Knowledge Base
Glossary
Plain-English definitions for the terminology used across Fan Strategy.
- American Odds
- Odds displayed as a positive or negative number; positive shows profit on a $100 bet, negative shows how much you must bet to win $100.
- Arbitrage
- Betting on all possible outcomes of an event across different sportsbooks to guarantee a profit.
- Asian Handicap
- A split handicap that reduces the possible outcomes to two, often using quarter‑goal lines.
- Bankroll
- The total amount of money set aside for placing bets.
- Cash Out
- The option to settle a bet before the event ends, locking in a profit or loss.
- Decimal Odds
- A way to express odds as a single number (e.g., 2.50) that includes the stake.
- Fractional Odds
- Odds expressed as a fraction (e.g., 3/1) showing profit relative to the stake.
- Futures
- A bet placed on an event that will be decided in the future, such as which team wins the tournament.
- Hedge
- Placing a bet on the opposite side of an existing bet to reduce risk or secure a profit.
- Hold
- The percentage of total bets that the sportsbook keeps as profit, also called the overround.
- Juice
- The commission the sportsbook charges for taking a bet, built into the odds.
- Line Movement
- The change in odds or point spread over time due to betting activity.
- Live Betting
- Placing bets on a match while it is in progress, with odds that update in real time.
- Moneyline
- A straightforward bet on which team will win the game, without any point spread.
- Over/Under
- A bet on whether the total number of goals scored will be higher or lower than a line set by the sportsbook.
- Parlay
- A single bet that combines multiple selections; all must win for the bet to pay out.
- Point Spread
- A handicap set by the sportsbook to make the favorite and underdog even, requiring the favorite to win by a certain margin.
- Prop Bet
- A wager on a specific event within a match, such as which player scores first.
- Public Money
- The portion of bets placed by recreational bettors, often used to gauge market sentiment.
- Push
- A tie result where bets are refunded because the outcome matches the line exactly.
- Sportsbook
- A company that accepts bets on sporting events and sets odds.
- Stake
- The amount of money you risk on a single bet.
- Steam
- Rapid line movement caused by heavy betting action from sharp bettors.