Knowledge Base
Glossary
Plain-English definitions for the terminology used across Football Compass.
- Acca
- Short for accumulator, a bet that combines several selections into one wager with multiplied odds.
- American Odds
- Odds shown as a positive or negative number, indicating how much you win on a $100 bet or how much you must stake to win $100.
- Arbitrage
- Placing bets on all possible outcomes of an event across different bookmakers to guarantee a profit regardless of the result.
- Asian Handicap
- A spread betting system that eliminates the draw by giving one team a fractional goal advantage or disadvantage.
- Bankroll
- The total amount of money set aside for betting, used to manage stakes and track performance.
- Bet Builder
- A tool that lets you combine multiple markets from a single match into one custom wager.
- Bookmaker
- The company or entity that sets odds and accepts bets from customers.
- Cash Out
- A feature allowing you to settle a bet before the event ends, either securing a profit or limiting a loss.
- Closing Line
- The final odds offered just before a match starts, reflecting the most up-to-date market information.
- Decimal Odds
- A way to display odds as a single number that includes the stake, making it easy to calculate total payout.
- Expected Value
- The average amount you can expect to win or lose per bet if you repeat the same wager many times.
- Fractional Odds
- Odds expressed as a fraction, showing the profit relative to the stake (e.g., 5/1 means $5 profit for every $1 wagered).
- Hedging
- Betting on the opposite outcome to reduce risk or lock in a profit after an original bet looks likely to win.
- In-Play Betting
- Placing a bet after the match has started, with odds that shift as the game progresses.
- Margin
- The built-in advantage a bookmaker holds in odds, often called "juice" or "vig," which ensures profitability.
- Moneyline
- A bet on which team will win the match, with odds expressed as a positive or negative number.
- Opening Line
- The initial odds released by a bookmaker before the majority of bettors begin wagering.
- Over/Under
- A wager on whether the total number of goals in a match will be higher or lower than a set figure.
- Parlay
- A single bet that links multiple selections; all must win for the bet to pay out, increasing potential profit.
- Payout
- The total amount you receive when a bet wins, including your original stake plus profit.
- Point Spread
- A handicap given to the favorite team to level the betting field, requiring them to win by a certain margin.
- Pre-Match Betting
- Placing a bet before the match begins, using fixed odds determined at the start.
- Single Bet
- A straightforward bet on a single outcome of a match, with only one selection.
- Stake
- The amount of money you risk on a bet.
- Value Bet
- A selection where the odds offered are higher than the true probability of the outcome, offering long-term profit potential.