It's one of the biggest times of year in sports, with pro basketball and hockey playoffs in their final rounds in addition to pro baseball entering its midseason stretch. Not to mention the big car races and major golf tournaments that have fans from coast to coast planted in front of their televisions and betting on sports. If you want to get involved beyond staring at a screen, then legal USA sports betting is one way for you to play along with the best teams this season, no matter which sport you follow. If you haven't placed a legal sports bet in the United States, there's no reason to worry -- all it takes is knowing some of the most popular sports betting terms and which sports they correspond with.

At Caesars Sportsbook, there are more ways to play than ever. In fact, if you are a new registrant who is 21+ and located in an eligible state (AZ, CO, DC, IA, IN, LA, MI, NJ, NY, TN, VA, and WV)*, you can register, deposit, and get your first bet up to $1,250 on Caesars with the code GAMEFULLC. If your bet doesn't hit, don't worry. Caesars will give you a single bonus bet you can use within 14 days. (Terms and conditions apply. See details here.). All told, there are plenty of ways to take advantage of your sports book deposit offer.

Sports book betting guide, glossary, terms

Before you play, make sure you know the common betting terms you'll see. There are dozens of ways to bet on sports, and this handy sports betting guide can help you figure out what some of the most popular sports betting terminology means.

Outright: This user-friendly betting style requires you to pick one player to win an entire sporting event or tournament. This is a very popular method for wagering on single-player events like golf tournaments and car races, both of which are dominating the weekend sports schedules right now.

Over/Under: Be part of the pro basketball playoffs with this fun betting style. If a sportsbook sets the Over/Under for a game between Denver and Miami is set at 210, you wager whether you think the final score will be over or under 210.

Money line: If the pro hockey playoffs are your jam, then you should bet on it using this popular betting method. If Vegas is listed as a -200 favorite against Florida, you would need to bet $200 to return $100 on Vegas to win. If Florida is listed as the +200 underdog, that side would return $200 on a $100 bet if it wins. 

Prop bet: The widely-popular prop bet lets you wager on outcomes other than the final score of a game, and a player prop focuses on individual player performance. Sportsbooks will set a projected final total, and you wager you think the final stat will fall over or under that projection. Common prop bets include how many three-point shots a basketball player will hit or how many goals a hockey player will score.

Against the spread: Baseball's back, and here is the best way to wager on it. If Los Angeles is listed as a -200 favorite against San Francisco, you would need to bet $200 to return $100 on Los Angeles to win. If San Francisco is listed as the +200 underdog, that side would return $200 on a $100 bet if it wins.

Push: If neither team in a game can cover the spread, it is considered a type of "tie" called a push. If Dallas closes as a three-point favorite against Tampa Bay and then wins 27-24, neither team can cover and all bets on the spread are returned.

Teaser: This betting style helps you cover the spread by diminishing the risk. If your two favorite football teams are seven-point favorites and you are unsure if they will cover their spreads, you can use a six-point teaser to drop each team to a -1 favorite and only need two points to cover.

Parlay: This high-risk, high-reward betting method involves two or more sides on one wager and all sides must win for the bet to be a winner. A $100 bet on a four-team parlay at 11-1 odds could return $1,100, but that is only if all four sides win. If three or fewer sides win, the bet is a loser.

Futures: You aren't limited to wagering on games happening right now. Futures bets let you wager on sports outcomes that will take place months from now. Baseball season hasn't started yet, but you can place a futures bet now on which team you think will win their division.

Live betting: Baseball is in full swing and live betting is a great way to play along with your favorite pro baseball team. Sportsbooks will update certain odds as a game progresses, so you can bet on a player having a great game to hit a home run -- and many other outcomes -- as the innings unfold.

How to get the latest Caesars Sportsbook promo code

Ready to get started? Click here to get your first bet up to $1,250 from Caesars (See details here). Remember to use the code GAMEFULLC.

Available Caesars Sportsbooks include:

Caesars Sportsbook AZ
Caesars Sportsbook CO
Caesars Sportsbook IA
Caesars Sportsbook IN
Caesars Sportsbook LA  
Caesars Sportsbook MI
Caesars Sportsbook NJ
Caesars Sportsbook NY
Caesars Sportsbook TN
Caesars Sportsbook VA
Caesars Sportsbook WV

*21 + only (18+ in DC). Must be physically present in MD, NJ, PA, IL, WV, MD, OH, AR, CO, KS, DC, NV, WY, AZ, IN, OH, LA, MI, NY, TN, VA and MA. Sports betting is void in Georgia, Hawaii, Utah and other states where prohibited. Gambling Problem? MD, NJ, PA, IL, MD, OH Call 1-800-GAMBLER. WV Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit 1800gambler.net. AR, CO, KS, DC, NV, WY Call 1-800-522-4700, AZ call 1-800-NEXT-STEP, IN call 1-800-9-WITH-IT (1-800-994-8448). LA Call 1-877-770-STOP. MI, Call the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Gambling Disorder Helpline at 1-800-270-7117. NY Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369). TN Call or text the Tennessee REDLINE at 1-800-889-9789. VA Call, text, or chat our confidential and toll-free helpline at 1-888-532-3500. MA If you or a loved one is experiencing problems with gambling, please call 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org for 24/7 support. FOR HELP, CALL 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org. Standard text rates may apply.