Glossary
A betting dictionary: odds, margin, handicap, totals, bankroll and other line terms.
Each card is a full article: what the term means, how books price it, a worked example and common mistakes. This is a player reference, not tips and not a place to bet.
Parlay
The US name for an accumulator. Every leg must win. Spreads and totals often sit in one parlay.
Partial cash out
Taking part of the book's cash-out offer and leaving the rest of the ticket live.
Patent
A UK system on 3 selections: 3 singles, 3 doubles and 1 treble — seven bets in total.
Payout
The money that actually leaves the book after settlement: stake × odds minus tax/commission, subject to KYC and max-payout caps.
Player prop
A market on a player's stats: goals, shots, assists, points. You need minutes and lineup, not just club form.
Point spread
US-sports handicap: favourite −6.5, underdog +6.5. Usually two sides, not three.
Poisson
A distribution for count data. In football, a simple model of goals with mean λ. P(k) = e^(−λ) λ^k / k!. Independence is the weak joint.
Public money
Side the recreational crowd loads: famous shirts, overs, parlays. Books often shade a tick toward them.
Push
A tie against the line: the result lands exactly on the spread or total. The stake is usually refunded.