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Football Betting Terms Explained: A Practical Glossary for South African Punters
There is a specific terminology when it comes to football betting. If you fail to understand this terminology or don’t know how to read it correctly, you are likely to incur losses. This guide has been prepared by Betpack experts to help South African bettors understand football betting terms better, and have a clear grasp on what their bet slip indicates.
Essential Football Betting Terms: Stake, Odds, Payout, and Implied Probability
When betting on sports online, there are certain basic terms that determine what you pay and what you risk:
- Stake: Also called your wager, this is the amount of money you put on a bet.
- Selection: The outcome you are backing.
- Odds: The price of a bet, which is shown as decimal odds. The favourite has shorter odds, while the underdog has longer.
- Return: The amount of money you are paid if you win.
- Profit: Your return minus your stake.
- Margin or Overround: The percentage built into the prices of a bookmaker so that they do not lose money over time.
Bookmakers that accept South African punters use decimal odds. To illustrate with an example, if you wager ZAR100 on odds of 2.50 and a win pays ZAR250, you make a ZAR150 profit. To work out the implied probability, divide 1 by the decimal odds: 2.50 means the bookmaker is pricing that outcome at a 40% chance. If you think the real chance is higher than that, you've found a value bet. Whether that particular bet wins or loses doesn't change that. Value is about the price, not the result.
| Term | Description | Formula | Football Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Stake |
Amount risked |
Set by you |
ZAR100 on a home win |
|
Return |
Total paid on a win |
Stake x odds |
ZAR100 x 2.50 = ZAR250 |
|
Profit |
Winnings after stake |
Return minus stake |
ZAR250 - ZAR100 = ZAR150 |
|
Implied probability |
Chance priced in |
1 / decimal odds |
1 / 2.50 = 40% |
|
Margin |
Bookmaker edge |
Sum of probabilities above 100% |
Three 1X2 prices summing to 106% |
How to Read Football Betting Odds Formats
When placing wagers at bookmakers in South Africa, decimal odds are the easiest format to read, since the stake is already built into the number. Let’s assume you place a bet of ZAR100 at 1.80 odds. You will get ZAR180 if your pick wins. Your profit is this number minus your stake.
Some bookmakers also support American odds, usually shown with +200. The plus sign refers to the profit you would make on a stake of 100 units. Therefore, +200 means 200 units of profit on 100 units staked. In this case, decimal odds would be 3.00. A minus sign is the complete opposite: -150 means you have to stake 150 to win 100.
Football Market Terms: Match Result, Goals, and Handicap Bets
Football market terms describe what must happen for a bet to settle. The table below shows the most common football market terms found at bookmakers.
| Football Market | Description |
|---|---|
|
1X2 |
You pick a home win, a draw or an away win. It’s settled on 90 minutes plus stoppage time, so extra time and penalties don't count. |
|
Double Chance |
You cover two of the three 1X2 outcomes in one bet, for example home win or draw. |
|
Draw No Bet |
You back a team to win. If there is a draw, your stake is returned. |
|
Both Teams to Score (BTTS) |
“Yes” wins if each team scores at least once. “No” wins if one or both teams fail to score. |
|
|
You bet on whether the total goals in the match will be above or below a set line, such as 2.5. |
|
Correct Score |
You predict the exact final score, for example 2-1. |
|
Asian Handicap |
Asian handicap gives one team a goal advantage or disadvantage. With a -1.5 handicap, the team must win by at least two goals for the bet to win. With a -1 handicap, a one-goal win means your stake is returned. A -0.75 handicap splits your stake equally between -0.5 and -1.0. |
|
European Handicap |
Also gives one team a head start, but in whole goals, and keeps the draw as a third outcome. |
|
First Goalscorer |
You pick the player who scores the opening goal of the match. |
Bet Types and Bet Slip Terms Explained
Bet types describe how your selections are combined into one bet. While some require every pick to be won, some allow you to lose a leg or two to still get returns. Here’s a breakdown of what each term means.
Single
In singles bet, you get one pick and one bet. If the team you are backing wins, you are paid at the odds you have taken. If they lose, you lose your stake.
Double
You place two picks on a double bet, and each must win for you to get a return. In this bet type, odds are multiplied. The odds are multiplied together, so a ZAR150 double bet at odds of 1.80 and 2.00 has combined odds of 3.60 and returns ZAR540, including ZAR390 in profit. If either one of your picks loses, your entire bet loses too.
Treble
A treble bet works the same as a double bet, with a third pick added. For your bet slip to win, all three picks must win.
Accumulator
When you have four or more picks on a slip, it is called an accumulator, or acca bet. In this type of bet, each leg has to win. If even one of your picks loses, your entire bet slip will be lost.
Banker
Banker bets refer to the picks you trust to win the most, so that you include them in each line of a system bet. Since it is included in each combination, a losing banker bet will wipe out the entire line that relies on it.
Trixie
In trixie bets, you pick three teams and this bet type splits them into four different bets, with three doubles and one treble. Having two winners is enough to get a return. However, it is important to keep in mind that you are actually paying for four bets. Therefore, a ZAR10 trixie actually costs ZAR40.
Yankee
In a yankee bet, there are four selections from which 11 bets are built: six doubles, four trebles, and one fourfold. When you have two winning picks, you will get a return, with each extra winner increasing the payout. The drawback is the cost: for ZAR10 per line, you are in fact spending ZAR110.
Same Game Multiple
In this bet type, you do not have picks across different games, but bet on several markets from one game. To win, you have to get all of them right.
Cash Out
If a bookmaker allows you to cash out, you can end your bet early and take what the bookmaker is offering at that specific moment. If your acca bet is going well, you can get a profit by cashing out early. If it is not going as planned, you can still get some of your wager back.
Void
When a bet is voided, it means that the wager has been cancelled. In this case, your stake is returned to you. This is most likely to happen when a football game is postponed or abandoned. In the case of acca bets, the leg that has become void will be eliminated, and the rest of the bet slip will continue as normal.
Suspended Market
When a market is suspended, the odds will lock and the bet button will go gray. Suspended markets most commonly take place during goals, penalties, red cards or VAR reviews. During this time, the bookmaker will reset its prices. Betting usually continues again after a few minutes.
Max Payout
Every bookmaker has a ceiling on how much it will pay out, no matter what your odds add up to. It rarely matters on singles, but on a big acca the potential return on your slip can be higher than the cap.
Settlement Terms and Edge Cases
How a bet is finally graded is determined by settlement terms. The table below shows the terms you are most likely to come across when placing football bets.
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
|
|
Bets are placed during the match. The odds keep changing as the game progresses, so the price you see can change in seconds. |
|
In-Play Delay |
A short wait of a few seconds before a live bet goes through. If the odds change or the market closes in that time, your bet may be declined or returned at a new price. |
|
Abandonment and Postponement |
Open bets are usually voided and refunded. Markets already settled before the stoppage, like first goalscorer, still stand. |
|
Push |
The result lands exactly on the line, so you get your stake back. For example, a team on -1 that wins by one goal is a push. |
|
Dead Heat |
When two or more selections tie, your stake is divided between them and paid at full odds on your share only. You’ll see this most in top goalscorer markets. |
|
Line Movement |
How the odds change from when a market opens to kick-off, usually because of betting volume, team news or injuries. |
|
Post and Crossbar Specials |
Each bookmaker sets its own rules, so check them first. Look at whether the ball has to stay out of play, whether deflections count and whether extra time is included. |
Value Betting Terms: Expected Value and Reading Line Movement
In value betting, expected value (EV) refers to the average long-term result of a bet.
+EV Bets
A bet is +EV when the odds are longer than the outcome’s real chances justify. Take odds of 2.50, which imply a 40% chance. If you think the true probability is closer to 45%, a ZAR100 bet at that price is worth roughly ZAR12.50 on average over the long run. Any single bet will still either win ZAR150 or lose ZAR100.
Closing Line
The closing line, on the other hand, refers to the last price available before kick-off. Since it reflects the entirety of the money and information that has reached the market, it is used as a measure of whether you have secured value. If you have backed a team at 2.50 and the price closed at 2.20, this means you beat the closing line.
Market Movement
Market movement means how odds change over time. Steam happens when odds drop quickly at several bookmakers. This is often because many bettors are backing the same outcome. A stale price is when one bookmaker hasn’t updated its odds yet, even though others have. This can give you a better price than you’ll find elsewhere.
Conclusion: How to Use Football Betting Terms Correctly Before You Place a Bet
Accuracy in football bets comes down to knowing the terminology well and having a disciplined routine. When placing wagers, make sure to identify the market well, and know what settles it. Read the odds format to know the exact payout you can expect. Review settlement rules, in particular if you are placing live bets or in cases of specials. Finally, do not place wagers before checking specific bookmaker rules, since they can vary between operators.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Post and Crossbar Betting in Football Betting?
Post and crossbar betting is a special market. It asks whether the ball will hit the post or crossbar during a game. Settlement rules change by operator, so it is important to read them before you place a wager.
What are the Different Types of Football Bets?
There are several different types of football bets. Match result markets include 1X2, double chance and draw no bet, while goals markets have bet types such as over/under and both teams to score. There are also handicaps, player markets and accumulators and specials.
What is +EV Betting?
+EV betting means you back a selection at odds that are actually longer than its actual probabilities would justify. When you think the outcome of a game is more likely than the odds suggest, a bet is considered +EV.
