Discover 10 popular Sportsbook terms with simple examples for beginners. Learn everything from odds and moneyline (1X2) to Asian handicap and over/under totals.
Sportsbook betting is one of the best forms of entertainment that can help you earn cash as well if you use sportsbooks like the ones in the M88 Betting website. However, if you wish to get into sports betting online then it is first important for you to learn the basic sportsbook terms that you will come across. In this article, we have put together 10 popular words that you must use as your sportsbook terminology guide as a beginner.
1. Odds (Decimal Odds)
The first word on our sportsbook terms list is Betting odds and these are basically the numbers under every betting options. There are many betting odds format that you will come in sportsbooks like Devimal Odds, Fractional Odds or Moneyline Odds. But the most popular one from these are decimal odds. These odds tell you how much money you win using the formula stakes x odds. So if the odds are higher, the potential payout is bigger but the chance of winning is smaller and if the odds are low the winning chances are higher but the payout is smaller.
Example: Odds of 2.50 on Barcelona would mean that a RM100 bet would give you RM250 returns.
2. Asian Handicap
The Asian Handicap or Handicap betting option is a common main bet that you will find in most of the sports matches in the sportsbook making it one of the most important sportsbook terms that you should know as a beginner. This is a betting option even outs the strength difference between the teams as it offers the top-dog team a handicap score and the underdog team a headstart score at the beginning of the match. This is then calculated with the real results and based on the conditions of the handicap score it provides alternate results in the sportsbook.
Example: If Real Madrid has a -1.5 handicap and they win with a 3–1 score, then they will win the handicap bet since the condition is to score above 2 or more than 2 goals.
3. Over/Under (Totals)
Over/Under is another betting option that falls in the main bet category making it an important sportsbook terminology that you should know. The Over/Under betting option in sportsbook provides you with a margin and here you must guess the total score of both or a team to be more than or less than the given margin. This betting option is available for half-time/quarters, etc. as well as for the fill match as different betting options. To know more about the Over/Under bets visit our M88 Betting Tips section.
Example: If the over-under margin is 3 in the sportsbook, then you must wager to predict whether the total score of both teams would be more than 3 (over bet) or less than 3 (under bet).
4. Moneyline (1X2)
The next main bet in the sportsbook is the Moneyline betting option which lets you predict the winner of the match. This bet is simple and all it takes for you is to predict who will win the match by betting on team 1 or team 2 win. This betting option is also known as the 1X2 bet or the 3-Way moneyline bet except here a tie option is added for the sports matches that allows a draw to take place.
Example: In a tennis match between Serena Williams and Osaka, if you bet on Serena and she wins the match, then your bet wins.
5. Parlay (Mix Parlay / Accumulator)
One of the most popular bets used by pro bettors is the Parley or Accumulator bets which you should know as part of the sportsbook terminology. A parlay is when you combine two or more bets into one single ticket. All the selections must win for the bet to payout, but the combined odds make the potential winnings much higher. If one bet loses, the whole parlay bets tied together loses making this bet extremely risky.
Example: You bet on Manchester City to win in soccer, the Lakers to win in basketball, and Djokovic to win in tennis. If all three win in their respective sport, your parlay bet wins.
6. Stake
One of the most common terms you will hear in sportsbooks is the word betting stakes. Stakes are simply the amount of money you choose to risk on a bet. The higher the stake, the bigger the potential win, but also the bigger the loss. It’s the basic building block of every bet you place.
Example: If you put RM100 to bet on a betting option then you are staking or your betting stake is RM100.
7. Bankroll
Bankroll is another one of the common sportsbook terms you will come across when betting in sportsbooks. There are bankroll balances, betting bankroll, bankroll stakes, etc. which all basically mean one thing, that is the total money in your betting account. So, bankroll is the total money you set aside just for betting. Good bankroll management means betting only a small percentage per game to avoid blowing it all at once. This helps you stay in the game longer.
Example: If you make a deposit of RM5,000 in your betting account and keep RM1,000 specifically for sports betting, then your sportsbook bankroll is RM1,000 and total bankroll is RM5,000.
8. Bonus / Free Bet
Bonuses are offered for members of a betting site and these can be sportsbook bonuses, free credits, deposit bonuses, festival bonuses, etc. These basically are free cash given by the betting sites as a form of promotional offers for its members. They help members enjoy betting online without spending a lot of cash from their own pockets. However, these usually require you to complete rollover requirements within the allotted time-frame to make things interesting.
Example: M88 offers its members with a first deposit bonus offer which is a 150% up to RM888 on sports.
9. Push
The next term on our sportsbook terms list is the word Push which you will often hear in online casinos but also applies to some aspects of sports betting online. A push happens when the result lands exactly on the betting line, so the bet is neither a win nor a loss. In this case, your stake is refunded back to you. Pushes are common in spread and total bets.
Example: If there is a Handicap -1 on Barcelona, and Barcelona beats Sevilla 2-1 the bet is pushed and stakes are returned because they won by exactly 1 goal.
10. Live Betting (In-Play)
The last one of the sportsbook terms that you should know as a beginner is the word Live Betting as this is one of the important aspects of sportsbook betting online. Live betting lets you place bets while the game is already happening. Odds change in real time based on the action, which makes it more exciting but also riskier. This term is huge in sports like soccer, basketball, and tennis as there are many people who enjoy watching the match live and betting.
Example: During Nadal vs Alcaraz, you place a live bet on Nadal to win the 2nd set after losing the first.
Conclusion
These were the 10 Sportsbook Terms that are popular in Malaysian sportsbooks which you should know. These words are common and easy for beginners to understand to further learn more detailed lingo of the sportsbooks. To learn more about sports betting online and other betting tips, tricks, or guides, keep visiting our website.
