Essential Betting Terminology
Before placing your first bet, you need to understand the basic terminology. Your stake is the amount of money you're wagering. The odds determine your potential return - the total amount you receive if you win.
Profit is your return minus your stake. A selection is what you're betting on (e.g., Team A to win). A market is the category of bet (e.g., Match Winner, Over/Under Goals, Correct Score).
A single is one selection. A parlay (or accumulator) combines multiple selections - all must win for the bet to pay out, but the odds multiply together for bigger potential returns.
Common Bet Types
Match Winner (1X2): Bet on home win (1), draw (X), or away win (2). The simplest and most popular market in football.
Over/Under: Predict whether the total (goals, points, etc.) will be over or under a specified number. Over 2.5 goals wins if there are 3 or more goals.
Handicap: One team is given a virtual advantage or disadvantage. A -1.5 handicap means that team must win by 2 or more goals for the bet to win.
Placing Your First Bet
Choose a reputable bookmaker and create an account. Deposit only what you can afford to lose. Navigate to your chosen sport and find the event you want to bet on.
Click on the odds for your selection - it will be added to your bet slip. Enter your stake, review the potential return, and confirm. Your bet is now placed and will settle when the event concludes.