Betting glossary: terms explained simply
From odds to the Kelly criterion: 31 terms on sports betting and Kicktipp, briefly defined with worked examples from real numbers.
0–9
A
- AccumulatorAn accumulator combines several individual selections on one slip; the odds are multiplied, and the bet only wins if every selection is right.
- Asian handicapThe Asian handicap gives one team a head start of half, whole or quarter goals and has only two sides – a draw is either ruled out or leads to a refund.
B
- Bankroll managementBankroll management means setting a fixed betting budget and staking only a small, predetermined share of it on each bet.
- Bookmaker marginThe margin is the mark-up a bookmaker builds into its odds so that it earns across all outcomes – it pushes the payout below the fair value.
- Both teams to score (BTTS)In the "both teams to score" (BTTS) market, "Yes" wins if each team scores at least one goal – regardless of how the match ends.
C
- Cash outCash out lets you settle a running bet before it finishes – for an amount the bookmaker calculates from the current odds.
- Closing line valueClosing line value (CLV) measures whether your odds were better than the closing odds just before kick-off – the best long-term indicator of whether you are beating the market.
- Converting probability and oddsOdds and probability are two sides of the same number – probability = 1 / odds, fair odds = 1 / probability.
- Corners and cards bettingWith corners and cards bets you predict the number of corners or yellow and red cards in a match, usually as an over/under line.
D
E
F
G
- German betting taxIn Germany, sports bets are subject to a 5.3 per cent tax on the stake; depending on the bookmaker, it is priced into the odds or deducted from the stake or the winnings.
- Goalscorer bettingWith a goalscorer bet you back a particular player to score – at any time in the match, as the first or as the last goalscorer.
H
- Half-time/full-timeWith a half-time/full-time bet you predict the result at the break and at the end at the same time – for example "X/1": draw at half-time, home win at full-time.
- Handicap bettingWith a handicap bet, one team is given a virtual goal head start or deficit in advance, which is added to the final result.
I
J
K
O
- OddsThe odds show the factor by which your stake is multiplied if the bet wins – and at the same time reveal how likely the bookmaker thinks an outcome is.
- Odds boostAn odds boost is a promotion in which a bookmaker temporarily increases the odds on a particular selection – usually with a limited maximum stake.
- Odds rule (Kicktipp)Under the Kicktipp odds rule, a correct outcome earns more points the fewer fellow players predicted it – underdog picks are rewarded.
- Outcome, goal difference, exact score (Kicktipp)On Kicktipp, points are awarded on three levels – for the exact score, for the correct goal difference and for the correct outcome (win, draw, defeat); the default is 4, 3 and 2 points.
- Over/underWith over/under you bet on whether more or fewer goals will be scored in a match than a set line, for example 2.5.
P
- Player protection and limitsPlayer protection covers the statutory and voluntary tools bettors can use to limit their gambling – from deposit limits to self-exclusion.
- Poisson distributionThe Poisson distribution describes how likely 0, 1, 2 or more goals are when you know a team's average expected number of goals.
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V
Calculate it yourself
- Odds calculator Convert odds, probability and margin
- Accumulator calculator Total odds and payout
- System bet calculator all combinations and winning cases
- Kicktipp calculator Tips with the most expected points