Knowledge Base
Glossary
Plain-English definitions for the terminology used across Football Compass.
- Accumulator
- A single bet that links together two or more selections; all must win for the bet to pay out.
- American Odds
- Odds expressed as a positive or negative number; positive odds show profit on a $100 bet, negative odds show how much you must bet to win $100.
- Asian Handicap
- A spread betting system that gives a fictional advantage or disadvantage to each team to level the playing field, eliminating the draw option.
- Back Bet
- A conventional bet that an outcome WILL happen; you win if the selection is correct.
- Bankroll
- The total amount of money you have set aside for betting activities.
- Bet Builder
- A tool that allows you to combine multiple markets from the same match into one custom bet.
- Both Teams to Score (BTTS)
- A market where you bet on whether both teams will score at least one goal during the match.
- Cash Out
- A feature that lets you settle a bet before the event ends, locking in a profit or limiting a loss based on current odds.
- Correct Score
- A bet that predicts the exact final score of a match.
- Decimal Odds
- A way of expressing odds as a single number that includes your stake; multiply your stake by the decimal to calculate total returns.
- Double Chance
- A bet that covers two of the three possible outcomes of a match (e.g., win for either team or a draw) in one wager.
- Draw No Bet
- A bet that removes the draw outcome; you win if your chosen team wins, and you get your stake back if the match ends in a draw.
- First Goalscorer
- A bet on which player will score the first goal in the match.
- Fractional Odds
- A traditional UK format showing profit relative to the stake, such as 5/1 meaning you win five times your stake.
- Hedging
- Placing additional bets on opposite outcomes to reduce risk or guarantee a profit regardless of the final result.
- In-Play
- Betting on a match while it is still ongoing, with odds that update as the game progresses.
- Lay Bet
- A bet that a specific outcome will NOT happen, common on betting exchanges where you act as the bookmaker.
- Moneyline
- A bet on which team will win the match, with odds expressed as a price for each side.
- Odds
- The price or probability assigned to a particular outcome, indicating how much you can win relative to your stake.
- Over/Under
- A bet on whether the total number of goals scored in a match will be higher or lower than a number set by the bookmaker.
- Responsible Gambling
- Practices and tools designed to help you bet safely, such as setting deposit limits and seeking support if needed.
- Stake
- The amount of money you risk on a bet.
- Unit
- A standardized bet size used to manage risk; typically a fixed percentage or amount of your bankroll.
- Value Bet
- A bet where you believe the odds offered are higher than the true probability of the outcome, giving you an expected edge.
- Vigorish
- The commission or fee that a bookmaker builds into the odds, ensuring they make a profit regardless of the outcome.