Definition of Pick 'Em

What does the term "pick 'em" mean in the world of sports betting? What is the definition of the term "pick 'em"?

In sports betting, a "pick 'em" occurs when the outcome of a contest is a virtual coin flip - meaning, the two participants have virtually identical odds of winning.

For instance - let's say that Man City is playing Barcelona in Champions League action. Man City is hosting the contest, and the odds look something like this:

Man City, 2.40
Draw, 3.00
Barcelona, 2.35

As you can see, Barcelona and Man City have virtually identical odds of winning. In this case, we would say that the game is a "pick 'em", as neither team is seen as having the edge. At a neutral site, Barcelona would be the favourite, but Man City is hosting the contest, which brings the odds more into line.

Let's take a look at one more example of a "pick 'em".

Rafael Nadal is playing Andy Murray in the finals of the US Open. Bookmakers determine that neither player has an edge over the other, so the odds end up looking like this:

Rafael Nadal, 2.00
Andy Murray, 1.95

Now, Murray is a slight, SLIGHT favourite in this contest, but it is still essentially a "pick 'em". In this case, the bookmakers are saying that neither player has an edge, and that the contest should be a complete crap shoot.

That is a "pick 'em".