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How NFL Odds, Lines, Point Spreads and Totals Work

• Sports Betting For Dummies
• Understanding Odds Ratio In Sports
• Sports Betting Odds
• Understanding Odds In Sports Betting
• Sports Odds Explained

When you wager on NFL football it’s important that you understand clearly and concisely how to read odds and how they work. This is basic information that you must know in order to make informed bets.

You’ll need to know how the rotation number, point spread, moneyline and over/under are used and what each means. Each of these terms may be called by another name. The rotation number if often referred to as the number or the rotation mark, moneyline becomes line, point spread is called the spread, and over/under becomes the total. When you come down to it, these are the major terms that can be lumped under the heading odds.

Bookmakers use odds to even out the bets, getting gamblers to wager on both sides of the line by leveling the playing field. Although there is overall parity in the NFL, there are teams that are haves and others that are have-nots. Indianapolis is still superior to Cincinnati but when they play each other the bookies have to get about half of the bettors to put cash on the Bengals. This covers the sportsbooks ensuring they’ll make a decent amount of cash on just about every game.

1. For beginning sports gamblers, moneylines (sometimes called money lines or American odds) can be confusing.Unlike point spreads, which are concerned with who wins and by how much, a moneyline is solely dependent upon who wins.
2. There are over and under betting odds for pretty much every sport including baseball, football, hockey, UFC, Basketball, Horse racing, and much more.

Understanding Sports Odds Identify the type of line you are looking at. All online sports books offer you the chance to have your lines in an 'American' or 'Money line' version. If I were you, I would use this as my standard. An 'American' line uses either a + or - before a number to indicate odds. Understanding the sports odds. So, these are a few explanations of the sports odds that you now know how to interpret. As you have seen, there are several ways to look at them. It depends on the sportsbook how it wishes to display them. But we have shown you and explained in detail all the means to interpret and analyze them and to.

When you read NFL odds, you’ll first see the date and time of the game on the left and then immediately to the right, there will be two numbers with the name of each team next to one of each numbers. That number is called the rotation number.

Rotation numbers are standard from sportsbook to sportsbook. The number becomes a way to refer to the game and team without mentioning the teams name. It’s a sort of shorthand. Also, the rotation number allows each book to list the games in the same order—numerically. It is, in essence, a way to keep all of the games that are posted each day and throughout the week organized. That makes it easy for the bettor and the bookie.

As an example, let’s consider a matchup between the Indianapolis Colts and the Cincinnati Bengals. In our scenario, the Bengals are the home team, which means they will be listed last and the Colts, as the visitors, will be on the odds slip first. If Indy’s rotation number is 101, then Cincy’s rotation mark would be 102. When you place a bet live at a Vegas sportsbook or over the phone, you would say the number of the team on which you want to wager and not the name.

To the right of the team’s name are the different types of odds. Usually the spread will be first. You may then see the moneyline (although some books list these on another slip) and then, finally, the over/under. Thus, all of the basic bets are in one place, allowing for easy access.

The point spread, which is the most popular type of bet, lists the favored team with a minus sign and a number and the underdog with a plus sign and the same number as the favorite. (If neither team is favored, they will be listed as EVEN or PICK.)

The team that has the minus sign, which is the favorite, has points deducted from its final score, while the dog, with the plus sign, has points added. The favorite must beat the spread, which means they have to win by more than the negative number to pay off. The underdog pays off in two instances—if they win outright or if they lose by less than the spread.

In our scenario, Indianapolis is at -10.5 and Cincinnati at +10.5. If you bet on the Colts at -10.5, which means they are favored, they must win by 11 or more for you to collect on your bet. If you wager on Cincinnati, which is the underdog, your bet pays off if they win the game outright or if they lose by less than 11.

Sometimes with NFL odds you’ll see a spread posted as a whole number. Decimals or fractions are usually utilized to ensure there won’t be a tie. If in our example the spread was reset to 10 with the Colts favored and they win by 10, then the game is considered to be a tie, which in betting terms is called a push. If there is a push all bets are off and the sportsbooks return all wagers back to the bettors.

Many people will say that the odds on a spread bet are even, paying 1:1. But this is not true. The actual odds are 0.90:1. For every dollar bet, you can win 90 cents. When checking out the spread, you’ll usually see a number listed next to each spread. That number, which is your stake, is posted as -110. This number tells you how much you have to bet to win $100. If you put $110 on either team, you stand to win $100. If you bet $11.00, you can win $10.00. Every NFL point spread works this way.

The moneyline is different. First, with the moneyline whichever team wins the game pays out. There’s no giving or taking away of points. How do the bookies even the playing field with the moneyline? They do it by making bettors wager more on the favorite to win less and allowing them to bet less to win more on the dog. The favorite is posted with a minus sign and a number. That number represents the amount of cash that has to be wagered in order to win $100. The underdog, on the other hand, is listed with a plus sign in front of a number. That number shows how much a bettor wins when they bet $100.

Taking the exact same match up and odds above, Indy would be listed at -380 and Cincy at +355. When wagering on the Colts, the favored team, a sports bettor would be required to bet $380 to make $100. If they take the Bengals, who are the underdog, a $100 bet can result in a $355 profit.

By the way, there is a relationship between the spread and the moneyline. The exact relationship can vary a bit depending on the book, but the correlation works in this manner:

When considering NFL odds, the last type of basic bet you’ll see listed is the total or over/under. The over/under is a prediction regarding the total number of points that both teams will score. As it is with the spread, the total is usually posted as a fraction or decimal and the stake is the same as it is with the point spread (-110)

With NFL odds the over/under can vary but usually it’s somewhere between 35 and 47 points. Let’s say in the Colts and Bengals game that the total is posted at 37.5. If Indy scores 27 and Cincy gets 13 points, the total would be at 40 and the over would win. But if the Colts rack up 35, and they shut out the Bengals, the total of 35 would be under.
If, as it is sometimes with the spread, the total is listed as a whole number, the result may be a push. Let’s say the total is 37 and the Colts score 24 and the Bengals 13 for a total of exactly 37 points. If this happens all bets are returned on the push.
If you are able to interpret NFL odds and know what the various terms mean, such as the rotation number, point spread, moneyline and over/under, you’ll have a basic understanding on what you are betting. Prior to wagering make sure you see our NFL odds page, which carries all the latest odds from the top online sportsbooks. Remember that the odds makers are attempting to even the out the bets on each game. The sports bettor has to analyze each game and the odds and make their bets accordingly in order to win cash.

Before May 14, 2018, all sports betting outside of the state of Nevada had been illegal. The explosion of betting markets since then has been nothing short of remarkable.

Americans love to gamble. In 2016, we spent over 100 billion dollars on all types of gambling, from horse races to nickel slots. The online betting market handles billions of dollars on a monthly basis.

Although this is all exciting and we want in, it can be easy to get lost with all the terms getting thrown around. Read ahead for our crash course in understanding sports betting and how to get started.

Our Fascination With Sports Betting

The next time someone tries to give you an attitude about your betting, politely remind them that you are simply taking part in an ancient tradition.

That’s right. We know the Ancient Greeks were betting on sports and other competitions more than 2,000 years ago. Later, the Romans were placing bets on gladiator fights.

Over the years, different rulers have tried to make it illegal. Others realized that if you can’t beat them you should join and created legal gambling institutions.

From Underground to Mainstream

Sports betting continued to thrive across the world. Betting on horse races became very popular in England and moved to the United States.

There was a certain posh about going to the tracks. It was something that brought communities together and provided lots of entertainment.

Of course, there was no shortage of people trying to profit off of it.

The Emergence of Bookies

Bookmakers or bookies as most people call them, accept bets and pays them off. During different periods of history, bookmaking has been banned in various countries.

Depending on the place, bookies can work out in the open. They are a common site at casinos and horse tracks.

However, there was a time when they had to operate in the shadows to avoid trouble with the law and the IRS. Otherwise, Americans often placed bets through bookies overseas in places like the Caribbean and Costa Rica, where they could operate legally.

Understanding Sports Betting

If you have been around people talking about sports betting, you’ve certainly heard a bunch of funny words getting thrown around that may have gone over your head.

Sports betting has its own culture and, with that, comes its own language.

Here are some important terms to get you started.

Dog

Short for the underdog, the dog is the team or player that is less likely to win. However, that doesn’t mean they always lose.

Betting on the dog sets you up to win big if you can correctly predict an upset.

Who doesn’t love a great underdog story?

Odds On Favorite

This is basically the opposite of the dog. The favorite is the team that projected to win. Generally speaking, betting on the favorite is safer but the cashout is smaller.

Some people always bet on the favorite regardless. However, the favorite isn’t guaranteed to win so don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Point Spread

This is an important concept called spread betting. You simply pick a winner of a certain game but keeping in mind that the underdog will have a certain advantage.

For example, if New York has a spread of +6.0 points over the underdogs, Miami, then they have to win by at least 6 points in order for those who pick them to win the bet. If you think New York will win but only by 3 points, then you should actually pick Miami given the point spread.

Parlay

Sports Betting For Dummies

A parlay is when you bet on two or more consecutive games. In a three-team parlay, for example, all three teams that you selected must win.

This is an extremely exciting way to play. Imagine the excitement as your teams keep winning and you get ever closer to hitting that big score.

Understanding Odds Ratio In Sports

Over/Under

You can bet on more than the outcome of a game in terms of winning or losing. You can also try to guess the total combined score of both teams.

Sports Betting Odds

You can be on whether the combined score will be greater and or less than a certain number.

For example, if the over/under for football game is 25 and you pick ‘under’. You are hoping that it is a relatively low scoring game, without worry about who wins.

How To Get Involved

It’s never too late to get involved with sports betting. Since it has become legalized, there are tons of options in the sports betting market depending on what suits you.

You can hit an online betting market if you’re the type who prefers staying at home. Gone are the days when it was necessary to meet up with your friendly neighborhood bookie at Waffle House to place your bets and get paid.

Don’t feel pressured to make big bets on things you don’t really understand. Take your time with some smaller bets to get a feel for how it works.

How Much Many Can I Make?

Truly, there is no limit to how much money you can make off sports betting. However, you need to bet more to make more.

In large part, it depends on your bankroll and how much you willing to bet. However, there are plenty of people who make a living on sports betting. However, always remember that you shouldn’t bet more than you can afford to lose.

Some people do it for fun and some people make hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Becoming a Bookie

It doesn’t stop there. You can become a bookie and help others place bets. No, you don’t have to be a wiseguy or wear a trench coat.

The fact is, becoming a bookmaker is a surefire way to make money. The more people you bring in, the more you get paid regardless of the outcomes of their bets.

Check out this article to learn you can become a bookmaker. Work on your own time and as much or as little as you want.

Getting the Most out of Sports Betting

Sports betting adds a massive degree of emotion and excitement to any competition, even if its division III college volleyball.

And of course, there is a lot of money to be made. However, understanding sports betting is crucial in order to get the most out of it.

Keep researching and practicing your new hobby. The money is good and the time is right. Start your bookie business today, with the best pay per head software, www.AcePerHead.com.

3 Good Books About Starting Out

When you start out better, you should dive into some books for strategies and more. It’ll help you in the long run. We’ve gathered our favorite titles together.

In 2019, sports bettors wagered $150 billion in 2019, according to Morningstar. That figure is set to surge in the future as more states legalize gambling and establish sportsbooks.

But the world of sports betting has its own lingo that people can find intimidating. Also, although most people are betting for entertainment, no one wants to waste their money on something they don’t fully understand.

However, there are many books out there that can help shed some light on sports betting. If you are a novice, these books will help you gain invaluable basic knowledge. And if you have the experience, these titles could help fine-tune your betting prowess.

In the following article, we’ll suggest three excellent books on sports betting that will not only educate but entertain.

1) ‘Sharp Sports Betting’ Leads Our Books

This book is considered by many as the “Bettor’s Bible.” The book is authored by Stanford Wong, a pioneer in gambling publications. The first work he authored, “Professional Blackjack,” is also considered a classic.

Wong’s legendary prowess on the blackjack tables and his gambling knowledge has allowed him to create a lucrative cottage industry.

Wong, born in Georgia in 1943, was fascinated by games as a child. In several interviews, Wong took to blackjack and counting cards after reading Ed Thorpe’s “Beat the Dealer.” He was so successful at the game that legend has it that at age 21, he was able to start putting himself through school with his winnings.

Understanding Odds In Sports Betting

“Sharp Sports Betting” came about after Wong realized that there were no credible books on the topic out there. His book stays away from evaluating teams and players and sticks to the math involved to win at sports betting.

Sports Odds Explained

Wong covers the basics in clear language: money lines, spreads, parlays, and teasers. He also spends a good amount of time exploring Poisson distribution — or the probability of X-number of events happening in a fixed interval. The charts and statistical analysis Wong offers is a must-read.

2) ‘Fixed-Odds Sports Betting’

Joseph Buchdal is a bettor extraordinaire with a passion for sportsbook and soccer, or football as they call in his home in the United Kingdom. He’s a contributor to advise sites and has written several other betting books.

Buchdal’s book “fixed-Odds Sports Betting” is considered one of the best books about gambling. It holds wit and wisdom for the newbie and the experienced bettor alike. He emphasizes the practice of value betting, where you need to isolate that thing that is likely to happen, but oddsmakers are not favoring it to happen.

He tells how to isolate factors to maximize value betting strategies and hopefully come out ahead over time in his book.

3) ‘The Signal and the Noise’

If you want a good read on predicting events, including sports, but would enjoy a wider focus, an excellent choice is Nate Silver’s “The Signal and the Noise.” Silver is best known for his political predictions and his blog FiveThirtyEight.com.

Silver developed his forecasting prowess by calculating reams of baseball statistics over long airplane flights. His Pecota system was then successfully used to predict the first Obama election in all 50 states.

His clear, explanatory writing illuminates many mathematical, political, and cultural touchstones, which gives the reader a larger sense of the forecasting world.

Get In the Game

While we picked three books to get your sports betting reading list started, there are hundreds of titles to choose from. Wong’s pioneering idea to explore the world of betting in ways that make sense to the novice and hardened better alike has sparked a major industry of sports betting publications.

With all that is out there to read, you are sure to find a book that suits your interests.

Want to learn more about our betting services and software? Contact us today at (800) 909-5193.