Knowledge Base
Glossary
Plain-English definitions for the terminology used across Football Compass.
- Accumulator
- A single bet that combines two or more selections, where the winnings from each choice roll over to the next, and you win only if all selections win.
- Asian Handicap
- A betting line that gives one team a half‑goal or quarter‑goal advantage or disadvantage to eliminate the draw outcome.
- Bankroll
- The total amount of money set aside for placing bets.
- Bet Builder
- An online tool that lets you combine multiple outcomes from the same match into a single wager.
- Bookmaker
- A company or individual that sets odds and accepts bets from customers.
- Cash Out
- A feature that lets you settle a bet before the event ends, either locking in a profit or cutting a loss.
- Double Chance
- A market where you can back two of the three possible outcomes (win, draw, win) in one bet.
- Each-Way
- A bet placed in two parts—one on the selection winning, the other on it placing (usually top three) with reduced odds for the place portion.
- Future Bet
- A bet placed on an outcome that will be decided later in the tournament, such as who wins the World Cup.
- Handicapping
- The process of analyzing teams and matchups to estimate a likely outcome and identify favorable odds.
- In-Play
- Bets placed after the match has started while the game is still ongoing.
- Juice
- The commission or fee a bookmaker charges for taking a bet, often built into the odds.
- Kelly Criterion
- A mathematical formula used to determine the optimal size of a series of bets based on perceived edge.
- Lay Bet
- A bet that a particular outcome will NOT happen, essentially acting as the bookmaker against the selection.
- Odds
- The price that reflects the likelihood of an outcome, indicating how much you can win relative to your stake.
- Over/Under
- A market where you wager whether a specific statistic (like total goals) will be above or below a set number.
- Parlay
- Another term for an accumulator—a single bet linking multiple selections, requiring all to win for a payout.
- Point Spread
- A margin of points assigned to the underdog to level the playing field for betting purposes.
- Prop Bet
- A wager on a specific event within a match (e.g., which player scores first) that does not affect the final result.
- Push
- A tie outcome where all bets are refunded because the result matches the line exactly.
- Responsible Gambling
- Practices and policies aimed at preventing gambling‑related harm and promoting safe betting behavior.
- Self-Exclusion
- A voluntary program that allows a bettor to block themselves from accessing gambling services for a set period.
- Stake
- The amount of money you risk on a bet.
- Value Bet
- A wager where the odds offered are higher than the true probability of the outcome, giving an expected positive return.
- Void
- A bet that is canceled and the stake is returned, usually because the event was postponed or the market was invalid.