Straight Wagers Explained

Point Spreads - The Most Common Type Of Straight Wager

A point spread is installed for game that tabs the favorite as well as the underdog in a particular match up. The favorite gives points, while the underdog receives points on the betting line. This handicap is installed based on what oddsmakers believe will make it an even match up. The bet is placed on which team a bettor believes will cover the line. The bet is won by picking the correct team that wins against the spread. The underdog does not necessarily have to win the game outright to cover the installed spread for them as the favorite can win the game but still not cover the spread. Spreads go strictly by margin of victory/defeat.

Example Of How Point Spreads Work:

• New England Patriots (-3)
• New York Giants (+3)

This is an example of a point spread for an NFL match up between the Patriots and the Giants. New England has been set as three-point favorites over the Giants. For the Patriots to cover the line, they will need at least a four-point victory. On the other side of the line, the Giants can cover with a loss by 2 points or less.

Article: Understanding Point Spreads

Moneyline Bets - Whos Cares What They Win By, As Long As They Win

The money line and and the point spread aren't that dissimilar from each other. There is a favorite, and an underdog set in the match up. But the big difference is that there is no point spread installed for either team. The bet is placed on which team that is believed to win the game straight up with no spread. Yes, this sounds easier, but the payouts are a lot different than with a point spread. The payout on a favorite is typically very low, with much more required to risk to profit. The opposite is true for the underdog, where the payout can be much higher because they are not favored to win. A money line is set on a $100 parameter.

Moneyline Example:

Oregon Ducks (-125)
USC Trojans (+145)

Here in this college football example, Oregon is set as a -125 favorite. That means, for every $1.25 wagered on the Ducks to win the game, a $1 profit is returned. USC is a +145 underdog and should they win, bettors will receiver $1.45 for every $1 wagered on the line. It only matters who wins straight up

Article: Moneyline Betting Odds Explained

Over / Under Betting Odds Explained- How Many Points Between Both Teams

Every match up for a game will typically have three basic straight wagers, of which two we've discussed. A point spread, and a money line are two of them. The third is a game total. The game total is set for the two teams combined points, runs, or goals in the match up. From there, a bet can be placed on whether the game total will go over that mark, or go under that mark. Betting on game totals is particularly attractive because you do not need to root for one team or the other but rather for offense or for defense. If you wager the over, you don't care who wins as long as they are scoring a lot of points & the opposite can be said for the under.

Over/Under Example:

OKC Thunder vs. LA Lakers
Over/Under - 212.5 Points

In this NBA example, the point total for this game has been set at 212.5 points. The over total will win the bet if the game total reaches 213 points or more. On the flip side, the under total will win this line if the game total goes for 212 points or less. Payouts for these game total wagers are usually right around even money .

Article: Over / Under Betting Odds Explained