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Professional Sports Handicapping Service!
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Sports Betting Guide
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| Sportsbooks are notorious for placing a lot of information in a limited amount of space. Many times they display the numbers without a clear explanation of what they mean. Let's take a closer look at how to read the numbers using this example: |
| Sept
18, 2005 Pro Football |
| Time |
Bet# |
Team |
Point
Line |
Total |
Money
Line |
| 1:00
PM |
101 |
New
York Giants |
|
44 |
260 |
| 102 |
Philadelphia
Eagles
|
-7 |
-320 |
|
* The -7 is the point spread. This is for use in point spread bets.
* The 44 is the total. This is for use in total bets.
* The +260 and -320 are money lines. These are for use in money line bets
Note: Sports wagers always gets the original bet back. (See bets below)
HISTORY AGAINST THE SPREAD In the NFL home underdogs have historically done well against the spread. Here are the raw results of all 5146 NFL games played from Sept 4, 1983 to Nov 15, 2004, not counting Super Bowls or games with a zero point spread.
* Home team favored, favorite wins against spread: 1674
* Home team favored, underdog wins against spread: 1762
* Home team favored, tie against spread: 49
* Visiting team favored, favorite wins against spread: 737
* Visiting team favored, underdog wins against spread: 836
* Visiting team favored, tie against spread: 88
|
| Point
Spread Bets: 9/4/83 to 11/15/04 |
| Bet |
Win |
Loss |
Draw |
House
Edge |
| Visiting
favorite |
45.44% |
51.54% |
3.02% |
10.23% |
| Visiting
underdog |
50% |
47.50% |
2.50% |
2.05% |
| Home
favorite |
47.50% |
50.00% |
2.50% |
6.82% |
| Home
underdog |
51.54% |
45.44% |
3.02% |
-1.42% |
| All
favorite |
46.85% |
50.49% |
2.66% |
7.89% |
| All
underdogs |
50.49% |
46.85% |
2.66% |
0.96% |
| All
visiting |
48.56% |
48.78% |
2.66% |
4.63% |
| All
home |
48.78% |
48.56% |
2.66% |
4.22% |
POINT SPREAD BET
This is a single wager made on either the favorite or underdog team. A wager on the favored team means that this team must not only win but win by the specified point spread. A wager on the underdog means that this team may either win or lose as long as they do not lose by the specified point spread. (Also referred to as Straight Bet).
- A "-" or the term "by" indicates the favored team, the associated points must be subtracted from this teams final score..
- A "+" or no text next to the team indicates the underdog team, the associated points must be added to this teams final score.
- Including the point spread, if the wager results in a tie (push) then the wagered amount is refunded. The point-spread is subject to change at any time.
Example Let's assume you want to place a bet on the Pittsburgh Steelers NFL football team. You like Pittsburgh in their game against the Philadelphia Eagles and think that they can win the game and you’ve got $100 to bet with. The line on the contest appears as follows: (Home team is usually in CAPS) PHILADELPHIA by 5 = same as (-5) Pittsburgh 46 The point spread is shown as "by 5" meaning that Philadelphia is favored and expected to win by 5 point or more. The number 46 refers to the Total Score (Over/Under) and is a separate wager. After placing your $100 wager the game ends with the following results: Philadelphia 31 Pittsburgh 27 FINAL SCORE! Even though Pittsburgh lost the game you would have won the bet, winning $190.90 ($90.90 won + $100 bet). By adding the 5 points to the Pittsburgh final score, the final betting score becomes: Philadelphia 31 Pittsburgh (28 +5) = 33 FINAL SCORE w/ POINT SPREAD
A point spread bet in which the final score ends exactly on the point spread number is considered a tie or push, meaning the bet is not won or lost and the wager amount is simply refunded .
Example
PHILADELPHIA by 3 = same as (-3)
Pittsburgh 46
Philadelphia 17
Pittsburgh (14 +3) = 17 FINAL SCORE w/ POINT SPREAD
In this example a bet on either side would be considered a PUSH.
If the point spread had been Philadelphia -3.5, this final score (tie) would have produced a win for a wager on Pittsburgh +3.5. IMPORTANT ½ POINT IN PLAY!
TOTAL SCORE (OVER/UNDER)
A total score wager (also known as an Over/Under wager) is a single wager on the total number of points that will be scored by both teams combined at the end of the contest. Rather than wagering on whether one team is going to win or lose you are betting on the total number of points scored by both teams combined.
Rules
- To win an UNDER wager, the total points scored by both teams combined (sum) must be less than the posted number
- If the Total Score is the same as the number for the (a tie/push) then the wagered amount is refunded.
- The Total Score (Over/Under) number is subject to change at any time.
- Once a wager is confirmed at a given Total Score number, that is the number for that wager regardless of subsequent changes.
- The odds on all Total Score wagers are 10/11 ($110 wagered to win $100), unless otherwise specified.
Example
Let's assume you are really interested in the Dallas Cowboys versus the Minnesota Vikings game. You really like both teams and aren’t sure who is going to win but you know that both teams have a strong tendency to score a lot of points with their potent offenses. The perfect wager in this case is to wager that the total score of the contest is going to go OVER the posted total score number. Checking the lines posted on the contest you see the following:
DALLAS by 5 = same as (-5)
Minnesota 46
The 46 number across from Minnesota represents the Total Score line (Over/Under) on this contest. The number represents the expected total number of points to be scored by both teams combined at the end of the contest. You know that both teams are going to score a lot of points, therefore, the obvious choice is to wager that the combined score will go OVER 46 points. After placing your wager the game is played with the following results:
DALLAS 31
Minnesota 26 FINAL SCORE TOTAL SCORE 57 (11 points OVER 46)
By combining both scores you end up with 57 total points scored. The Total Score number was 46 points, meaning you won the bet easily by a 11 point margin!
HISTORY AGAINST THE TOTALS
Following are the result of 5198 NFL games from Sept 4, 1983 to Nov 15, 2004, for games having a total line.
- Over wins: 48.23%
- Under wins: 50.13%
- Game ends exactly on total: 1.64%
Overall the house edge on over bets is 6.92% and on unders is 2.92%, assuming the bettor risks $11 to win $10. MONEY LINE WAGER
This wager is simply a straight wager on which team will win the contest outright. However, the pay off odds for each team vary depending on which team is favored to win. Rules
- Pay off odds determine which team is favored, usually the favored team will have a "-" (minus) sign next to the odds.
- No sign, or a "+" (plus) placed before the line, would mean that the team is the underdog.
- On a double negative match-up, the highest of the negative lines id the favorite of the game.
- All lines are based on a $1.00 value. Meaning, for all negative lines, the price (on this decimal value) of the money line is what the customer wagers to win one dollar. For example: on a line of -170, the customer has to wager $1.70 to win $1.00.
- On a positive money line, the price (it's decimal value) of the money line is what the customer wins risking one dollar. On a line of +130, the customer would lay $1.00 for every $1.30 he/she wants to win.
- There are no set pay off odds, each team in a contest has different pay off odds for winning
- Including the point spread, if the wager results in a tie (push) then the wagered amount is refunded.
- The pay off odds are on either team are subject to change at any time.
- Once a wager is confirmed at the given odds, those are the odds for that wager regardless of subsequent changes.
Example
Let's assume you are really interested in wagering $100 on the Green Bay Packers in their game against the Denver Broncos. You really like Green Bay to win but your not sure if they can beat Denver by 5 points. A money line bet will let you bet the Packers without taking a chance with beating the point spread. Checking the lines posted on the contest you see the following:
|
| Contest |
Point Spread |
Money Line |
Total Score (Over/Under) |
| GREEN BAY |
by 4 |
-170 |
46 |
| Denver |
|
+150 |
46 |
|
Green Bay is the favored team here as noted by the "-170" under the money line bet. Selecting Green Bay to win on a money line wager for $100 will result in winning $158.82 (or odds of $170 wagered for each $100 won). For illustration purposes, on the opposite side, the underdog team Denver has 150 listed beside it, and translates into winning $250 for each $100 wagered on Denver to win the contest.
PARLAYS
A parlay is a multi-proposition bet, stringing together multiple point spread bets, total score bets, money line bets, or any combination of the those in order to increase the pay off odds. Rules
- All wagers included in parlay must win for the parlay to win and pay off
- A tie or push of any of the contests included in the parlay removes that wager from the parlay, leaving only remaining games in parlay (3 wager parlay becomes 2 wager parlay or 2 wager parlay become straight bet). This also applies to a canceled or postponed contest. Note that when a two-team parlay becomes a straight bet, the original amount of the parlay is risked on the straight bet. The payout of the wager is calculated with the odds of the remaining team.
- Parlaying wagers from different sports is allowed (when technically possible)
- Pay off odds increase as number of wagers parlayed increase
- Minimum of 2 wagers, maximum of 10
- Circled contests may not be included in a parlay
- Up to one point may be bought on a two and a three-team parlay only
- Limits cannot be exceeded by betting the same parlay multiple times
Example
Let's say you?ve got $100 to wager with and want to bet on the Iowa Hawkeyes of college football, the NY Giants of the NFL, and the Over on the Oakland Raiders game in the NFL. After doing your homework, you are very confident that all these wagers are winners. To take advantage of this situation and maximize your profitability you would want to parlay all three wagers together. By doing this you increase you potential winnings from $90.90 to $600 on the same $100 wagered. Now, let?s illustrate the difference in wagering your $100 on each individual contest and the same $100 on parlaying all 3 games together. Results would appears as follows: |
Individual Bets
| IOWA Michigan |
by 3 |
$33.33 |
Win: $63.63 |
| NY Giants DALLAS |
by 6 |
$33.33 |
Win: $63.63 |
| Oakland Raiders
Detroit |
by 6 |
$33.33 |
Win: $63.63 |
| TOTALS: |
|
Bet: $100.00 |
Win: $190.90 |
Parlayed Bets
IOWA by 3 (Parlay)
Michigan 39 |
NY Giants by 6 (Parlay)
DALLAS 45 |
Oakland by
6
Detroit 42 |
| TOTALS: |
Bet: $100.00 |
Win: $700 |
As seen above, a parlay significantly increases your pay off odds over those paid on straight bets. The trade off is that EACH wager must be won individually in order for the parlay to win and pay off.
Example
Baseball / Hockey
Baseball and hockey parlay odds are figures based on the particular contests chosen for the parlay. For example, the odds for a 3-wager baseball or hockey parlay will change depending on the teams/totals chosen for the parlay. The following baseball parlay example illustrates a 3-wager $100 parlay on the Boston Red Sox?s, Atlanta Braves, and the Over scored in the San Francisco Giants at St. Louis Cardinals. The lines are as follows: |
| ATLANTA
|
-260 (O 11 +120) |
| San Diego |
+220 (U 11 -110) |
| |
|
| ST. LOUIS
|
+110 (O 9 -145) |
| San Francisco |
-105 (U 9 +125) |
| |
|
| BOSTON |
+160 (O 11 -120) |
| Texas
|
-260 (U 11 Even) |
First, let?s make sure that everyone understands what appears to be a complex mathematical equation in the form of the lines. The ?-180? and ?+160? indicate that Atlanta is favored with odds of 100/180 on betting them to win (risk $180 to win $100) and that Boston is the underdog with 160/100 odds for a win bet on them (risk $100 to win $160). The Total Score/Run also has money line odds, the ?(O 11 ?120)? and ?(U 11- Even)? indicate that betting the total score will exceed 11 has odds of 100/120 (risk $120 to win $100) and betting the total score will be under 11 has odds of 100/100 (even money, risk $100 to win $100).
Now let?s show what the odds are for our choices for the 3 wager parlay; Boston Red Sox to win +160, Atlanta to win -260, and Over 9 runs scored in the San Francisco Giants at St. Louis Cardinals +125. Looking up each one of these odds in the BASEBALL/HOCKEY PARLAY ODDS CONVERSION TABLE gives the following decimal odds for each:
Boston +160 = 2.60 Atlanta ?260 = 1.38 Over (SF vs. STL) +125 = 2.25
Thus, the pay off for parlaying all three wagers together is figures as such:
Pay Off = (2.60) x (1.38) x (2.25) = 8.073 x $100 (wager amount) = $807.30
The pay off for the 3-wager parlay is $807.30 ($707.30 won + $100 wagered). Each parlay must be figured independently for the given money lines offered. Fortunately, this is done automatically when you select your wager amount for the given parlay.
TEASERS
A teaser is a special type of parlay in which you adjust the point spread or total of each individual play in your favor. The price of moving the point spread (teasing) is lower pay off odds for winning wagers.
Rules
- All wagers included in teaser must win for the teaser to win and pay off
- A tie or push of any of the contests included in the teaser removes that wager from the teaser, leaving only remaining games in the teaser. In this event the payout odds will change to reflect the number of teams remaining in the teaser.
- A two-team teaser with a push is a loss.
- Teasing wagers from different sports is allowed (when technically possible)
- You may only tease the complete game on the spread or the total, not any fraction of the game (first half, half time, quarters, etc.)
- Pay off odds increase as number of wagers parlayed increase
- Minimum of 2 wagers, maximum of 10
- Circled contests may not be included in a teaser
- Football and basketball are the only sports teaser wagers can be placed on
- Teaser points will apply to each wager in the teaser (you cannot tease one wager 6 points and another 7 points within the same tease)
- In the event one of the contests included in a teaser is canceled or postponed, that contest will be removed from the teaser and the remaining contests will constitute the teaser (i.e. 3 wager teaser will revert to a 2 wager teaser). If the initial teaser only involves 2 contests or 2 wagers on the same contest then the teaser will be canceled and all wagers refunded.
- Teasing wagers from different sports is allowed (when technically possible)
- No Buying Points on Teasers
Example
Let's say you?ve got $100 to wager with and want to bet on the Georgia Bulldogs of college football, the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL, and the Over on the Chicago Bears game in the NFL. However, after viewing the point spreads on each contest your not quite sure if your teams can overcome the points. Moving the point spread a full 6 points (a touchdown) in the favor of each of your teams would make your decision much easier. This can be accomplished by simply teasing these games together. Selecting the appropriate contests the process would go like this: |
| Regular
Posted Lines |
Lines after 6-Point
Teaser |
| GEORGIA by 5 |
GEORGIA by 11 |
| Florida 39 |
Florida 39 |
| |
|
| Washington by 6 |
Washington by 0 |
| DALLAS 45 |
DALLAS 45 |
| |
|
| CHICAGO by
6 |
CHICAGO by 6 |
| Detroit 42 |
Detroit 36 |
Notice that each wager is adjusted by the same 6-point teaser margin.
BUYING POINTS
This wager is an additional wager placed on a point spread or total of the game wager, allowing the user to move the point spread in the favor of the team or total they choose. The price of moving the point spread is a lower pay off for the wager.
Rules
- Point spread rules apply
- Points are purchased in half point increments.
- The price of purchasing additional point is lower pay off odds
- Points may be purchased on Total Score wagers when offered (not offered for Baseball Totals)
- Point may not be purchased on circled games, parlays, teasers and action points.
Example
Let's assume you wish to place a bet on the Denver Broncos NFL football team. You like Denver in their game against the Green Bay Packers and think that they can win the game and you?ve got $100 to bet with. The line on the contest would appears as follows:
GREEN BAY by 5
Denver 46
The point spread is shown as "by 5" meaning that Green Bay is favored and expected to win by 5 points or more. The number 46 refers to the Total Score (Over/Under) and is a separate wager. While placing your $100 wager you decide that you would feel more comfortable if you got to add 6 points to Denver?s score rather than 5. Choosing Denver to win, entering the bet amount, and then choosing the "Buy Point" drop down menu, you proceed to place your wager The game ends with the following results:
GREEN BAY 31
Denver 26 FINAL SCORE
It?s a good thing you bought that extra point, even though Denver lost the game you would have won the bet, winning $176.92 ($76.92 won + $100 bet). By adding the 6 points to the Bronco's final score, the final betting score becomes:
GREEN BAY 31
Denver (26 +6 =) 32 FINAL SCORE w/ POINT SPREAD |
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