Knowledge Base
Glossary
Plain-English definitions for the terminology used across Football Compass.
- Accumulator
- Same as a parlay, a bet that combines multiple selections; winning requires all selections to be correct.
- Asian Handicap
- A handicap system that eliminates the draw outcome and splits the bet across two half‑handicaps.
- Bankroll
- The total amount of money set aside for betting activities.
- Cash Out
- A feature that allows you to settle a bet before the event ends, either locking in a profit or minimizing a loss.
- Correct Score
- A wager on the exact final score of a match.
- Dutching
- Placing bets on all possible outcomes of an event to guarantee a profit regardless of the result.
- Edge
- The statistical advantage a bettor believes they have over the bookmaker’s odds.
- Futures
- A bet placed on an event that will be decided in the future, such as which team will win the World Cup.
- Half-time/Full-time
- A bet that predicts both the result at halftime and the final result of a match.
- Hedge
- Betting on the opposite side of an existing wager to reduce risk or secure a guaranteed profit.
- In-play Betting
- Placing a wager on a match after it has started, with odds that update as the game progresses.
- Juice
- The commission charged by a sportsbook for accepting a bet, typically built into the odds.
- Kelly Criterion
- A mathematical formula used to determine the optimal size of a bet relative to your perceived edge.
- Lay
- To bet against an outcome occurring, as in a betting exchange where you act as the bookmaker.
- Line Movement
- Changes in the betting line or odds after they are first posted, often caused by betting action or new information.
- Moneyline
- A betting line that shows odds for a team to win a match outright, expressed as a positive or negative number.
- Over/Under
- A bet on whether the total number of goals scored in a match will be higher or lower than a set number.
- Parlay
- A single bet that links two or more individual wagers and pays out only if all of them win.
- Point Spread
- A disadvantage given to the favorite team to make the betting field even, requiring them to win by a certain margin.
- Public Money
- The volume of bets placed by recreational bettors, which can influence line movement.
- Stake
- The amount of money you risk on a bet.
- Unit
- A standardized measure of bet size, often a percentage of your bankroll, used to manage risk.
- Value Bet
- A bet where the odds offered appear higher than the true probability of the outcome, suggesting a positive expected value.