How it works
From bookmaker odds to a clearer decision.
Clauseground separates the price, the market view, and the model view. This guide explains each layer and why none of them can guarantee an outcome.
1. Start with the displayed odds
Decimal odds show the total return for each unit staked. Odds of 2.00 imply 50% before margin because 1 ÷ 2.00 = 0.50. Odds of 4.00 imply 25%.
That first calculation is the raw implied probability. It is useful, but it is not yet a clean estimate of what the market believes.
2. Remove the bookmaker margin
In a complete market, the raw implied probabilities usually add to more than 100%. The excess is the bookmaker margin, also called the overround. Clauseground currently removes it proportionally from a complete designated reference market.
Illustrative example
Prices of 2.00, 3.60, and 4.00 imply 50.0%, 27.8%, and 25.0% — a total of 102.8%. Removing that margin proportionally gives approximately 48.6%, 27.0%, and 24.3%. These are no-vig market probabilities, not predictions from Clauseground’s model.
3. Build an independent model view
Clauseground’s football model estimates scoring distributions using team strengths, competition scoring levels, venue context, and supported contextual inputs. A Dixon-Coles low-score adjustment helps account for correlation in common low-scoring results.
The output is labeled model probability. It is an estimate with assumptions and missing information — not an upgraded version of the market probability and not a statement of certainty.
4. Compare market and model without confusing them
The difference is the model probability minus the relevant no-vig market probability. A large difference can be worth investigating, but it does not automatically mean the model has found an edge. The market may know something the model does not, or either input may be stale.
Clauseground also calculates a combined estimate using fixed, market-specific weights. The current implementation leans more heavily on the reference market for major markets. Combined estimates are labeled separately from market and model probabilities.
5. Judge the available price
A likely outcome is not automatically a good bet. If an outcome is estimated at 60% but offered at 1.50, the displayed price implies 66.7%; winning may be likely, but the price can still be poor. Price determines the trade-off between risk and return.
Expected value compares an estimate with the return offered at a specific price. Clauseground uses the term potential valuebecause fees, limits, freshness, uncertainty, and model error can all change the decision.
6. Treat sizing as guidance, not a target
The Kelly formula relates estimated advantage and price to bankroll size. Full Kelly is highly sensitive to estimation error, so Clauseground uses conservative fractional Kelly calculations and caps. A displayed size is mathematical context, not a personal recommendation and never a reason to exceed a pre-set limit.
7. Read confidence and freshness correctly
Clauseground does not use one vague confidence score. Instead, it shows the evidence that affects reliability: source, update time, market coverage, model inputs, lineup status where supported, and sample size for historical metrics.
A correct prediction can still have been a poor decision at the available price. A losing outcome can still have been a reasonable decision if the price fairly compensated for the risk. Process is evaluated across many recorded decisions, not from one result.