Betting terms glossary

Basic concepts

• Market: a question you can bet on about a match, such as "match result" or "total goals".
• Selection: one of the possible answers in a market, such as "home win".
• Odds: how many times the stake is paid if the selection wins. Turkey and most of Europe use decimal odds (2.10, for example). What odds mean is explained in the betting odds guide.
• Slip (coupon): a bet ticket containing one or more selections.

What is 1X2?

The match result market. 1 is a home win, X a draw, 2 an away win. Regular time counts; extra time and penalties usually do not.

What is double chance?

A selection covering two of the three outcomes: 1X (home win or draw), X2 (draw or away win), 12 (no draw). Because the chance of losing is lower, the odds are lower than 1X2.

What is over/under?

A bet on whether the total number of goals stays below or goes above a line. "Over 2.5" means at least 3 goals; because 2.5 is not a whole number there is no push (refund). With whole-number lines (for example 2 goals) the bet is usually refunded if the result lands exactly on the line.

What is both teams to score?

A bet on whether both teams score at least once (BTTS yes / no), regardless of who wins.

What is a handicap?

One team is given a virtual goal advantage or disadvantage before the match and the result is judged accordingly. With "home −1" the home side must win by at least 2 goals. Asian handicaps use half and quarter lines and sometimes refund half the stake; rules vary by bookmaker.

What is cash out?

Closing a bet before it settles for the amount the bookmaker offers. The offer is computed from the current odds and the bookmaker's margin and is usually below the slip's theoretical value. Early payout (such as "two goals ahead early payout") is a separate promotion in which the bookmaker settles the bet as won once a condition is met.

Accumulator and system bets

• Accumulator: several selections on one slip; all must win. The total odds are the product of the selection odds, which you can compute with the odds calculator. The product is valid only for independent selections.
• System: separate bets on sub-combinations of the selections; some combinations can win even if one selection loses. The total stake grows with the number of combinations.

Half time / full time

Predicting the half-time result and the full-time result together (for example 1/X). There are nine possible combinations; odds are high and the hit rate low.

Live (in-play) betting

Betting on odds that change while the match is in progress. Odds react to events with a delay and the bookmaker may apply a short acceptance delay. See the live betting guide for bankroll advice.

Margin (overround)

The part of a market's summed implied probabilities that exceeds 100%; this is where the bookmaker's profit comes from. The odds calculator shows a market's margin.

Bonus and wagering

For wagering requirements, minimum odds and maximum withdrawal limits in operator promotions see the bonus terms page.