Spread Betting Glossary

Bet High Price (Buying Price) The higher figure quoted by a spread betting bookmaker.

Bet Low Price (Selling Price) The lower figure quoted by a spread betting bookmaker.

Closing a Bet Stopping the bet before the end of the event to take a profit or cut a loss.

Controlled Risk Bets A particular form of bet which is closed once a stipulated maximum loss level is reached through the operation of an automatic ?stop loss?.

Financial Services Authority (FSA) The regulator of Sporting Index and all other spread betting firms.

In Running See ?Live Event Betting?. Long (of a market) Electing to go higher/buy the spread.

Live Event Betting The term used to describe when an event is actually in progress and betting is available.

Long-term markets Markets in which the final result is more than seven days after the date at which the initial bet is placed.

Make-up The result on completion of an event or series of events.

Margin The amount of money you need to pay into your account in order to cover the maximum risk of your existing bets.

Match bets Bets on a single contest between teams or individuals, where the spread is the margin by which the favourite will beat the underdog.

Marked-to-Market The value of a client?s open bets, i.e. the amount that would be won or lost should the bets be closed at that time.

Market Suspension The term used to describe a market where the price is temporarily unavailable.

Maximum Make-up The maximum limit on the potential margin of victory or defeat, applied in certain markets to limit the client?s and the spread firm?s maximum risk.

Maximum Risk The maximum possible loss that a client may suffer through a bet.

Minimum Make-up The least amount at which a market could make-up. On a supremacy bet this is, in theory, unlimited, but on a batsman?s runs it?s zero.

Number Spreads Spreads based on the number of runs, goals, points, etc. that will be scored in a particular event.

Performance Index An index framed around the comparative performance of selected participants in a sports event.

Short (of a market) Electing to go lower/sell the spread.

Short-term markets Markets in which the final result is less than seven days after the date at which the bet is placed.

Spread The difference between the higher and lower figures quoted by an spread betting bookmaker i.e. between the betting low and betting high price.

Stake The amount chosen by the client to bet per point.

Stop loss limit (also stop win limit) The limit to the most a client can lose (or win) on a bet. These will vary according to the volatility of the market.

Supremacy or Superiority Spreads Spreads based on the margin of victory separating two competing teams or individuals.

Void Bets When a bet is voided for one or more reasons as outlined in the individual and general sports rules.

Volatility An indication of the range of possible results in any particular spread.

Your Choice (Yr.Ch) An equal match bet where the gambler is invited to select which team or individual is the favourite when making the bet.