Sports Betting Glossary

Accumulator – A bet that consists of multiple selections and requries each of them to be successful in order for the bet to win. This is particularly popular in football, where for example a bettor may select six teams all to win. It is a risky bet though with all the selections required to be successful.

Ante-post Betting – When you place a bet well in advance of the event actually happening. This could be for a certain team to win the next World Cup or a horse to win the Gold Cup at Cheltenham. Ante-post betting can yield odds that are larger than the eventual starting price (SP) but is a risky strategy as so much can happen over a space of time.

Banker – A selection that is considered to be a near certainty. Obviously nothing is a guarantee but when you see a bet deemed a ‘banker’, whoever is tipping it sees it as very likely to come in.

Double – This is a bet that consists of two selections that requires both to win in order to win.

Each-way – Most commonly found in Horse Racing where your bet is split in to two parts. First of all for your selection to finish first and then for it to place. For example an each-way bet on a horse would be for it to finish first or to be placed within the top three places (or more/less depending on how many are in the race). The each-way bet is also popular in major golf tournaments, where even if your player isn’t the outright winner you’ll get a return if they finish in the top specified places.

Favourite – The selection that is the shortest priced and is deemed to be the most likely winner available in the market.

Form – Certainly one to keep an eye out for ahead of making your bet. Basically the recent results of your selection i.e how well the selection has been doing going in to the event.

Free Bet – Bookmakers will offer these to both new and existing customers by which they credit your account with a certain amount dependent on qualifying requirements. These may also be described in various other terms such as bonuses or bet credits.

In-Play – This is when you can bet even once the event has started. This has exploded in popularity in recent years with the developments of mobile betting and offers punters the chances to analyse the situation before making a selection. You may want to bet on a certain football team to win a match despite them being a goal down as they will be better priced and you are confident in their chances of turning things around.

Matched Free Bet – The bookmaker will match your initial deposit in the form of a free bet. For example, opening an account with a bookmaker and depositing £50 to receive a £50 free bet to play with. (Note, each bookmaker has a limit on their matched free bet offers. For example, they’ll match your deposit up to certain amount, such as £50 or £200.)