Knowledge Base
Glossary
Plain-English definitions for the terminology used across Tactical Review.
- Arbitrage
- Exploiting differences in odds across bookmakers to guarantee a profit regardless of the result.
- Asian Handicap
- A handicap system that eliminates the draw outcome and gives each team a half‑ or quarter‑goal advantage.
- ATS
- A record that shows how often a team has covered the point spread rather than winning outright.
- Bankroll
- The total amount of money set aside for betting activities.
- Cash Out
- An option to settle a bet before the match ends, locking in a profit or cutting a loss.
- Cover
- When a team beats the point spread, thereby covering the handicap.
- Edge
- An advantage you believe you have over the bookmaker’s odds, often derived from analysis.
- Futures
- A bet placed on an event that will be decided later, such as which team will win the World Cup.
- Hedge
- Placing a bet on the opposite outcome to reduce potential loss or secure a guaranteed profit.
- In-Play Betting
- Placing bets on a match while it is already in progress, with odds that update as the game unfolds.
- Juice
- The commission a bookmaker charges for taking a bet, built into the odds.
- Kelly Criterion
- A formula that calculates the optimal size of a bet based on your edge and the odds.
- Line Movement
- The change in betting odds or spreads over time as the market reacts to new information.
- Lock
- A bet considered almost certain to win, often because the odds are heavily skewed in favor of one outcome.
- Moneyline
- A bet on which team will win the match outright, with odds expressed as a positive or negative number.
- Odds
- The numerical expression of how likely an outcome is, determining how much you can win relative to your stake.
- Over/Under
- A wager on whether the total number of goals or points in a match will be higher or lower than a set line.
- Parlay
- A single bet that links multiple selections; all must win for the parlay to pay out.
- Point Spread
- A handicap given to the favored team to level the betting field, expressed as a number of goals or points.
- Prop Bet
- A side bet on a specific occurrence within a match, like which player scores first.
- Push
- A tie result in a bet where the wager is refunded and no money is lost or won.
- Stake
- The amount of money you risk on a single bet.
- Steam
- Rapid, widespread shifting of odds caused by heavy betting action on one side.
- Unit
- A standardized bet size used to manage risk, often a fixed percentage of your bankroll.