Betting
What Does 'The Chalk' Mean in Sports Betting?
If you love sports betting, then it’s nice to be up on all the unique terminology used by the best online bookmakers, as well as in articles and other publications.
Today, we’re going to look at the question ‘what does chalk mean in betting?’ We’ll tell you what it means, as well as give you a brief history of the term and how it’s used today.
Ready to learn more? Let’s go!
History of the Term
The term ‘chalk’ when applied to betting traces its roots back to horse racing. Years ago, the odds for a race were written up on big blackboards using chalk, and the favourites of the race would end up having their odds changed frequently, resulting in far more chalk next to that name. So the horse with the most chalk residue next to its name would be the favourite, or ‘the chalk’.
What Does Chalk Mean Today?
The chalk betting term to describe the favourite of a horse race has developed throughout the years. Nowadays, you'll now hear the expression to describe the firm favourite for many sports events or matches.
However, although all chalk bets are favourites, it doesn’t mean that all favourites are necessarily chalk! The chalk is not the opposite of an underdog - it isn’t one side versus another 50/50.
Therefore, a chalk pick is a heavy favourite even when stacked up against other popular competitors. You can usually tell who the chalk is by looking at the odds of a match or event.
Betting the chalk would mean you wager on the team or player with the lowest moneyline odds, as this denotes that they are the bookie’s top selection to win.
Examples of Chalk
Simply put, betting on the chalk means wagering on the expected favourite. While these bets usually come with lower returns, they’re often much safer bets when compared to picking underdogs or less likely outcomes.
To illustrate what betting the chalk means in today's world, let's look at a few examples.
Example of the Chalk in NFL Football
Imagine that the Dallas Cowboys are facing the Seattle Seahawks in a match. The Cowboys would be the chalk if they were the heavy favourites to win the match. This would also be clear if you looked at the moneyline odds, which would be a lot lower than the Seahawks’.
Example of a Chalk Pick in NBA Basketball
If the Boston Celtics play against a lesser-known team like Orlando Magic, the Celtics would most likely be the chalk, as they’d be predicted to win by quite a large margin. If you suspected this but wanted to confirm it, you could check the point spread. If the Celtics are indeed the chalk, they’ll be the favourites by a large number of points.
Example of the Chalk in Horse Racing
Let’s say you’re at the Kentucky Derby and you like the look of a horse called Thunder, who’s won consistently and is popular with other bettors. This would make Thunder the chalk, even if there are many other horses that look good in the same race. The odds on Thunder would be much ‘shorter’ compared to the other horses in the race.
Example of Chalk in Tennis
In a Grand Slam match, if Novak Djokovic faces a lower-ranked player, Djokovic would be the chalk, as he’s the most likely to win and get to the next round. You could check the moneyline odds to confirm this, but in tennis you can often predict the chalk pick easily, as there aren’t as many competitors to choose from.
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With 10 years of experience in content writing, Alyx has produced countess guides, reviews and articles covering a wide range of topics in the iGaming industry. She loves anything to do with online casinos, as well as UK and international sports betting.
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