Knowledge Base

Glossary

Plain-English definitions for the terminology used across Football Compass.

Accumulator: A bet that combines multiple selections; all must win for the bet to pay out, and odds multiply.
Arbitrage: Exploiting differences in odds across bookmakers to guarantee a profit regardless of result.
Asian Handicap: A handicap given to teams to level the playing field, eliminating the draw option and offering adjusted odds.
Back: To bet on a particular outcome to happen.
Bankroll: The total amount of money set aside for betting.
Bet Builder: A feature that lets you combine multiple markets from a single match into one personalized bet.
Bookmaker: A company that sets odds and accepts bets.
Both Teams to Score: A market where you bet on whether each side will score at least one goal during the match.
Cash Out: The option to settle a bet before the event ends, locking in a profit or limiting a loss.
Cashback: A promotion that returns a portion of losses to the bettor, usually as a free bet or credit.
Double Chance: A bet that covers two of the three possible outcomes in a match (e.g., home win or draw).
Draw No Bet: A bet that returns your stake if the match ends in a draw; you only lose if the chosen team loses.
In-Play: Betting that takes place after a match has started, with odds updating in real time.
Juice: Another term for margin; the cut a bookmaker takes on each bet.
Kelly Criterion: A mathematical formula used to determine the optimal size of a bet based on perceived edge and odds.
Lay: To bet against a particular outcome, often used in betting exchanges.
Margin: The built-in advantage of a bookmaker, expressed as a percentage, ensuring profit regardless of outcome.
Odds: The number that indicates how much you can win relative to your stake; higher odds mean larger potential payout.
Payout: The total amount you receive when a bet wins, including your original stake and profit.
Pre-Match: Betting on a match before it begins, with odds fixed at the time of the wager.
RTP: The percentage of total wagers that a game returns to players over time.
Stake: The amount of money you put on a bet.
Value Bet: A bet where the odds offered are higher than the true probability suggests, giving an expected edge.
Volatility: A measure of how often and how much a bet can win or lose; high volatility means big but infrequent payouts.
Wagering Requirement: The number of times you must bet a bonus before you can withdraw any winnings.