OTB

What Does OTB Mean in a Text?

The Quick Answer

OTB means "Off The Board" and "Off-Track Betting." OTB is an abbreviation most commonly used in the US in a gambling context. It typically means "Off The Board" and "Off-Track Betting."

Off The Board

When an event on which betting is allowed is said to be "Off The Board," it means that the sports book is not currently accepting bets on that event. In most cases, an event is OTB for one of two reasons:

• The OL (Opening Line) has not yet been released.
• Something has happened that has dramatically altered the potential outcome of the event and the sports book needs to put out a fresh line.

Off-Track Betting

OTB is also used to refer to "Off-Track Betting." This is legal betting on horse racing, at an establishment outside a racetrack.

Image for OTB

When I write OTB, I mean this:

OTB also means "Off-Track Betting."

Summary of Key Points

We have summarized the key points in the table below:

OTB
Definition:	Off The Board
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	4: Difficult to guess
Typical Users:	Adults

Second Definition for OTB

"Off-Track Betting" is another common definition for OTB.

OTB
Definition:	Off-Track Betting
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	4: Difficult to guess
Typical Users:	Adults

Examples of OTB in Sentences

Here are examples of OTB in conversations:

• Lee: How come I can't see the odds for the Yankees?
• Nancy: It's OTB. Something must have happened.
(Here OTB means "Off The Board.")

• Leah: Is OTB legal in Nevada?
• Neil: Yes, unfortunately.
(Here OTB means "Off-Track Betting.")

An Academic Look at OTB

As it is pronounced using its individual letters (i.e., "Oh Tee Bee"), OTB is classified as an initialism abbreviation. Initialisms are different to acronyms, which are spoken like words.

What Did We Say before Texting and Social Media?

Before the digital era, we might have just said "Off The Board" or "Off-Track Betting" instead of using the abbreviation OTB.

Example of OTB Used in a Text

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