Moneyline Betting: How It Works, Payouts & When to Use It

But first, you should establish a firm understanding of how to bet on sports. Just like with any form of financial investment, you will want to know how it works before throwing your money into it. In UFC, moneylines can also get lopsided like college football, but plenty of fights may be more closely matched.

Just remember — if you lose any of the legs, the parlay is dead. Don’t let losses get you down or force you into poor betting choices. Chasing losses is the equivalent of trying to dig yourself out of quicksand — it never ends well. Check out the conversion chart below to see how to easily translate odds from fractional and decimal to American. Your settled price stays the one you accepted when you placed the bet. Usually yes, as long as the selections aren’t prohibited by correlation rules.

The farther the number is from 100, the stronger they feel about the favorite being victorious. The negative number also shows how much must be wagered to receive $100 should your bet win. The heavier the favorite, the less you will win in relation to your stake. If you want to https://officialpinupcasino.com/ maximize your profits, using smart moneyline betting strategies is crucial.

The – and + on a sports betting line represent the favorite and the underdog, respectively. They also indicate your prospective payout if you bet the line. To have legitimate wins over an extended period you need to put in research.

Whether you’re a seasoned bettor or a newcomer, understanding how moneyline bets work can help you win big without worrying about complicated spreads. This type of wager focuses solely on picking the outright winner of a game or match, making it a go-to option for many bettors. In moneyline betting, you simply pick which team or player will win a game or a match. Unlike other common bet types like the point spread or the total (over/under), it doesn’t matter how many points are scored or the margin of victory. Sometimes, on the moneyline, a game is designated as a pick ‘em, meaning both teams have an equal chance at winning, according to the sportsbook. Essentially, this means the sportsbook thinks that this game or match is a coin flip.

Betting against the spread

• Sportsbooks typically allow bettors to add between two and 12 games in a parlay.
• These events could range from who will win a championship, to which player will win the MVP award, or how many games a team will win in a season.
• This amount includes the initial wager of $100, resulting in a total net profit of $300.
• For example, a team having a poor season is likely to be the underdog in any matchup.
• With 20 clubs to choose from and multiple world-class players, people have the chance to wager on a lot of things.

Once you get to know odds, how to read them and what they mean, you will be in a much better place as a new bettor. This guide will help you learn the basics about American odds, familiarizing you with understanding value and making you comfortable enough to begin betting like a pro. One of the most important details to learn when beginning a sports wagering journey is odds. Usually, one team or individual in the event is the favorite and the other is the underdog. The favorite normally has a “-” symbol in front of its odds, while the underdog has a “+” symbol. Along with the point spread and over/under, the money line is one of the most popular options among bettors.

These events could range from who will win a championship, to which player will win the MVP award, or how many games a team will win in a season. Essentially, it is a bet on an event that will be resolved in the future, hence the name. They offer a more casual and entertaining approach to betting, especially the fun-based prop bets that focus on unconventional aspects of the event.

Doing this after the big movement means you will be too late and won’t be able to take full advantage of it. Everyone who follows English Premier League matches and keeps an eye on the odds has seen big odds shift before kickoff. These things may seem interesting and they are because they usually reveal a much bigger picture. Sportsbooks also have player futures for markets like MVP, Rookie of the Year and more.

Is it true that sportsbook set lines to try to get 50% of bets on either side?

Local bookies tend to operate in communities where they are known and trusted. It is important to exercise caution and ensure that you are dealing with a reputable individual to avoid potential scams. Always remember that the number one thing you need to worry about is if you are going to get paid when you win. We’ll step through how you would place a bet in person at the ticket window. Teasers work by choosing two or more teams, just like a parlay, but you then get to adjust the point spread or total line to give yourself a more favorable position.

Essentially, it is a parlay bet with a twist, where you get to manipulate the lines to decrease the risk involved. Teasers can only be placed in sports where point spreads and totals are applicable, such as football and basketball. You may also note the bet price is not -110 as we have seen before. It is common practice for sportsbooks to adjust prices on or around key numbers for spreads and totals, especially in football.

The betting volume for hockey historically is lower than that of the previously mentioned sports, primarily because of the overall popularity of the game. However, NHL betting features a fiercely loyal fanbase that will place wagers on a regular basis. When oddsmakers make the number after the “-” closer to 100, they believe that the matchup will be tightly contested.

But backing the underdog creates the chance for a more generous win. The other important step in moneyline betting is shopping around to make sure you have the best odds available. Take a look at multiple different sportsbooks before placing your wager to ensure that you’re getting the best value for your money. ‘Moneyline’ sounds complex to beginners of the sports betting world, but don’t let the lingo fool you into thinking it’s above your head. Betting a moneyline is just picking a winner — anyone can do it.

Another factor that would make the odds move is an injury to a key player. Let’s look at the money line odds from the 2025 College Football Playoff national championship to further explain. The Ohio State Buckeyes were the -400 money line favorite, while the Notre Dame Fighting Irish were +300. The -400 implied that Ohio State was a sizable favorite and that bettors would have to lay $400 if they wanted to profit $100. Conversely, since Notre Dame was viewed as a big underdog, you wouldn’t have to wager as much to get a much bigger payout—in this case $100 to profit $300 (or three times any bet stake). Moneyline bets offer a simple and straightforward way to get started in sports betting.

Jennifer Piacenti is a fantasy sports and betting analyst for Sports Illustrated. She serves as a host for Sirius XM Fantasy Sports Radio and has her own podcast, “Waiver Wired,” on the Extra Points podcast network. Piacenti is also a featured expert on MLB Network’s “Bettor’s Eye” and is a member of the esteemed Tout Wars, the fantasy baseball battle of the experts.