Last updated: July 2026
Betting has its own language, and half the confusion new bettors run into isn't about the sport — it's not knowing what "each-way," "push" or "SP" actually means on a bet slip. This glossary collects every term you're likely to hit at a South African betting site, from the basics to the more specialist stuff, explained in plain English with worked examples where the maths matters. Bookmark it, and jump straight to a letter when a term trips you up mid-bet slip.
A
Acca / Accumulator — A single bet made up of several selections from different events, where the odds of every leg multiply together and the bet only pays if every leg wins. Our accumulator bets guide covers the full maths with worked examples.
Ante-post — A bet placed well ahead of an event (often weeks or months), usually at a better price than closer to kick-off, but typically with no refund if your selection later withdraws or doesn't take part.
Arbitrage (Arbing) — Betting on every possible outcome of an event across different bookmakers at prices that guarantee a profit regardless of the result. Rare in practice because bookmakers restrict accounts that arb heavily.
Asian Handicap — A goal-based handicap (often in quarter-goal increments) applied to a match to remove the draw as a betting outcome and level up a mismatched fixture.
B
Banker — A selection you're most confident about, often used as the "safe" leg of an accumulator or system bet — though no bet is ever truly risk-free.
Bet Builder — A tool that lets you combine multiple markets from the same match into one bet (for example, a player to score and the match to finish over 2.5 goals), with combined odds calculated automatically.
Both Teams to Score (BTTS) — A bet on whether both sides will score at least one goal each during the match, regardless of the final result.
Bookmaker (Bookie) — The operator that sets odds and accepts bets. In South Africa, only sites licensed by the National Gambling Board or a provincial authority (like the WCGRB or KZN Gaming & Betting Board) are legal to use.
C
Cash Out — An option to settle a bet before the event finishes, locking in a profit or cutting a loss, at a price the operator calculates based on the live state of the match.
Correct Score — A bet on the exact final scoreline of a match — high-reward, low-probability, and one of the harder markets to price consistently.
Cover — In a handicap or spread bet, whether a team's actual result "covers" the handicap applied to it (wins by more than the handicap, or loses by less).
D
Decimal Odds — The odds format standard across South African betting sites, showing your total return (stake included) per unit staked — for example, 2.50 returns R250 from a R100 stake. Our betting odds explained guide covers decimal, fractional and moneyline formats in full.
Double — An accumulator made of exactly two selections.
Draw No Bet — A market that removes the draw as a possible outcome: if the match is drawn, your stake is refunded rather than lost.
E
Each-Way — Two bets in one (a win bet and a place bet), common in racing and golf, where the place part pays out if your selection finishes within a set number of top positions, usually at a fraction of the win odds.
Evens (Even Money) — Odds of 2.00 in decimal terms — a winning bet returns exactly double your stake.
Exposure — The total amount a bettor (or a bookmaker) stands to lose or pay out across open bets.
F
FICA / RICA — The identity- and address-verification process every licensed South African operator must complete before releasing your winnings, under the Financial Intelligence Centre Act. Have a clear photo of your ID and a recent proof of address ready when you register.
Fixed Odds — Betting at the odds available at the moment you place your bet, which are then locked in regardless of how the price moves afterward — the standard model at South African bookmakers.
Fold — The number of legs in an accumulator (a "4-fold" has four selections). See Acca / Accumulator.
Free Bet — A stake the operator funds for you rather than you depositing your own money, usually paying out winnings only (not the stake itself) if it wins. See our free bets guide.
G
Golden Boot — The award (and a common betting market) for the top individual goalscorer at a tournament.
Goal Line — The specific number used in an over/under goals market — for example, a 2.5 goal line means the bet settles on whether total goals finish above or below that mark.
H
Handicap — A head start or deficit applied to one side before a match, used to level the odds on a mismatched fixture. See also Asian Handicap.
Hedging — Placing a bet on the opposite outcome of an earlier bet to guarantee a smaller profit or limit a loss, regardless of the result.
I
In-Play (Live Betting) — Betting on a match after it has already started, with odds updating continuously as the game unfolds.
Insurance (Acca Insurance) — A promotion some operators offer that refunds your stake (often as a free bet) if only one leg of a qualifying accumulator lets you down.
L
Lay Bet — Betting against an outcome rather than for it — the core mechanic of a betting exchange, though it's rare among traditional South African fixed-odds bookmakers.
Line — Another word for the number set by a bookmaker in a handicap or totals market — "the line is 2.5 goals," for example.
M
Margin (Overround) — The built-in edge a bookmaker prices into a market so that the implied probabilities of every outcome add up to slightly more than 100% — this is how bookmakers turn a profit over time, distinct from any single bet's outcome.
Match Result (1X2) — The most basic football market: home win, draw or away win, settled on the 90-minute score (plus stoppage time, not extra time).
Moneyline — The American odds format showing how much you'd win on a R100 stake (or need to stake to win R100) — less common in South Africa but occasionally seen on international sportsbooks.
Multi (Multiple) — Another name for an accumulator, common on South African bet slips. See Acca / Accumulator.
N
NGB — The National Gambling Board, South Africa's national gambling regulator. Alongside it, provincial boards like the WCGRB (Western Cape) and the KZN Gaming and Betting Board licence individual operators — see our KZN Gaming and Betting Board guide for how licence verification actually works.
No-Deposit Bonus — A bonus (cash, free bet or free spins) credited without requiring a deposit first — see our no-deposit bonus guide.
O
Odds — The number that expresses both the probability of an outcome and the payout if it wins. See Decimal Odds.
Outright — A bet on the eventual winner of an entire competition or tournament, rather than a single match.
Over/Under — A bet on whether a statistic (usually total goals, but also corners, cards or points) finishes above or below a set line.
P
Parlay — The American term for an accumulator — same mechanic, different name, occasionally seen on international platforms.
Payout — The total amount returned on a winning bet, including your original stake (under decimal odds).
Place Bet — A bet that a selection will finish within a set range of top positions rather than winning outright — see Each-Way.
Punter — Informal South African and British term for a bettor.
Push — When a bet on a handicap or totals line lands exactly on the number set, resulting in a stake refund rather than a win or loss.
Q
Qualifying Bet — A bet you must place (often at minimum odds) to unlock a bonus or promotion, as specified in the offer's terms.
R
RICA — See FICA / RICA.
S
Selection — An individual pick within a bet — one leg of an accumulator, or the single choice in a straight bet.
Single — A bet on one selection only, as opposed to an accumulator or system bet.
SP (Starting Price) — The odds of a selection at the moment an event begins, used as the settlement price for certain bet types (mainly in racing) instead of the price you saw when you placed the bet.
Stake — The amount of money you commit to a bet.
System Bet — A bet that splits your selections into multiple smaller combinations (like a Trixie or Yankee — see below), so a losing leg doesn't sink the entire bet the way it would in a straight accumulator. Covered in detail in our accumulator bets guide.
T
Total Goals — Another name for the over/under goals market. See Over/Under.
Treble — An accumulator made of exactly three selections.
Trixie — A system bet on three selections, made up of four bets in total (three doubles plus the treble) — pays out if at least two selections win.
U
Underdog — The side priced as less likely to win a match or event, reflected in longer odds.
V
Value Bet — A bet where you judge the true probability of an outcome to be higher than the odds imply — the core concept behind long-term profitable betting, as opposed to simply backing favourites.
Void — A bet cancelled and fully refunded, usually because of a rule breach, a market error, or an event that didn't go ahead as scheduled.
W
Wagering Requirement (Playthrough) — The number of times you must bet a bonus amount before any winnings from it become withdrawable — see our betting bonuses guide for how this is calculated with real examples.
Welcome Bonus — The offer a new customer receives on registering or making a first deposit, in cash, bonus funds, free bets or free spins. See our best betting bonuses comparison.
Y
Yankee — A system bet on four selections, made up of 11 bets in total (six doubles, four trebles and one four-fold accumulator).
FAQ
What does "1X2" mean in betting?
It's shorthand for the match-result market: 1 for a home win, X for a draw, 2 for an away win. It settles on the 90-minute score, including stoppage time but not extra time.
What's the difference between an accumulator and a system bet?
A straight accumulator needs every single leg to win to pay out at all. A system bet (like a Trixie or Yankee) splits your selections into several smaller combination bets, so a partial result — say two winners out of three — can still return a payout.
What does "each-way" mean?
It's two bets combined into one: a win bet on your selection to finish first, and a place bet on it to finish within a set range of top positions (commonly used in racing and golf), with the place portion paying a fraction of the win odds.
What is a wagering requirement?
The number of times you must bet a bonus amount before any resulting winnings can be withdrawn. A R1,000 bonus with 10x wagering requires R10,000 in qualifying bets before it converts to withdrawable cash.
What does "push" mean on a handicap bet?
It means the result landed exactly on the handicap or totals line set, so your stake is refunded rather than counted as a win or a loss.
Where can I learn more about how odds actually work?
Our dedicated betting odds explained guide walks through decimal odds, implied probability and worked examples in full — a good next read once the terminology on this page makes sense.
Terms and examples on this page are for general education and correct at time of writing. 18+ only. Gambling involves financial risk; bet for entertainment, never as income, and never stake more than you can afford to lose. If gambling is no longer fun, contact the National Responsible Gambling helpline on 0800 006 008 or SMS HELP to 076 675 0710.
