Sports data & betting glossary
Plain-English definitions for the terms you'll see across our API responses, documentation and dashboards — odds formats, match statistics and the technical vocabulary behind the feed.
Reviewed by the Orbistats Data Team · Last updated August 28, 2026
Odds & Betting Terms
13 termsImplied Probability
The probability of an outcome that's mathematically implied by a given set of betting odds. Converting odds to implied probability is the first step in spotting value, since the bookmaker's true "fair" number is hidden behind their margin.
→ Convert odds with our free toolClosing Line Value CLV
How the odds a bettor took compare to the market's closing odds right before the event starts. Consistently beating the closing line is one of the strongest long-run indicators of a profitable betting strategy.
Moneyline
A straight bet on which side wins a match outright, with no point spread or handicap involved — just pick the winner.
Point Spread
A handicap applied to the favorite so that both sides of a mismatched game carry comparable risk for bettors, common in basketball and American football.
Over/Under Totals
A bet on whether the combined score of both teams will finish over or under a line set by the bookmaker, independent of who wins.
Overround Vig / Juice
The bookmaker's built-in margin across a market. It's why implied probabilities on a full market add up to more than 100% — the extra percentage is the house edge.
→ See how our Odds API normalizes this across booksDecimal Odds
Odds expressed as a single number representing total payout per unit staked, stake included — e.g. 2.50 returns $2.50 for every $1 wagered. Standard across Europe, Australia and Canada.
Fractional Odds
Odds expressed as a fraction (e.g. 5/2) showing profit relative to stake, excluding the original stake. Most common in UK and Irish markets.
American Odds Moneyline Odds
Odds shown as a positive or negative number: a positive figure shows profit on a $100 stake, a negative figure shows the stake needed to profit $100. Standard in US sportsbooks.
Handicap
A virtual head start or penalty applied to a team's final score to level the perceived gap between two unevenly matched sides — the broader category that point spreads and Asian handicaps both belong to.
Arbitrage Betting
Placing bets on every possible outcome of an event across different bookmakers to lock in a guaranteed profit, exploiting pricing gaps between books.
Push
An outcome where a bet lands exactly on the line and is settled as a tie — the original stake is simply returned, with no win or loss.
Live Odds In-Play
Betting odds that update continuously during a match as events unfold — a goal, a red card, a momentum shift — reflecting the current live game state in near real time.
→ See our Live Scores APIMatch & Stats Terms
5 termsExpected Goals xG
A statistical measure of the quality of a scoring chance, expressed as a probability between 0 and 1 based on shot location, angle, defensive pressure and similar historical attempts. A tap-in from two yards might carry 0.85 xG; a long-range strike might carry 0.03.
→ Pull xG via our Sports Statistics APIExpected Assists xA
The xG equivalent for passing — the likelihood that a given pass becomes a goal assist, based on the quality of the chance it created for the receiving player.
Fixture
A scheduled match between two teams or competitors, identified by a date, competition, venue and the two participants — the basic building block of any sports data feed.
→ See our core Sports Data APIHead-to-Head H2H
A summary of past results between two specific teams or players, used to spot historical patterns and recent form ahead of an upcoming fixture.
Standings Table
A ranked list of teams in a competition, ordered by points, wins, losses, goal difference and any relevant tiebreaker rules for that league.
API & Technical Terms
3 termsAPI Endpoint
A specific URL within an API that returns a defined type of data — for example, a fixtures endpoint or an odds endpoint — each documented with its own parameters and response shape.
→ Browse the full API ReferenceRate Limit
The maximum number of API requests a client can make within a given time window before being throttled — keeps the platform fast and fair across every account tier.
Webhook
A mechanism where the server pushes data to a client's own endpoint automatically the moment an event happens, instead of the client repeatedly polling for updates.
→ See our Webhooks APICommon questions about odds & data terms
What's the difference between decimal, fractional and American odds?
They're three different notations for the same underlying price. Decimal shows total payout per unit staked, fractional shows profit relative to stake, and American shows profit on (or stake needed for) a round $100 bet. Our Odds API returns all three formats normalized side by side.
Why do implied probabilities add up to more than 100%?
Because of the overround — the bookmaker builds a margin into every market so the true odds are always shaded slightly in their favor across the full set of outcomes.
Is xG the same across every data provider?
No — xG is a modeled statistic, not a raw fact, so the exact number can vary between providers depending on the underlying model and shot data used. What matters most is using one consistent, well-documented source over time.
Related pages
Explore more of the platform.
Tools
Odds converters and quick calculators.
Odds API
Pre-match and live odds normalized across books.
Sports Statistics API
Deep team and player statistics, current season.
Guides
Practical walkthroughs for building on the API.
Documentation
Full endpoint reference and getting-started docs.
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