Start here when a term is doing more work than the sentence around it. In betting analysis, the same word can mean a price, a signal, a limit, or a market reaction depending on context. This glossary is built to keep those differences visible.
How to use this glossary
Read each term as part of a decision problem: what moved, what stayed fixed, and what constraint may have shaped the price. If a definition seems familiar, check the market context before treating it as equivalent to a common-sense meaning.
Core terms
Odds
The price attached to an outcome. On this site, odds are treated as a market expression, not just a prediction.
Movement
A change in price, line, or available position. Movement matters when it changes the trade-off between timing, information, and risk.
Constraint
A limit that affects how a market can respond, such as liquidity, timing, or the speed at which information is absorbed.
Signal
A market change that may carry information. A signal is not proof on its own; it needs comparison with other moves and context.
Reading terms in practice
When a market moves, ask three questions: what changed, what did the market already know, and what was the likely constraint on adjustment. That is usually more useful than asking whether the move was “right” in isolation.
Small examples of usage
- A short move before an event may reflect new information or thin market depth.
- A stable line can still be informative if related markets are shifting.
- An aggressive price can be meaningful only if the market had room to move.
If a term appears elsewhere on Market Mechanics and seems narrower or broader than this glossary entry, the article context takes priority. The glossary is a guide to reading, not a fixed rulebook.