Glossary
Every term used across PullValue, defined once. For the math behind them, see the guides and methodology.
- Expected value (EV)
- The average fair-market value of a single pull, computed across all recorded pulls from a pack. The core statistic of pack math.
- EV ratio
- EV divided by pack price. Above 1.0 the pack pays out more than it costs on average (+EV); below 1.0 the house edge applies.
- Calibrated EV
- PullValue's decay-weighted EV: recent pulls count more than old ones, so the number reflects the pool as it exists now, not its lifetime average.
- Cash-out EV
- EV multiplied by the observed instant-buyback ratio (~90% of FMV) — the value you could actually convert to cash. All PullValue verdicts use cash-out EV.
- FMV (fair market value)
- Courtyard's internal estimate of a graded card's market value. A reference point, not a guaranteed sale price.
- Buyback / instant offer
- The platform's standing offer to purchase your pull immediately, typically around 90% of its FMV.
- Buyback spread
- The gap between a card's FMV and its actual instant offer. PullValue publishes the observed spread per pack.
- Hit rate
- The percentage of pulls worth at least the pack price. A 40% hit rate means 6 of 10 rips return less than you paid.
- Median pull
- The middle pull value: half of rips return more, half less. On top-heavy packs the median sits well below the average EV.
- Dilution / floor safety
- How concentrated a pack's value is in its top pulls. High dilution means the top 2% of pulls carry most of the paid-out value — lottery-style odds.
- Grail / chase card
- A rare, high-value card that carries a disproportionate share of a pack's EV.
- Slab
- A graded card sealed in a protective holder by a grading company such as PSA or CGC, with its grade on the label.
- Pull / rip
- Opening a pack (ripping) and the card received from it (the pull).
- Mint
- The on-platform event of a pack being opened and a card entering circulation — the event PullValue indexes as a pull.
- Break-even
- An EV ratio of exactly 1.0: the pack pays out, on average, exactly what it costs.
- Observed odds
- Odds reconstructed from real recorded pulls rather than the platform's posted odds — they reflect the pool as it drains.