breakage
n.— «Breakage is even more insidious. Breakage is the downward rounding of the odds on the tote board, and consequently the amount paid on winning bets. A horse who may be 5.8-1 will be rounded down to 5-1, a significant reduction. There is no way to tell ahead of time how breakage will affect your bet, but it is more pronounced for favorites than longshots and over time will take another percent or so from your winning bets.» —“An Allegory” by Kevin Depew Minyanville (New York City) May 4, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
The expression to turn on a dime means “to change quickly.” Early on the phrase referred to horses or horse-drawn vehicles and later to motorized ones, and suggested the idea of changing direction quickly and easily without needing a large turning...
The expression to go chalk has to do with rankings in an athletic tournament and harks back to when seeded teams or players were listed on a chalkboard. To pick chalk means to choose one’s favorite competitor, and you can also speak of a chalk...