Sports Betting Lines Explained

Sports betting lines are a fundamental part of sports gambling that every player should be familiar with. The most common straight bet is usually placed on the point spread, which is when one team is handicapped points to level the playing field between the two. For example, if the Bulls are -7 vs the Magic, that means the oddsmakers think that the Bulls are better by 7 points. So when a player bets the point spread of Bulls -7, then the Bulls must win the game by 8 or more points to overcome the -7 handicap, and win their wager. In addition, when the sportsbook sets a line like Bulls -7, they’re basically saying that they think the Bulls are 7 points better than the Magic and that by deducting those 7 points, the two teams are essentially even. The payouts in these kinds of wagers are pretty straight forward, and fixed- rate payouts. You’ll pay a juice fee or what’s also called the “vig” to the casino for allowing you to place the wager, and then depending on the odds for the wager you placed, your payout will be accordingly.

Another form of a sports betting line is the moneyline. This is when a gambler places a bet simply on who will win the game outright. However, the payout is is determined differently for a moneyline bet as opposed to a bet on the point spread. If you bet on the favored team to win the money line, you’re going to win considerably less because you’re picking the team that should win, but if you take the underdog to win the moneyline, the payout increases substantially. For example, if you pick the best team in football, like the New England Patriots, and they happen to be playing the Cleveland Browns that Sunday, chances are that it’s going to take something close to a miracle for the Browns to win that game. And so Vegas and the online sportsbooks account for that by making the payout of picking the Patriots over the Browns practically nothing. You’d have to place a wager of over $100 in order to just win $10 or so. The risk is hardly ever worth the regard in those kinds of lopsided games.

Determining whether to bet the moneyline or the point spread can be the different between winning and losing, and also makes a huge difference in the odds and consequently the payout of the player’s wager. Every play is different, and a player must decipher which line in any particular play has a larger value to not only win their wager, but maximize their profits. Join a winning team today here at Sports Information Traders where Jon Price and his team of analysts are second to none in the world of sports handicapping and getting you on the winning side!