Football Betting Glossary: Understanding Sportsbook Terms

Football is widely considered the most popular sport in the world, featuring over 250 million players from over 200 territories. And with sports betting at an all-time high, it is safe to assume that there are as many football bettors as players and fans. If you are new to this scene, it helps to know the vocabulary. Understanding what in football betting can help you place better, more informed wagers on popular sportsbooks like Betway. Here is a look at some common terms.

Void Bet

A bet can become void if circumstances outside your control prevent a game you have wagered on from happening. A good example of this is when a game is canceled due to bad weather. When this happens, your bookmaker cancels the bet and returns your stake to you.

Real Time Odds

When you enter sports betting Zambia, the odds you see on your screen are real time odds. This is simply saying that the lines are updated immediately as things unfold on the field and in the real world.

Point Spread

Oddsmakers are responsible for setting the point spread for upcoming games. The point spread is a margin of victory that promotes betting action on the teams playing. Usually, the favorite is said to have “covered the spread” if they win by a score higher than the point spread. The underdog does the same by winning the game or losing by a score less than the spread. 

Parlay

A parlay bet is a common type of wager wherein the bettor ties in multiple bets to one ticket. The bets, which should be at least two, must all win for the bettor to receive a payout. If even one of the wagers flops, the entire parlay bet losses. Parlay bets are popular because they present the opportunity to make huge winnings. However, they also carry more risk, especially when they include very many bets.

Over/Under

In an over or under bet, you speculate on whether the results of a game will be over or under the number suggested by the bookmaker. The number might signify total runs, goals, or points scored in the game. If both teams score a combined total higher than the number, the over wins and vice versa.

Outright Bet

Also known as Futures, an outright bet is a wager on the outcome of a football competition or tournament instead of single games.

Moneyline

A moneyline is the simplest football wager you can make. It is a speculation on which team will win a match or competition.

Full-Time Result

When you make a full-time result bet, only the score or events of the first 90 minutes are considered. This means that the outcome of the penalties session or overtime does not factor into your bet.

Double Chance Betting

Double chance betting is when you put your money on two results in one bet. While this bet does not offer great odds, it has a better chance of panning out.

Accumulator (ACCA) Bet

An ACCA or accumulator bet is a parlay bet. Both terms refer to a combination of several wagers into one bet. The only difference is that the term “parlay” is more common in Europe and accumulator is more popular in the United States.

Other Common Terms

Other common terms you should know include bookmaker, action, bankroll, favorite, and underdog. A bookmaker is a provider who is licensed to take bets and create betting lines, such as Betway. On the other hand, action refers to any type of bet and your bankroll is the amount of money you have to wager with. As you may have guessed, the underdog is the team oddsmakers think will lose the game and the favorite the one they expect to win.

Learn by Doing

This is a sample of some of the most useful terms you will come across in football betting. And while they are useful, the best way to understand the – and learn more terms – is to get in on the action. The more you place bets, consider the spread, and read odds, the more familiar you will become with betting parlance.