Knowledge Base
Glossary
Plain-English definitions for the terminology used across World Cup Hub.
- Accumulator
- A single bet that links two or more individual selections; all must win for the bet to pay out, and winnings roll over from one selection to the next.
- Asian Handicap
- A handicap applied to a team to level the playing field, often expressed in fractions (e.g., -0.5, +1.25) that can reduce the possibility of a draw.
- Bankroll Management
- The practice of deciding how much money to allocate for betting and how much to stake on each wager to avoid losing everything quickly.
- Bet Builder
- A feature that lets you combine multiple outcomes from the same match into a single custom bet with its own odds.
- Cash Out
- An option to settle a bet before the event ends, letting you take a reduced payout rather than wait for the final result.
- Double Chance
- A bet that covers two of the three possible outcomes in a match (e.g., win/draw, draw/lose) to increase your chances of winning.
- Each-Way
- A two-part bet where you back a team to win and also to finish in a specified place; it pays out at a fraction of the win odds if the team places.
- Evens
- Odds expressed as 1/1, meaning you win the same amount as your stake if the bet succeeds.
- Expected Value
- A calculation that estimates the average profit or loss you would make per bet if you repeated it many times, based on the odds and probability.
- Free Bet
- A promotional token the sportsbook gives you to place a bet without using your own money; any winnings are usually returned but the free stake is not.
- Handicap Betting
- A market where an advantage or disadvantage is added to a team’s final score to create more balanced odds.
- In-Play Betting
- Bets placed after the match has started, with odds that update in real time as the game unfolds.
- Kelly Criterion
- A mathematical formula that suggests the optimal fraction of your bankroll to risk on a bet to maximize long‑term growth.
- Lay Bet
- A bet that a particular outcome will not happen; you act as the bookmaker and pay out if the outcome occurs.
- Margin
- The built‑in profit margin a sportsbook includes in the odds, meaning the total implied probabilities exceed 100%.
- Odds Comparison
- The process of checking the odds offered by different sportsbooks to find the best possible price for a bet.
- Over/Under
- A bet on whether the total number of goals/points in a match will be higher or lower than a line set by the sportsbook.
- Parlay
- A single bet that combines multiple selections; all must be correct for the bet to win, offering higher odds than betting each selection separately.
- Pre-Match Betting
- Bets placed before a match starts, with odds set based on pre‑game analysis.
- Profit Boost
- A promotion that multiplies the net profit from a specific bet by a set factor (e.g., 1.2×) before payout.
- Push
- A result where the bet is refunded because the final outcome exactly matches the line or total set by the sportsbook.
- Spread Betting
- A wager where the payout depends on the accuracy of the prediction relative to a point spread, rather than a simple win/loss.
- Stake
- The amount of money you put on a bet; your potential winnings are calculated based on this figure and the odds.
- Tipster
- A person or service that provides predictions and betting advice, often for a fee or subscription.
- Value Bet
- A bet where the odds offered by the sportsbook are higher than the true probability of the outcome, indicating a positive expected value.