If you want to enjoy sports betting platforms, you have to master some terminology in order to avoid unnecessary mistakes and get your dream winnings. Although online bookmakers are easy, there are nuances that can make all the difference in your betting experience. In fact, sports betting is a complex world of concepts, stats and probability. Newcomers need to understand these terms to avoid mistakes and misunderstandings when betting. The jargon is used especially in all sports books without exception that you can find on the bonus page, promotional messages, betting slip, and checkout page.
On this page we will provide you with the most important terms that you should rely on in order to have an error-free betting experience. However, depending on the sports betting site you choose, it is possible that you will find other terms. In this case, you can ask customer service about these terms before you take any other action.
ROI
It is the return on investment. Used by pro bettors, the ROI represents the percentage of winnings in relation to your bets.
ROI Calculation
(Profit/Stake) x 100 or so (Profit/Total Stake). Where profit is equal to winnings – stake.
The Cashout
By activating this function, you can recover part of your potential earnings, without even waiting for the end of the match. The value of the cash-out is calculated automatically by the bookmaker and evolves according to the vagaries of the match.
You can trigger a cash-out for 2 reasons: either to limit the damage in case of bad wind at halftime, by saving part of our initial bets instead of losing everything; either to secure our winnings, so shortly before the end of the match, you have a doubt about the final victory. By activating the cash out option, we collect our winnings but with less profit than expected when placing the bet. Cash out is somewhat the option of the hyperactive, the hesitant, those who change their minds, the cautious or the clairvoyant – in short, it can be used by everyone!
Over/ Under
These are terms in English that refer to sports betting: the first means “over” and therefore for “a 3.5 basket over” scored in a basketball match you must bet on at least 4 baskets scored to win. According to the same logic “under” means “less” and therefore for an “under of 3.5 baskets” you will win if you have bet on 3 baskets.
Half-time / Full-time (HT / FT)
It is a sports bet which offers to make a prediction on the result at half-time (HT = Half-time) and at the end of the match (FT = Full-time). So you have to make two predictions.
Free Bet
Free bet is no deposit bonus, so if you lose you lose nothing, while if you win you get the profit.
Handicap Betting
It is a bet for which a handicap or an advantage is attributed to one of the teams in a match. The basic handicap is +1 or -1, which means that a team leaves with a lead or a goal behind.
Double Bet
Such a bet is in fact a prediction on two selections in different matches. To succeed in your bet, both selections must be winners.
Long Term Bet
This is a bet on a sporting event whose result will be known at a more or less distant deadline.
1-N-2
This is the bet where you have to find the final result of a match among 3 solutions: team 1 wins, draw, or team 2 wins.
Correct Score at Half Time
One such bet is to find the score of a game at halftime. You will be able to choose from a list of possible scores offered by the bookmaker, each with its own odds.
Patent
A patent match consists of making 7 bets on 3 selections in different sporting events. The bet includes a single bet for each selection, 3 double bets and a treble bet. If a selection wins you will also win.
Odds Categories
There are several types of odds that differ in particular by their calculation formula:
- European: it is a whole number or decimal and the profit calculation formula is Profit = Stake * (Odd 1)
- British: it is odds in the form of a fraction and the formula is Profit = Stake * Odds
- American: it is a positive or negative number. The negative odds indicate the bet needed to achieve a profit of 100, while the positive represents the profit that corresponds to a bet of 100.
System Bet
It is a combination of several bets. The systems can be complex especially if you play in Anglo-Saxon bookmakers
Value Bet
It is simply to think and for some to calculate that the bookmaker overvalued a vote and it is therefore a trick to win more at less risk. This estimate is often a personal thing, but there is a mathematical calculation to define it:
(Odds x 100) / Objective probability of the event in %
The unknown remains indeed to determine the objective probability of the event.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the lexicon of sports betting may seem quite complicated, but with these basics you can quickly get used to it and play like a pro. Good luck !
