Knowledge Base
Glossary
Plain-English definitions for the terminology used across Football Compass.
- 1X2
- A three‑way market where you bet on either the home win (1), a draw (X), or the away win (2).
- Accumulator
- A single bet that links multiple selections; all must win for a payout, multiplying the odds.
- American Odds
- Odds expressed as a positive or negative number, showing how much you win on a $100 bet or how much you must stake to win $100.
- Anytime Goalscorer
- A bet that a specific player will score at any point during the match.
- 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 gives one team a virtual lead or deficit, eliminating the draw option and leveling the playing field.
- Bankroll Management
- The practice of setting a budget for betting and deciding how much to wager on each bet.
- Betting Exchange
- A platform where bettors can back and lay outcomes directly with each other, often with lower commission than a traditional bookmaker.
- Bookmaker Margin
- The built‑in advantage a bookmaker includes in the odds, ensuring they make a profit over the long term.
- Both Teams To Score (BTTS)
- A wager that both sides will find the net at least once during the match.
- Cash Out
- A feature allowing you to settle a bet before the event ends, either securing a profit or minimizing a loss based on current odds.
- Decimal Odds
- A format that expresses the total return per unit staked, including the original stake.
- Double Chance
- A bet that covers two of the three possible match outcomes, increasing your chance of winning.
- Draw No Bet
- A market where you pick a team to win; if the match ends in a draw, your stake is refunded.
- First Goalscorer
- A prop bet predicting which player will score the opening goal of the game.
- Fractional Odds
- Traditional odds shown as a fraction, indicating profit relative to the stake.
- Hedging
- Betting on the opposite outcome of an existing wager to reduce potential loss or lock in a profit.
- Lay Bet
- A bet that an outcome will NOT happen, essentially acting as the bookmaker by offering odds to other bettors.
- Live Betting
- Placing bets on events while the match is in progress, with odds shifting as the game unfolds.
- Over/Under
- A bet on whether the total number of goals scored in a match will be more or less than a set number.
- Payout
- The total amount you receive when a bet wins, including the original stake and profit.
- Pre-Match Betting
- Wagering on outcomes before the scheduled start of a match.
- Single Bet
- A straightforward wager on one outcome, with returns based solely on that selection.
- Stake
- The amount of money you risk on a particular bet.
- Value Bet
- A situation where the odds offered are higher than the true probability of the outcome, giving an expected positive return.