Betting glossary for tipsters

Plain definitions of the terms you'll see on BetsPal and across tipping in general, with a quick example where it helps. BetsPal itself is free and just for fun: no real money, no stakes and no bookmaker.

Decimal odds

The total returned per 1 unit staked, including the stake. Odds of 2.50 on a 1u stake return 2.50u if it wins: 1.50u profit plus the 1u stake. BetsPal uses decimal odds.

Fractional odds

Profit relative to stake, common in the UK and Ireland. 3/2 means 3 units profit for every 2 staked. To convert to decimal, divide and add 1: 3/2 = 1.5 + 1 = 2.50.

American odds

Also called moneyline odds. A plus number is the profit on a 100 stake (+150 means 150 profit on 100, decimal 2.50). A minus number is what you stake to win 100 (−200 means stake 200 to win 100, decimal 1.50).

Implied probability

The chance the odds suggest, worked out as 1 ÷ decimal odds. Odds of 2.00 imply 50%; odds of 1.25 imply 80%. It's also the win rate you need at those odds just to break even.

Units

A fixed stake size used to record picks, so results can be compared whatever someone's bankroll is. A tipster might treat 1 unit as 1% of their bankroll. On BetsPal, units are purely a tracking score for the record. No money is involved.

ROI (return on investment)

Profit divided by total staked, as a percentage. Staking 100u in total and ending up 7u ahead is +7% ROI. On BetsPal's leaderboard, ROI is calculated flat-stake, with the same stake on every pick.

Yield

In tipping, usually the same thing as ROI: profit as a percentage of total stakes. Some people use yield for per-bet average return and ROI for return on bankroll, so check which is meant.

Strike rate

The percentage of picks that win, also called win rate or hit rate. It means little on its own: 40% at average odds of 3.00 is profitable; 60% at 1.50 is not.

Value

A bet has value when the odds are bigger than the true chance justifies. If you think a team wins 55% of the time and the odds are 2.00 (implied 50%), that's a value bet. Long-term profit comes from finding value, not from picking winners.

CLV (closing line value)

How the odds you took compare with the final odds just before the event starts. Taking 2.20 on a selection that closes at 2.00 is positive CLV. Consistently beating the closing line is one of the strongest signs of a skilled tipster, because the closing price is the market's sharpest estimate.

Accumulator

One bet combining several selections, also called an acca, parlay or multi. Every selection must win, and the odds multiply: three picks at 2.00 give 8.00. Big returns, low chance of landing.

Handicap (spread)

A head start or deficit applied to one side to even up a match. Celtics −4.5 wins only if the Celtics win by 5 or more. Asian handicap in football uses whole, half and quarter goal lines, and whole lines can refund the stake on an exact margin (a push).

Over/under (totals)

A bet on whether the combined score is above or below a line. Over 2.5 goals needs 3 or more goals in the match. Half-point lines mean there's no draw.

BTTS (both teams to score)

A football market on whether both teams score at least one goal. A 1–1 or 2–1 result is BTTS yes; 1–0 or 0–0 is BTTS no.

Moneyline (match result)

A bet on who wins the game outright. In football the three-way version includes the draw; in most US sports it's two-way.

Void

A bet that's cancelled and has its stake returned, usually because the event didn't take place or finish. On BetsPal, void picks don't count as wins or losses.

Tail

To back someone else's pick. On BetsPal, tailing a pick copies it onto your slip alongside the tipster who posted it. Just for fun, no money involved.

Fade

To go against someone's pick. On BetsPal you can fade a pick you think will lose, and it sits in My slip until the game is settled. If the pick wins, your faded ticket ends up torn.

My slip

On BetsPal, the list of every pick you're part of, whether you posted, tailed or faded it. Picks stay on your slip until the game settles from the final score.

Torn ticket

On BetsPal, what a pick on your slip turns into when it loses. The name borrows from the old habit of tearing up a losing betting slip; no money is involved.

Variance

The natural swings in results from luck. Even a tipster with a real edge will have losing weeks and months. The smaller the sample, the more variance hides true skill.