Sports Betting Terminology: Lay

One of the crucial aspects of sports betting is getting familiar with the terminology used. The term "Lay" is vital, signifying a bet placed on the favourite in a sporting contest.

In sports betting, "Lay" a bet means wager on the favourite. This can be done in two ways: through point-spread betting or money line betting. In point-spread betting, you're giving points, meaning you expect the favourite to win by a certain margin. In money line betting, you give odds, indicating you expect the favourite to win outright, irrespective of the score difference.

The term "Lay" might come from the idea of 'laying down' money on the side believed to have a higher chance of winning.

"Lay" closely correlates with other betting terms like "Favorite" (the team or individual expected to win), "Pointspread" (the predicted scoring differential between two teams), and "Money Line" (odds set on the straight-up winner).

Example 1

The author might write in a sports betting guide, "If you decide to lay a bet on the New York Yankees, you're putting your money on them to win. This could mean betting they win by more than a certain number of runs (point spread) or simply that they will win the game (money line)."

Example 2

During a betting podcast, the host might say, "I'm going to lay the points on the Lakers tonight. I think they can cover the spread easily against the weaker opponent."

Example 3

In a betting conversation, a bettor might comment, "The odds for the favourite team aren't great, but I'll still lay the bet because I believe they have a significant advantage."