a bet to take a longshot draw or extra card announces, "Percentage"; he is often taking much the worst of it. For example, in lowball the big blind may draw four cards because there are four other players in the pot, and he is getting a better than 9-to-1 return on his investment. 2) The house cut, or rake, sometimes also called drop
  
Percentage Bet [Poker]
A bet (often a blind bet) made in a situation in which you have the best of it. This kind of bet is often made in lowball, when both players are drawing cards, and the first player is drawing no more than the second. The first player now either openly bets blind, or pretends to look at his draw card, but doesn't actually see it, and bets blind in actuality. Since the opponent makes a 9 or better (the worst hand with which many players call) less than 43% of the time, even with a one-card draw, the first player has the best of it, and his bet is termed a percentage bet
  
Percentage Call [Poker]
A call made by a player in a situation in which he is a decided underdog, because he is getting better (usually substantially better) than a 1-to-1 return on his investment. For example, in hold 'em a player may call a small bet when holding only a high card when it is very likely that the bettor has at least a pair, because that bet represents only a small fraction of the amount of money currently in the pot.
  
Percentage of Pitches Taken [Baseball]
This tells you how often a player lets a pitch go by without swinging.
  
Percentage of Swings Put in Play [Baseball]
This tells you how often a player hits the ball into fair territory, or is retired on a foul-ball out, when he swings.
  
Percentage Player [Poker]
Someone who plays--that is, calls bets or raises, or makes them--only when she thinks she has the best of it on that wager.
  
Percentages [General]
Bookmakers set their odds according to percentages, the lower the percentage, the better deal the punter is getting. To calculate the percentage each price is worth, add a point and divide into 100. So 3/1 becomes four into 100, equals 25. A perfectly round book, with each price representing the true chance, would total 100. A book totalling 125 would be 25 percent over-round and give bookmakers a theoretical profit of 20 percent (25 divided by 125). In general, the bigger the field, the more the percentage favours the bookmakers.
  
Perfect [Poker]
1) Perfect low (In a high-low game, the lowest possible hand, often A-2-3-4-5, or, in lowball, the same hand, where it is often called a wheel or bicycle.). "I have a perfect." 2) In lowball, pertaining to the lowest hand of the rank of the highest card, that is, containing 4-3-2-A plus one other card 7 or higher. For example, a perfect 7 is 7-4-3-2-A, and a perfect 8 is 8-4-3-2-A.
  
Perfect Catch [Poker]
Receiving precisely the card you need to make your hand. In lowball, this means drawing the lowest card that doesn't pair one of your own, as, for example, catching an ace to 2-3-4-5. In draw high, this means making the best possible straight or flush, or even straight flush, you can make in a one-card draw. In a stud game, this means catching the one card that makes your hand as good as possible.
  
Perfect End [Archery]
An end in which the archer shoots all bulls-eyes.
  
Perfect Game [Baseball]
A game where a pitcher allows no batter to reach base safely. There have been only fifteen perfect games pitched in the major leagues since 1900.
  
Perfect Low [Poker]
In a high-low game, the lowest possible hand, often A-2-3-4-5, or, in lowball, the same hand, where it is often called a wheel or bicycle.
  
Perfect Pack [Poker]
A good, honest deck, that is, one consisting of either 52 or 53 cards, with no marks, intentional or otherwise.
  
Perfect Play [Video Poker]
Making every play for the absolute highest Expected Value.
  
Perfect-Perfect [Poker]
A hand made on the last two cards. A player holding 55, with a board of AA455, in that order, makes runner-runner quads.
  
Perfecta [Greyhound Racing]
A wagering term describing the first two greyhounds to cross the finish line in exact order. (UK, Straight Forcast).
  
Perfectly Good Airplanes [Skydiving]
There are no such things.
  
Peril [Motor Sports]
A cause of a possible loss.
  
Perimeter [Basketball]
The area beyond the foul circle away from the basket, including 3-point line, from which players take long-range shots.
  
Perimeter of the Pot [Poker]
An undefined line toward the center of the table surface when determining whether or not a player must be forced to complete a bet. If there is a line, the perimeter of the pot coincides with the line.
  
Perimeter Shot [Basketball]
A shot from the perimeter; an outside shot.
  
Perimeter Weighting [Golf]
The design concept of redistributing the weight on the head to the heel and toe in an attempt to stabilize the club on all types of impacts.
  
Period [Basketball]
A segment of a basketball game. A National Basketball Association game consists of four 12-minute periods, or quarters. A college game is made up of two 20-minute halves.
  
Periods [Soccer]
The segments of time into which a game is divided; a regulation game played by adults consists of two 45-minutes halves.
  
Periostitis [Horse Racing]
Inflammation of the tissue (periosteum) that overlies bone. Periostitis of the cannon bone is referred to as "bucked shins," while periostitis of the splint bone is called a "splint." May be heard in the expression Popped a splint.
  
Perm [General]
Short for permutation. It means a group of all of the possible outcomes.
  
Permutations [General]
It is possible to 'perm' bets or selections. For example, if you made 3 selections, (x, y and z) you could perm all the possible doubles. In this case 3 individual bets would be possible; xy, xz, and yz, a total of 3 bets or lines. Similarly, with 4 selections, (w, x, y and z) the possible doubles could again be permed and would become wx, wy, wz, xy, xz and yz; now 6 individual bets or lines.
  
Persimmon [Golf]
A material with which to manufacture wooden woods. Woods made from persimmon are made from one solid block of wood. Persimmon woods, while once very popular in the 1960’s and before, have lost favor to metal woods. Persimmon woods are considered to be the “best” type of wooden woods produced and demand a premium price as a result. Persimmon is still being manufactured today, most notably by Louisville Golf in Louisville, Kentucky.
  
Personal Floatation Device [Sailing]
PFD for short. A device used to keep a person afloat. Also called a life jacket, life preserver or life vest.
  
Personal Foul [Basketball]
A foul that involves physical contact between opposing players. Among the most common personal fouls are blocking, charging, elbowing, hacking, and holding. A player is disqualified from the game after committing six fouls in the National Basketball Association, five fouls at other levels of play. See also flagrant foul; intentional foul; offensive foul; technical foul; violation.
  
Personal Injury Protection (Pip) [Motor Sports]
A broad type of medical payments insurance. Usually offers protection for expenses incurred up to a dollar amount.
  
Petit-Final [Canoeing]
A race that's used to determine the placing of paddlers who don't reach the finals. For example, if eight paddlers qualify for the final, the winner of the petit-final is awarded ninth place. From the French, "little final."
  
Pfd [Sailing]
Personal Floatation Device. A device used to keep a person afloat. Also called a life jacket, life preserver or life vest.
  
Pg [Blackjack]
The acronym for Peter Griffin, the author.
  
Pga [General]
Professional Golfers' Association.
  
Ph [Greyhound Racing]
Phoenix, Arizona
  
Phaeton [Motor Sports]
The conventional body has 4 doors with convertible top and side curtains rather than roll-up windows. The four- seater was called a double phaeton, and the six- or seven- seater a triple phaeton.
  
Phantom Race Call [Horse Racing]
A make-believe description of a race that has not yet been held, or of an imaginary race.
  
Phenylbutazolidan [Horse Racing]
See bute.
  
Phenylbutazone [Horse Racing]
See bute.
  
Phf [General]
Pakistan Hockey Federation.
  
Philadelphia Bankroll [Poker]
A wad of bills, usually folded over, with a bill of large denomination on the outside, to give the appearance of a large bankroll. Also called Oklahoma bankroll or Michigan bankroll.
  
Philadelphia. [Poker]
I have a full house.
  
Phillips Head Screw [Golf]
Type of screw, as identified by its head pattern, used on certain soleplates and wooden wood face insert screws. Phillips screws are identified by their radiused screw pattern and blunt edges.
  
Philosopher [Poker]
In English slang, a thief or cheat at cards.
  
Phone Betting [General]
A service enabling punters to bet on horses with bookmakers by using telephones.
  
Phone Tab [General]
Another phone betting service, provided by a totalisator which allows people with special betting accounts to place bets via the telephone. Much the same as a bank account, you must have a credit balance to be able to place a bet. The cost of the investment is debited from your account, and winning dividends and refunds are automatically credited to your account.
  
Photo [Horse Racing]
A series of photographs taken split seconds apart of a race finish. Taken at every finish, they are posted for public viewing where a neck or less separates any of the first four horses.
  
Photo Finish [Greyhound Racing]
A photo device utilized to more accurately determine the winner of a race where the finishers are very close.
  
Photofinish [Horse Racing]
A very close finish in which only careful viewing of the photofinish picture can determine the order of finish. Also, the equipment used by the officials to determine which race animal wins a close race.
  
Phrase [Fencing]
A set of related actions by both fencers that continues until a hit is scored or action is stopped by the director.
  
Physical Circuit [Motor Sports]
Usually refers to road courses which require a lot of turning and hence, great physical strength.
  
Physical Damage [Motor Sports]
A generic term that describes injury or damage to property.
  
Physical Hazard [Motor Sports]
The material of the risk itself.
  
Physis [Horse Racing]
Plural physes. The "growth plate" at the end of the long bones (such as the cannon bone) that lets the bone grow in length.
  
Piaffe [Equestrian Sports]
A majestic trot in place, in which the pairs of feet diagonally opposite one another are alternately raised and returned to the ground, while the horse's head is vertical, the neck raised and arched.
  
Pick [Basketball]
When an offensive player frees a teammate for a shot by establishing a stationary position that prevents a defensive player from guarding the shooter. If the player who is "setting a pick" is not stationary and contact is made with a defender, it is an offensive foul and his team loses possession of the ball. Also: screen.
  
Pick 'em [General]
When neither team is favored. Also called a "pick."
  
Pick (Number) [Horse Racing]
A type of multi-race wager in which the winners of all the included races must be selected. Pick Three (sometimes called the "Daily Triple"), Pick Six and Pick Nine are common.
  
Pick and Roll [Basketball]
A play on which a player sets a screen, then pivots and heads toward the basket to receive a pass.
  
Pick Off [Baseball]
An attempt by the pitcher to get a base runner out by throwing to the base from the stretch position.
  
Pick Offs (Pk) [Baseball]
Number of times a pitcher has successfully prevented a base stealer from advancing.
  
Pick or Pick'em [General]
A game where neither team is favored
  
Pick or Pick'em Game [General]
A game where neither team is favored.
  
Pick Six (Or More) [Horse Racing]
A type of wager in which the winners of all the included races must be selected.
  
Pick Someone Up [Poker]
Remove a player from a game, usually by the management. If a player leaves a full table for whatever reason (such as to have a meal, try to get more playing capital, go outside for a smoke) and does not return within a specified amount of time (such as, depending on the card room, 20 minutes, half an hour, 45 minutes), the floor man might elect to pick him up. "You've been gone for nearly an hour, and the other players were complaining, so we had to pick you up. Your chips are in the cage."
  
Pick Up [Golf]
To take up the ball before holing out. In stroke play, picking up incurs disqualification. In match play, it concedes the hole to the opponent.
  
Pick Up a Hand [Poker]
In someone's absence, play his cards for him; usually followed by for. "I gotta go to the can; can you pick up a hand for me?"
  
Pick Up on [Poker]
Catch on to, generally implying noticing someone cheating. "Yeah, I came off the bottom, but I don't think anyone picked up on it."
  
Pick Up Someone's Chips [Poker]
Remove a player from a game, usually by the management. If a player leaves a full table for whatever reason (such as to have a meal, try to get more playing capital, go outside for a smoke) and does not return within a specified amount of time (such as, depending on the card room, 20 minutes, half an hour, 45 minutes), the floor man might elect to pick him up. "You've been gone for nearly an hour, and the other players were complaining, so we had to pick you up. Your chips are in the cage."
  
Pick'em [General]
A game with no favorite (the straight-up winner also would win bets)
  
Pick'em Game [General]
Neither team is favored. Take your pick and lay 11 to 10.
  
Pick-and-Roll [Basketball]
You are the point guard. The power forward is in the low post, the center in the high post. You bring the ball up court and pass to the center, who draws a double team and kicks it out to you. You pass to the left or right wing just as another guard comes up and sets a pick for you -- you then "roll" to the basket to get the pass for a lay-up or open shot. The Utah Jazz use this one a lot.
  
Pick-Up [Motor Sports]
The type of truck with an open cargo bed behind the closed cab.
  
Pick-Up Games [Basketball]
Impromptu games played among players who just met.
  
Picked Off [Basketball]
Refers to a defender who has been successfully prevented from reaching the ball handler by an offensive screen.
  
Picket Fence [Bowling]
The 1-2-4-7 or 1-3-6-10 spares.
  
Pickle [Baseball]
A rundown.
  
Pickle Man [Poker]
In hold 'em, 5-7 as one's first two cards; so-called because of the Heinz slogan, "57 varieties."
  
Pickle-Fork [Powerboating]
Descriptive of the hull of a three-point hydroplane in which the two sponsons extend beyond the center hull section; because of the shape.
  
Pickoffs (Pk) [Baseball]
The number of times a runner was picked off base by a pitcher.
  
Picture [Poker]
King, Queen and Jack; face cards; court cards; paint cards.
  
Picture Cards [Poker]
King, Queen and Jack; face cards; court cards; paint cards.
  
Pictures [Poker]
Any playing cards.
  
Pie Alley [Bowling]
A lane that produces high scores; from "easy as pie."
  
Piece [Poker]
A portion of one's action given away in exchange for help on the buy-in; often done in tournaments by players who don't think they have a great chance of winning, or traded by participants to increase their chances of making money. "If Doyle, Chip, or Jack finishes in the money, I'll make out okay; I've got a piece of each of them." The term point is similar.
  
Piece of Cheese [Poker]
A terrible hand, usually said disparagingly by the actual or apparent winner of a pot about the hand that might call him, or just has. "Throw that piece of cheese in the muck."
  
Pied De Biche [Archery]
See Goat's foot lever.
  
Pier [Sailing]
A place extending out into the water where vessels may dock. Usually made out of wood or cement.
  
Pig in the Poke [Poker]
A form of spit in the ocean, in which one card is dealt face-up in the center, which rank is then wild in anyone's hand, but which card is not part of anyone's hand. Also called wild widow, toad in the hole.
  
Pig's Eye [Poker]
The ace of diamonds, so called because the single diamond pip resembles the rhomboid iris of a pig's eye.
  
Pigeon [Poker]
A card that makes a hand, often received as the last card in a stud game.
  
Pike [Gymnastics]
A position in which the body is bent forward at the hips by more than 90 degrees, while the legs are kept straight.
  
Pile [Archery]
A type of arrow head used for target shooting
  
Pile, Piling [Sailing]
A pole embedded in the sea bottom and used to support docks, piers and other structures.
  
Pill [Horse Racing]
A small, numbered ball used in a blind draw to determine post positions.
  
Pilot [Sailing]
An individual with specific knowledge of a harbor, canal, river or other waterway, qualified to guide vessels through the region. Some areas require that boats and ships be piloted by a licensed pilot.
  
Pilot Ball [Croquet]
The ball off which a wicket is made in a four-ball break.
  
Pilot Chute [Motor Sports]
A spring-loaded device which pulls the braking chute from its pack.
  
Pilote Chute [Skydiving]
A small, round parachute that acts as a drogue to extract the main parachute from the container and deploy it.
  
Piloting [Sailing]
The act of guiding a vessel through a waterway.
  
Pin [Wrestling]
Having both of your opponent's shoulder blades on the mat for a specified length of time. In both international styles, this is for any instant. In college, it is for one second, in high school, two.
  
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