Sports Betting Terms and Their Meaning

Sports betting is an exciting way to engage with your favorite sports. However, the activity comes with its own language. Worry not, as these terms are not hard to master. Understanding what they mean is essential for making informed decisions. 

This article aims to simplify some of the most common betting terms to help you place bets with more confidence. 

Bet Types

Understanding bet types is the first step in placing a wager. Here are some popular bets you will come across on platforms like Betway:

Moneyline

This is the simplest form of betting where you predict which team or athlete will win. If your prediction is right, you win; if not, you lose. The odds of a moneyline bet are represented by a plus or minus sign followed by a three-digit number. 

Negative tells you the amount of money you need to wager to win $100. For instance, -300 means you must bet $300 to profit $100. You can use this to determine what you will win for any amount placed. Positive signs show how much you win from a $100 wager. However, you don’t have to wager that exact amount. 

Under/Over

In this bet, you wager on whether the total score of the game will be over or under a number set by the sportsbook. This is the most common type of wager on sport bet Zambia sites and is ideal for beginners. 

Point Spread

This involves betting on a team to win or lose by certain points. A minus sign shows that the team is the favorite, and a plus represents the underdog. This type of bet is common for basketball and American football games available on Betway. 

Parlay 

This is combining multiple bets into one. If all bets in the parlay win, the payout is higher than if you made separate bets. These bets are sometimes called accumulators, combo bets, or multis. 

Goalscorer

In this bet, fans have to predict a player who will score a goal. There is the first goalscorer, who will score the first goal, and the anytime goalscorer, for a particular player to score any point during the match. This bet is a favorite among soccer fans on Betway. 

Betting Outcomes and Conditions

These are terms that describe how bets are settled and under which conditions they will occur. 

Push

A push happens when a bet results in a tie and neither the bettor nor the bookmaker wins or loses. If it happens, you are refunded, and you won’t profit or make a loss. That is why it’s also called a no-action bet. 

Vig or Juice

This refers to the bookmaker’s commission after taking a bet. It is the difference between the total amount and what was paid out. 

Limit

Limit is the minimum or maximum bet a sportsbook accepts. Even though limits are standard, bookmakers may add individual limits to people who tend to win more. 

It also refers to the payout limit you can cash out after a win. It is important to know the payout limit when calculating how much you want to wager. 

Conclusion

These are just some of the few common terms used in betting. By understanding these terms, you will have a better betting process and overall experience. If you ever encounter an unfamiliar term on any betting platform, don’t hesitate to do a quick online search.