Betting Glossary
Every term you will meet: from Asian Handicap and CLV to rollover and steam — with short, plain explanations.
A
Accumulator (parlay) — combination of 2+ bets with multiplied odds. Action — accepted, active bet. Asian Handicap — half-point handicap that removes the draw.
B
Bankroll — capital reserved for betting. Bet builder — custom parlay within the same match. BTTS — Both Teams To Score.
C
Cash out — early settlement of a bet. CLV (Closing Line Value) — difference between the odds you took and the closing line. Cover — when the team covered the spread.
D
Dog (underdog) — the side with longer odds. Draw no bet — stake returned on a draw.
E
EV (Expected Value) — long-term average result of a bet. Edge — statistical advantage over the operator.
H
Hedge — opposite bet to reduce risk.
J
Juice / vig — the operator margin.
K
Kelly Criterion — optimal stake formula based on edge.
L
Lay — betting AGAINST something happening (mainly on betting exchanges). Line shop — comparing odds across operators.
M
Moneyline — American name for 1X2 without spread.
P
Push — tie on the spread → stake refunded.
R
Rollover (wagering requirement) — bonus term: how many times you must wager the amount to unlock.
S
Sharp — professional bettor / market that moves quickly. Spread — points handicap (basketball, NFL). Steam — sharp odds movement driven by sharps.
T
Tilt — emotion-driven bets after a loss. Totals (Over/Under) — sum of points/goals.
V
Value bet — odds higher than the true probability. Void — cancelled bet, stake refunded.