MargusA–Z reference
Sports betting terms and glossary
Plain-language definitions for the prices, markets, promotions, and risk concepts you will encounter across Margus and regulated sportsbooks.
This glossary explains terminology; it is not betting or financial advice. Promotional and settlement rules vary by operator and jurisdiction.
A
- ActionMoney
- A wager or the total amount being wagered on an event.
- Against the spread (ATS)Bet types
- A result measured after the point spread is applied rather than by the game’s outright winner.Example: A team listed at +4 covers if it wins outright or loses by three or fewer points.
- American oddsOdds
- Odds displayed around a $100 reference point. Positive odds show profit on a $100 stake; negative odds show the stake required to profit $100.Example: +150 returns $150 profit on $100, while -150 requires $150 to profit $100.
- ArbitrageTrading
- Covering every possible outcome at different prices so the combined returns exceed the combined stakes. Opportunities are uncommon and can disappear quickly.
B
- BankrollMoney
- Money deliberately set aside for betting, separate from living expenses and emergency savings.
- Bonus betOffers
- Promotional credit used to place an eligible wager. The stake is commonly excluded from the return, and expiration or minimum-odds rules may apply.
- BookmakerMarkets
- A licensed operator that publishes prices and accepts wagers. Also called a sportsbook or book.
- Buying pointsBet types
- Accepting a less favorable price in exchange for moving a spread or total to a preferred number.
C
- Cash outTrading
- An operator offer to settle an open wager before the event finishes. The offered amount reflects the current price and usually includes a margin for the operator.
- Closing lineMarkets
- The final widely available price immediately before an event begins.
- Closing-line value (CLV)Trading
- The difference between the price taken and the market’s closing price. Consistently beating the close may indicate good price selection, but does not guarantee profit.
- CoverBet types
- To finish on the winning side of a point spread after the handicap is applied.
D
- Decimal oddsOdds
- Odds showing total return per unit staked, including the original stake.Example: 2.50 returns $250 total on a $100 winning wager.
- Deposit matchOffers
- A promotion that credits a percentage of a qualifying deposit, usually subject to playthrough, withdrawal, and expiration conditions.
- DogMarkets
- Short for underdog: the side priced as less likely to win.
E
- EdgeTrading
- A perceived difference between the probability implied by a market price and a bettor’s estimate of the true probability.
- Even moneyOdds
- A price with equal profit and stake, displayed as +100 in American odds or 2.00 in decimal odds.
- Expected value (EV)Trading
- The average theoretical result of repeating a decision many times, calculated from possible outcomes, probabilities, and payouts.
F
- FavoriteMarkets
- The side priced as more likely to win. Favorites carry negative American moneyline odds in a two-way market.
- First-bet insuranceOffers
- A welcome-offer structure that may return a losing qualifying wager as bonus credit, up to a limit. It is not a cash refund unless the terms explicitly say so.
- Futures betBet types
- A wager on an outcome settled later, such as a league champion, season award, or win total.
H
- HandleMoney
- The total amount wagered, before payouts and expenses are deducted.
- HedgeTrading
- A later wager that offsets some exposure from an existing position. Hedging changes the range of outcomes and normally incurs additional market margin.
- HoldMoney
- The share of handle retained by a sportsbook after paying winning tickets, often measured over a period rather than on one event.
- HookMarkets
- A half-point attached to a spread or total, such as 3.5.
I
- Implied probabilityOdds
- The win probability represented by a price before adjusting for sportsbook margin.Example: -110 converts to roughly 52.38% implied probability.
J
- JuiceOdds
- Another name for the sportsbook margin or price charged to take a side. Also called vig or vigorish.
K
- Key numberMarkets
- A margin that occurs relatively often in a sport and can make a half-point move more meaningful, such as three in football.
L
- LimitMoney
- The largest stake an operator will accept on a particular market from a particular account at that moment.
- LineMarkets
- The current odds, spread, or total offered for a market.
- Live bettingBet types
- Wagering after an event has started, using prices that update as time, score, possession, and other information change.
M
- MiddleTrading
- Holding opposing positions at different numbers with a range in which both can win.Example: Team A +7.5 and Team B -5.5 both win if Team B wins by six or seven.
- MoneylineBet types
- A market on the outright winner of an event, without applying a point spread.
N
- No actionMarkets
- A wager canceled under the house rules, with the stake returned.
O
- Off the boardMarkets
- A market temporarily or permanently unavailable for wagering, often because of news, uncertainty, or event status.
- Over/underBet types
- A wager on whether a measured result will finish above or below a posted total. Also called a total.
P
- ParlayBet types
- One wager combining multiple selections. Every required leg must win unless the house rules specify otherwise.
- Pick’emMarkets
- A market in which neither side is favored; the spread is effectively zero.
- Point spreadBet types
- A handicap applied to the final score for betting purposes. The favorite lays points and the underdog receives points.
- Prop betBet types
- A market on a specific event or player outcome rather than only the final winner, such as passing yards or first scorer.
- PushMarkets
- A tie against the posted number. The stake is generally returned, subject to the market’s rules.
R
- ReturnMoney
- The total amount paid back on a winning wager, including profit and, for cash bets, the original stake.
- Run lineBet types
- Baseball’s common spread market, typically centered on 1.5 runs.
S
- Same-game parlay (SGP)Bet types
- A parlay combining selections from one event. Prices account for correlation between legs.
- StakeMoney
- The amount risked on a wager.
- Steam moveTrading
- A fast, broad price movement appearing across multiple sportsbooks, usually after influential market action or information.
T
- TicketMoney
- A recorded wager, whether placed digitally or at a retail counter.
U
- UnitMoney
- A consistent stake-sizing reference used to report results without disclosing a dollar amount. A unit should be defined by the bettor, not assumed to be a fixed percentage.
V
- VigOdds
- The sportsbook’s embedded margin. Also called juice or vigorish.
- VoidMarkets
- A canceled selection or wager. Settlement of parlays containing a void leg depends on the operator’s house rules.
W
- Wagering requirementOffers
- The amount of eligible wagering required before promotional funds or associated winnings can be withdrawn.