Knowledge Base
Glossary
Plain-English definitions for the terminology used across Football Compass.
- Accumulator
- A single bet that combines multiple selections; all must win for you to receive a payout.
- Asian Handicap
- A spread bet that gives one team a half‑ or whole‑goal advantage or disadvantage to level the playing field.
- Back
- To bet for an outcome to happen, opposite of a lay.
- Bankroll
- The total money you have set aside for betting.
- Betting Exchange
- A platform where bettors wager against each other, with the exchange taking a commission on winnings.
- Bookmaker
- The company or platform that sets odds and accepts bets from players.
- Cash Out
- The option to settle a bet before the event ends, letting you lock in a profit or cut a loss.
- Correct Score
- A bet that predicts the exact final score of a match.
- Double Chance
- A bet that covers two of the three possible match outcomes, such as a home win or a draw.
- Fixed Odds
- Odds that are locked at the time you place the bet, remaining the same even if the line later changes.
- Hedge
- Placing an opposite bet to reduce risk or guarantee a profit on a prior wager.
- Juice
- The commission or extra charge embedded in odds, also called the vig.
- Lay
- To bet against an outcome, offering odds to other bettors who think it will happen.
- Line Movement
- A change in odds or spreads caused by heavy betting or new information.
- Live Betting
- Placing bets on match events after the game has started, with odds that change in real time.
- Margin
- The bookmaker’s built‑in profit, already included in the odds they offer.
- Moneyline
- A bet on which team will win the match outright, with odds reflecting the probability of each outcome.
- Odds
- The numerical price that shows how much you can win relative to the amount you stake.
- Over/Under
- A bet on whether the total number of goals scored in a match will be higher or lower than a set line.
- Payout
- The total amount returned to you when a bet wins, including your original stake.
- Push
- A tie result where all bets are refunded because the outcome matches the line exactly.
- Stake
- The amount of money you risk on a bet.
- Steam
- Rapid, heavy betting that causes the odds or spread to move quickly across markets.
- Value Bet
- A bet where the odds offered are higher than the true probability of the event, giving an edge.