Knowledge Base
Glossary
Plain-English definitions for the terminology used across Football Insights.
- Accumulator
- A single bet that links multiple selections together; all must win for the bet to pay out.
- Arbitrage
- Exploiting differing odds across bookmakers to guarantee a profit regardless of the result.
- Asian Handicap
- A betting line that gives one team a fractional goal advantage or disadvantage to remove the draw option.
- Bankroll
- The total amount of money a bettor sets aside for placing bets.
- Betting Exchange
- A platform where bettors can back or lay outcomes against each other, rather than against a bookmaker.
- Bookmaker Margin
- The built-in profit margin that a bookmaker includes in the odds, ensuring they profit over the long term.
- Both Teams to Score (BTTS)
- A wager on whether both sides will find the net at least once during the match.
- Cash Out
- A feature that lets you settle a bet early for a reduced payout, locking in a profit or limiting a loss.
- Correct Score
- A bet that predicts the exact final score of a match.
- Double Chance
- A bet that covers two of the three possible match outcomes (win, draw, or loss) in one wager.
- European Handicap
- A three-way handicap that gives a team a goal advantage or disadvantage without the Asian split.
- Half-Time/Full-Time
- A bet that requires you to correctly guess both the result at half-time and the final result.
- In-Play
- Placing bets on a match while it is already in progress.
- Juice
- The commission a bookmaker charges for taking a bet, built into the odds.
- Kelly Criterion
- A mathematical formula that calculates the optimal size of a bet based on your edge and bankroll.
- Lay Bet
- A bet that a specific outcome will not happen, common on betting exchanges.
- Line Movement
- Changes in the betting line or odds as more bets are placed or new information emerges.
- Matched Betting
- Using free bets and promotions to create a risk-free profit by covering all possible outcomes.
- Odds
- The number that reflects the likelihood of an outcome and determines how much a winning bet pays.
- Odds Boost
- A promotion that increases the odds on a particular selection, offering a higher potential payout.
- Over/Under
- A wager on whether the total number of goals scored in a match will be higher or lower than a set number.
- Pre-Match
- Betting on a match before it officially starts.
- Spread
- A line set by a bookmaker that equalizes the chances of two teams by giving points to the underdog.
- Stake
- The amount of money risked on a single bet.
- Value Bet
- A bet where the odds offered by the bookmaker are higher than the true chance of that outcome.