What Does ‘Dime’ Mean in Sports Betting?

In the world of sports betting, a “dime” is slang for a $1,000 bet.

This term is part of a common slang vocabulary used by bettors and bookmakers to refer to different wager amounts. It’s a quick and discreet way to talk about the size of a bet.

The origin of the term comes from the connection of a “dime” coin being ten cents, with the number ten then being extrapolated to represent one thousand dollars.

Here’s how it fits with other common betting slang terms:

• Nickel: A $500 bet.
• Dime: A $1,000 bet.
• Buck: A $100 bet.

How It’s Used in Practice

You might hear bettors use the term in the following ways:

• “I’m putting a dime on the Chiefs -7 tonight.” (This means they are betting $1,000 on the Kansas City Chiefs to cover the 7-point spread).
• A bookmaker might ask a client, “Do you want to go for a nickel or a dime on that?” (They are asking if the wager is for $500 or $1,000).

Essentially, if you hear someone in a sports betting context mention they “bet a dime,” they are not talking about ten cents; they are talking about a significant wager of one thousand dollars.