Knowledge Base
Glossary
Plain-English definitions for the terminology used across Coach's Corner.
- Arbitrage
- Arbitrage is the practice of betting on all possible outcomes across different sportsbooks to guarantee a profit regardless of the result.
- Bankroll
- Bankroll is the total amount of money you have set aside for betting, and managing it helps you avoid losing more than you can afford.
- Cash Out
- Cash Out lets you settle a bet before the match ends, either securing a win or cutting a loss for a reduced payout.
- Closing Line
- The Closing Line is the final odds or spread offered just before a match starts; beating it means you secured better value.
- Cover the Spread
- Cover the Spread occurs when a team wins by more points than the point spread, causing bets on that side to win.
- Free Bet
- A Free Bet is a bonus bet you can use to wager, with any winnings paid out but the original stake not returned.
- Futures Bet
- A Futures Bet is placed on an event that will be decided in the future, like which team will win the World Cup before the tournament starts.
- Handicapping
- Handicapping is the process of analyzing teams, players, and statistics to predict outcomes and find value in the odds.
- Hedge
- Hedge is a bet placed on the opposite side of an existing bet to reduce risk or lock in a guaranteed profit.
- Juice
- Juice is the commission the sportsbook takes on a bet, usually included in the odds, also known as vigorish.
- Kelly Criterion
- The Kelly Criterion is a formula that calculates the optimal size of a bet based on your edge and the odds offered.
- Line Movement
- Line Movement refers to changes in the point spread, total, or odds caused by betting activity or new information.
- Live Betting
- Live Betting allows you to place bets on a match while it is in progress, with odds that update as the game unfolds.
- Moneyline
- A Moneyline bet picks the winner of a match without a point spread, and the odds show how much you win for every $100 wagered.
- Odds
- Odds are numbers that indicate how likely an outcome is and how much you can win relative to your stake.
- Odds Boost
- An Odds Boost is a promotion that increases the odds on a specific bet, offering a higher potential payout.
- Over/Under
- An Over/Under bet is a wager on whether the total combined score of both teams will be higher or lower than a number set by the sportsbook.
- Parlay
- A Parlay is a single bet that combines multiple selections, and all of them must win for the Parlay to pay out, offering higher odds than separate bets.
- Point Spread
- A Point Spread assigns a handicap to the underdog so the favorite must win by more than the spread for a bet on the favorite to pay out.
- Prop Bet
- A Prop Bet is a wager on a specific event within a match, such as which player scores first, unrelated to the final result.
- Push
- A Push happens when a bet’s result exactly matches the line, leading the sportsbook to refund the stake.
- ROI
- ROI, or Return on Investment, measures how much profit you have made relative to the total amount you have wagered.
- Sportsbook
- A Sportsbook is a company or platform that accepts bets on sporting events and sets the odds.
- Void
- A Void is when a bet is canceled and the stake is returned, usually because a match was postponed or a rule was broken.