As it turns out, currently, wagering on football has turned into a well-loved way of amusement for a bevy of the gambling enthusiasts. This comes as no surprise considering the fact that football or soccer as it is also referred to outside the USA, is one of the most exhilarating and unpredictable sports. What is more, football remains one of the most intense sports which sometimes can be quite suspenseful, and can leave you on the edge of your seat. This imparts the sport a specific appeal and explains why it is just the sport which attracts the biggest betting action.
- College Football Betting Odds Explained
- Football Spread Betting Explained
- Vegas Football Odds Explained
- Football Betting Odds Today
- Football Odds Explained: The Ultimate Guide What kind of bets can I make on football? Like most other sports, the possibilities are endless for football betting and usually come down to what specific markets a sportsbook is offering. Some sportsbooks get creative with their available markets and others stick to the basics.
- Football Odds Explained: The Ultimate Guide What kind of bets can I make on football? Like most other sports, the possibilities are endless for football betting and usually come down to what specific markets a sportsbook is offering. Some sportsbooks get creative with their available markets and others stick to the basics.
- Compare NFL odds & betting lines Feb 05 to find the best Football moneyline, spread, and Over/Under totals odds from online sportsbooks.
Football is easily the most preferred sport by punters also due to the fact that it gives them the chance to choose between a broad variety of betting opportunities. Gambling operators undoubtedly strive to see punters right as they give them the chance to select from an abundance of wagers. Still, in order to make sure that you will be able to get the most out of your sports betting session, in the first place, you should make sure that you have accustomed yourself to all the specific aspects of football betting. For that reason, a good idea might as well be to take your time to learn more about some of the basic football wagers.
Other than that, if you want to ensure that you are well aware of the manner in which football betting works, you should also take your time to learn more about the different odds formats. Gaining even a basic knowledge of odds will undoubtedly help you become a successful football bettor due to the fact that you will be able to appraise what is the probability of your stake to become a winning one and whether it offers a good value at all.
Basics of Football Betting Odds
Perhaps, one of the most intrinsic things you should not forget about football betting odds is that they are utilized in order to show the amount you will sweep after making a winning bet. Thus, the higher the odds you are offered on a specific football matchup are, the bigger the payout you might potentially enjoy will be. Other than that, odds are also utilized in order to show the likelihood of an outcome to occur. In this vein, a more probable outcome will have lower odds, and vice versa, a less probable outcome will have higher odds. That is the reason why more often than not you might stumble upon gamblers who refer to odds as a price of a wager.
Football bettors should accustom themselves to the fact that there are two types of odds, precisely odds against and odds on. As for odds against, the biggest peculiarity about them remains that they indicate that the amount you can potentially pocket is larger than the stake you have made. When it comes to odds on, however, gambling enthusiasts should expect that the amount they can potentially win is smaller when compared to the stake they have made.
It is worth noting that when your bet is more likely to turn into a losing one, this is a prime example of odds against. As for odds on, such bets might be slightly tricky due to the fact that you will be compelled to run the risk of staking a larger amount than the amount you might sweep. A typical example of odds on would be wagering on the supposed favorite.
Main Odds Formats
Once you have found out that the underlying principle of odds is uncomplicated, you can set about with the crux of the matter. In the first place, football bettors should be aware of the fact that odds can be displayed in three main formats which include decimal odds, American odds, and fractional odds. Perhaps, one of the most arduous things you should do when you wish to become a successful football bettor is to remember all the distinctive traits of each of the three odds formats and the manner in which each of them functions. Despite the fact that at first, this might seem to you as a strenuous or even impossible task, once you take your time to read more about this, you will see that it is not that sophisticated as it sounds.
College Football Betting Odds Explained
Decimal Odds
Decimal odds doubtlessly remains the most widely utilized format of the three. In fact, this manner of displaying the odds can be found at the better part of the interactive bookies with the only exception being operators which target gambling enthusiasts from the United States. It is true to say that one of the most obvious reasons why decimal odds are the most popular ones is that this is the most straightforward manner in which odds are expressed.
Football bettors should accustom themselves to the fact that there are two types of odds, precisely odds against and odds on. As for odds against, the biggest peculiarity about them remains that they indicate that the amount you can potentially pocket is larger than the stake you have made. NFL season is underway and there's no better time to prepare yourself for NFL betting with this helpful guide to explain NFL odds, point spreads, and more.
Interestingly enough, this format is closely associated with football bettors from Australia, Europe, and Canada. The most important thing you should remember about this format remains that odds are shown using two decimal places as for example, 2.0, 1.5, and so on. It stands to a reason that decimal odds are the most straightforward format of the three due to the fact that punters can get the potential return they may enjoy simply by multiplying the stake they have made by the odds. Still, football bettors should remember that the potential return they will obtain comprises their original stake. Thus, if we assume that you have made a stake of $100 at odds of 1.50, this will mean that your potential return will be $150 (100 x 1.50 = 150).
Gambling enthusiasts should also be aware that if they wish to get their potential profit, they just need to subtract 1 from the value of the odds. Thus, the equation will look like this: stake x (odds – 1). Another thing which is crucial is that odds of 2.00 represent even money. As long as the odds exceed this value, this means that the odds are against. In the event that the odds are less than this value, this means that they are on.
Moneyline Odds
Moneyline or American odds is the next format we will pay more attention to. As the name implies, this manner of displaying the odds is most popular with football bettors from the United States. At first, it might throw you into confusion due to the fact that the odds might have a positive and a negative value.
Perhaps, the most confusing thing remains that the positive sign reflects the potential profit you may enjoy in the event that you make a stake of $100. Thus, if we assume that the odds of one of the football teams are +200, a winning stake of $200 will grant you $600. It is important to note that this amount includes the initial stake you have made. In other words, the formula you need to make use of in order to get your potential profit looks like this: stake x (odds / 100).
As for the negative sign, football bettors should remember that it indicates the amount of money they need to wager in order to have the chance to win $100. Thus, if we presume that the odds are -120, this will indicate that a successful bet of $120 will grant you $100, meaning that the punter will get a total of $220. If we assume that the scenario is slightly different, and you have decided to make a stake of $100 at odds of -200, this would mean that the potential return you might eventually collect is $150. The formula you should stick to this time looks like this: stake / (odds/100).
Another important thing football bettors should take into account is that according to this format, the even-money equivalent is represented by +100. Thus, the negative sign will indicate odds on, whereas the positive sign will reflect odds against.
Fractional Odds
As for fractional odds, it is considered that this is the omnipresent format which can be found in almost every bookie on the territory of the United Kingdom. Still, recently, decimal odds have gradually started to oust fractional odds. In fact, gambling enthusiasts are slightly reluctant to utilize this format due to the fact that estimating the payout and the profit might turn out to be quite a tricky undertaking. One of the most important things football bettors should remember is that this format reflects the potential profit they might enjoy. When it comes to the possible payout, gambling enthusiasts simply need to add the amount of the stake they have made.
Despite the fact that at first glance, this format might seem slightly overwhelming, you should not worry about this as once you figure out the manner in which it works, your betting session will go like magic. As the name implies, the odds are displayed via fractions such as 5/1, which is pronounced five to one. These values indicate that football bettors might pocket five units for every single unit they stake. If we assume that the odds are 6/4, this would mean that you will have the chance to sweep six units for every four units you have decided to run the risk of wagering. This time, the formula you should make use of looks like this: stake x (numerator/denominator).
As you can probably guess, in this format the even-money equivalent is represented by 1/1. Thus, in the event that the numerator is a number which is larger than the denominator, this would be odds against. In other words, this will mean that your profit will turn out to be more substantial than the bet you have made. In the event that the denominator is a number which is larger than the numerator, this will be odds on. This will indicate that your stake is bigger than the profit you may eventually enjoy.
What is Implied Probability
Implied probability is yet another term we should expound as this is yet another essential aspect of soccer betting. Gambling enthusiasts who are dead set on gaining some more substantial profit over the long term should make sure that they have accustomed themselves to the difference between odds and probability. Despite the fact that odds and probability are bound up, in practice, the odds might not have a bearing on the chances of something to take place or not.
It is important to note that probability might be expressed either via percentages or via decimals. In the event that percentages are utilized 100% indicate that something will definitely take place, whereas 0% shows that this event is unlikely to occur. In the case with decimals, the values range between 0 and 1.0.
In some cases, calculating the probability might be as easy as pie. This is the case with the toss of a coin simply because there are only two possible outcomes, meaning that the probability of each of them is 50%. When it comes to wagering on football, however, thе situation changes as there are many things that should be considered. In other words, this means that football bettors simply cannot estimate the probability accurately.
Gambling enthusiasts should apply themselves to understanding that when it comes to football betting, gamblers can use the odds in order to determine the implied probability of a specific outcome to take place. Thus, bettors will have the opportunity to figure out what is the edge of the bookie, and also to find out whether the wager they are planning to make brings good value at all.
Now, let's assume that you have decided to make a stake on a football match at odds of 2.00, and you wish to estimate the implied probability. In order to do so, you simply need to divide 1 by the value of the odds which in this case would mean that you will get 0.5. In order to make things more clear, we will use percentages, meaning that you should multiply 0.5 by 100. Thus, you will get that the probability is 50%.
It is important to note that we are trying to make things as simple as possible which is why we have decided to provide precisely this example. In fact, if the probability was indeed 50%, there would not have been a point in making a bet due to the fact that the chances of your stake of becoming a losing one or a winning one are equal.
What is Value in Football Betting
Expected value is yet another term we should pay special attention to due to the fact that it has to do with the amount of money football bettors can expect to pocket from the stake they have made. Punters should bear in mind that if their stake has a better chance to become a winning one than the odds indicate, this means that it has a positive value. In the event that your stake is more likely to end up as a losing one than the odds reflect, this would mean that the bet you are making has a negative value. Needless to say, gambling aficionados who wish to make a profit will need to make stakes which have a positive value.
Now, let's provide as an example a coin toss in which the chances of each of the outcomes are equal. Let's assume that the odds of heads are 3.00, whereas the odds of tails are 1.50. Thus, if we assume that you have decided to make a stake of $10, in the first case a winning bet will bring you $30, whereas, in the second scenario, you will get as much as $15.
Perhaps, now arises the question which scenario is more beneficial to you. The answer to this question is pretty simple as wagering on heads will undoubtedly bring you better results. In fact, such a wager would have a positive value simply because the implied probability is smaller than the chances of winning you have.
As mentioned above, in order to estimate the implied probability of heads, we should divide 1 by the odds and then multiply it by 100, which in our case means that we will get 33.33%. Now, if we do the same thing with the odds of tails, eventually, we will get 66.67%.
Perhaps, now you wonder why we are telling you all these things. Figuring out which wagers have positive value is essential due to the fact that these are precisely the bets which promise to bring you profit down the road.
Finding the Best Value
Football bettors need to know that there are several simple tips that might greatly facilitate the finding of the best value. It might seem like a rather basic tip but it would be better if you wager on football competitions, and teams you are familiar with. Thus, if you have kept an eye on a specific tournament, for example, it would be much easier for you to make the right decisions, and to enjoy more bountiful results.
In this relation, we should not forget to mention that football bettors should not disregard the teams which are considered favorites as well. In fact, many football bettors erroneously consider that since such teams have some quite low odds, they cannot offer positive value. Despite the fact that this is a popular misconception among football bettors, they should not forget that what matters is the manner in which the odds and the probability are bound up.
While football bettors are trying to find the best value they should also endeavor to take into account as many of the factors which can affect the outcome of the matchup as possible. In the event that you fail to do so, you need to know that the judgments you will make might not be quite accurate. That is the reason why it would be best if you take into account factors such as injuries, schedules, the overall condition of the football team you are planning to support, and so on.
Finally, we should also note that when you wish to find the best value, one of the best things you can do is to sign up for an account at more than only one virtual sportsbooks which boast football betting. Thus, gambling enthusiasts will be able to compare the odds bookies offer and to figure out which one offers the most advantageous deals. Despite the fact that in most cases, the difference in the value of the odds is quite small, it may definitely have an impact on your overall profit over the long term. That is the reason why spending only a couple of minutes to make this comparison will repay in the future.
For the novice sports bettor, understanding how sports betting odds work can be one of the most confusing sets of numbers you've ever dealt with. For those who have just started betting on sports, to know how the odds work is of key importance for a profitable and enjoyable betting experience. We are here to give you an overview of the basic styles of betting odds, how you can read the different formats, and how to use them to your favor.
While you may still be confused at the end, the only way you are going to learn how to play with odds is by adapting the appropriate information and utilizing it firsthand. To this degree, we have found various sports betting sites where you can utilize these options to the fullest extent. And, if you ever have any questions, please drop us a line at webmaster@explainbettingodds.com where we can answer all of your questions through email.
Different Types Of Betting Odds Explained
Quick Explanation Of How To Read Sports Betting Odds
- Point Spread - If A Football Team Is -7, Then That Team Must Win By 8 Points To Win The Bet.
- Over / Under ' AKA The Total' - If An Over / Under Is 42 In A Football Game, The Combined Total Amount Of Points Both Teams Must Score Needs To Be Over 43 Points To Win The Wager.
- Moneyline Betting Odds - If The Money Line Has 'Team A' at -150 Betting Odds Against The Colts, I Must Bet $150 To Win $100 And If Team A Wins, Then I Would Win My Bet.There are three forms of regular betting odds that you will see at every sportsbook that you visit, whether online or in person. These are the ones that you see right off the bat and the ones that really matter when you are betting on sports. If nothing else, you have probably heard them talked about by either your friends or TV broadcast on ESPN or other channels.
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Football Spread Betting Explained
How To Read And Understand MoneyLine Betting Odds
First there are the moneyline betting odds , which is the bet on who will win the event outright with no point spreads or other variables. You simply pick the team you think will win and place the bet. However, without using the odds, the payouts are usually much different then they would be with the odds in place.
When betting on the moneyline, the favorite will always have a negative symbol in front of the number and the underdog will always have a plus sign in front of it (an example is -150 favorite or +150 for the underdog).
How To Read The Point Spreads
Next, we come to what may be the most common type of sports betting odds, which is the point spread. They put point spreads up for all of the main sports such as football, basketball, hockey, baseball, and others. This is called 'The Spread' and it basically tells you which team is favored and by how much. When betting the spread, you are betting that a team will win by a certain number of points, runs, or whatever. Here is an example to help you understand point spreads in football.
If you are Betting The Point Spread On 'Team A' in Football - Favored by -6 - This means 'Team A' must beat the other team by 7 points or more to win the bet.
If You Are Betting The Point Spread On 'Team B' in Football Game - Underdog that is getting +6 points - This means as long as 'Team B' does not lose by 7 or more points, then you will win the bet. If Team A wins, but only by 3 points, then you will still win and get paid.
How To Read The Over / Under Betting Odds
There is also the total score or the over/under, and this line lets you bet on whether or not the total score between all competitors will go above or below a predetermined amount. You simply look at what the Over / Under is and then bet on which you think it will be. There are over and under betting odds for pretty much every sport including baseball, football, hockey, UFC, Basketball, Horse racing, and much more.
The over/under betting odds, or the totals, work differently for each sport. If the number is 42 in a football game and you bet the over, you would need 43 points total between the two teams. In baseball betting, it is the number of runs scored that sets the total. The UFC over/under betting odds are which round the fight will end. Hockey totals are how many goals will be scored between both teams.
With the spread and the total, you will occasionally see that the odds are distributed with 'half points,' which are in place to prevent a 'push,' or no one winning or losing the bets. As long as there is a winner or loser, the sportsbooks will make their money on the juice and be happy.
What To Know About Vegas Betting Odds
The truth of the matter is that Vegas pretty much sets all of the sports betting odds for the entire world. All of the world's leading experts work for the big casino companies in Las Vegas, and all of them work together to set the odds for different sports. Anytime you hear someone asking or talking about Vegas odds, they are simply talking about the odds and nothing specifically related to Vegas. All of the online sportsbooks use services that simply use the Vegas odds as a starting point for events. Then their own systems will adjust the spread depending on how people are betting at their sportsbook. Ultimately a sportsbook wants 50% of the bets on each side of a game so that they can simply make money on the juice.
Exotic Betting Odds Explained
Exotic bets are there to make for a more entertaining betting experience, but they work somewhat differently compared to the straight bets. But, the original point spread is still used in all these bets no matter how you look at it.
Parlays are essentially a combination of two or more bets into one, such as three teams winning their respective matches. These parlays are usually a long shot since so many teams have to win, but in the end, they are also some of the highest paying games. You can pick teams to cover the point spread, over or unders, or moneylines in a parlay and sometimes you can mix in different sports.
Pleasers are some of the highest paying bets, as they take the spread and then subtract points, making it harder to succeed. Then you also have to combine them into another bet of the same type in order to win. The payouts are huge, but it is not likely that these will come in unless you have the utmost luck or some sort of inside knowledge.
Teaser bets bets are the exact opposite, in that you can adjust the spread to be more favorable, thus lowering your payout but increasing your chances of winning. Either way, these are some of the more exciting ways for you to wager.
There are also 'If-Bets', which allow you to combine two bets. The first bet has to win for the second bet to have action. If the first bet fails, the second bet doesn't come through. If you win the first bet, you can then use the winnings on the second bet, essentially building your bankroll.
Different Formats Of Betting Odds
How To Read American Betting Odds
American odds have become incredibly commonplace, despite the fact that they are not as easy to read as other formats. As an example, American Odds read like this:
Odds To Win Super Bowl:
- Team A: -150
- Team B: +200
- Team C: +600
- Team D: +1000
With American odds, the number represented is how much you have to bet to win $100. If the number is preceded with a '+' sign, then you would risk less than $100 to win a wager worth $100. And, the opposite is true when the number is preceded with a '-' where the bettor would have to risk more than $100 just to win $100 of the wager.
In the example above, you can see that Team A has the lowest number of the group and are considered to be the favorite to win this bet. If you wagered on Team A to win the Super Bowl and they end up winning, you are going to need to risk more than $100 to win $100 as indicated by the '-' symbol preceding the payouts. In this particular example, a bettor would need to wager $150 to win $100.
On the opposite side of that, the other 3 teams in contention all pay better than 1 to 1 odds (risk less than $100 to win $100). Team B is at +200: risk $50 to win $100. Team C is at +600: risk $16.67 to win $100. Team D is at +1000: risk $10 to win $100.
These can be a little bit confusing but if you just pay attention to the + or - symbol then you should not have any issues. And, with a little bit of manipulation, you can see how these odds will pay if the wager ends up being a winner and that is what we're all here for... to win.
How To Read Fractional Odds
Fractional betting odds are the easiest to understand. Just about every single sportsbook that caters to Americans has the option available for fractional odds. And, while they may seem daunting at first, you don't really need to understand complex fractions in order to utilize these odds. Let's look at an example:
Odds To Win Fight:
- Fighter A: 4/7
- Fighter B: 3/2
In order to best understand these lines, you first need to look at the ratio to 1. In the example above, 4/7 odds is less than 1 and the opposite can be said for the other side as 3/2 is more than 1. Once you have determined this, you can figure out the favorite.
To figure out which side is favored, you simply need to figure out which is the lower number. In this case, Fighter A is at 4/7 odds which is less than 1 and Fighter B is at 3/2 odds which is more than 1. Fighter A's wager is the clear favorite as it is the lower number.
So, how do you figure out what these pay? Again, we refer back to 4/7 being less than 1, and 3/2 being more than 1.
Anytime fractional odds are displayed at a value of less than 1, the bettor must risk more than they intend to win if the wager is a winner. And, the opposite can be said for if a fractional value is more than 1... that bet will pay more than what is risked.
As we said before, 4/7 odds are less than 1 so in this case, the bettor must risk $7 to win $4 from the wager. Then, 3/2 are more than 1 so when risking $2, the bettor will win $3 off the wager. As you can see, the payouts are in the fractional odds, you just need to know which way they go based on if they represent a value greater than or less than one.
Understanding Betting Odds That Use Decimals
Decimal odds are slightly more confusing than most other types of odds. In fact, we prefer not to use them when we bet but that is just our preference. Regardless, we are going to give you a little insight into these lines, as we want to give you insight about all of the common types of odds available.
If you look into these odds, you will definitely come out a little bit confused unless you are from Europe where these odds are commonly used than American or Fractional odds. The multiplication game is not as straight forward with decimal odds. Let's take a look at another example:
Odds To Be Next President:
- Candidate A: 1.50
- Candidate B: 2.45
When looking at decimal based odds, the same thing applies to them as all the other forms of odds when trying to determine the favorite... whichever is the lowest number is favored. In the example above, the favored candidate is Candidate A at 1.50 however Candidate B is only a little bit behind at 2.45
Figuring out the payouts is where decimal odds can get tricky, but you'll soon learn a little trick that will make these very easy to understand.
The best way to start off look at these odds is to consider them to be monetary amounts based on what you will win if you wager $1 or one euro, one pound, etc... which includes the original wager. Be sure to keep that in mind when looking at the other odds types.
If Candidate A wins the election, every $1 wagered will win $.50 plus the original $1 wagered which equals $1.50 or 1.50 odds.
Candidate B: every $1 wagered earns $1.45 which equals $2.45 or 2.45 odds.
Now That You Know How To Read Sports Betting Odds
Now that you understand how to read odds, you will then want to see how they are adapted to the different betting lines. With the straight wagers and exotic wagers alike, you will find that these odds are worked into the lines. After you figure out how to read the odds, you will then have to figure out the different types of bets that you can find through most sports betting sites. The different types of bets use odds somewhat differently, but in the end, it is all fairly similar.
We have created special pages that explain how to read the betting odds on a variety of sports. The reason for this is that some sports have betting odds available that others do not. Some sports betting odds can be broken down into a half or quarters while others are just for the entire duration of a match or game. For instance, you cannot really compare the NASCAR or PGA odds with NFL, and vice versa. Each page is crafted specifically for an individual sport making it easier for bettors to learn the ins and outs of betting on whichever sport they choose.
Online Sportsbooks With The Best Sports Betting Odds Available
Now we come to the online sportsbooks + sports betting sites that actually offer the odds we are explaining. There are plenty of betting sites out there, but we have decided to list only those we felt were of the highest level of quality. When personally and individually tested these sportsbooks in order to figure out exactly what they have to offer. In the end, we decided to play with those offering the highest paying odds, the most diverse set of betting types, and a fairly wide range of different sports. Throw in the big bonuses and easy financial transfers and what you get is one of the best sets of betting sites on the Internet.
As mentioned above, in order to estimate the implied probability of heads, we should divide 1 by the odds and then multiply it by 100, which in our case means that we will get 33.33%. Now, if we do the same thing with the odds of tails, eventually, we will get 66.67%.
Perhaps, now you wonder why we are telling you all these things. Figuring out which wagers have positive value is essential due to the fact that these are precisely the bets which promise to bring you profit down the road.
Finding the Best Value
Football bettors need to know that there are several simple tips that might greatly facilitate the finding of the best value. It might seem like a rather basic tip but it would be better if you wager on football competitions, and teams you are familiar with. Thus, if you have kept an eye on a specific tournament, for example, it would be much easier for you to make the right decisions, and to enjoy more bountiful results.
In this relation, we should not forget to mention that football bettors should not disregard the teams which are considered favorites as well. In fact, many football bettors erroneously consider that since such teams have some quite low odds, they cannot offer positive value. Despite the fact that this is a popular misconception among football bettors, they should not forget that what matters is the manner in which the odds and the probability are bound up.
While football bettors are trying to find the best value they should also endeavor to take into account as many of the factors which can affect the outcome of the matchup as possible. In the event that you fail to do so, you need to know that the judgments you will make might not be quite accurate. That is the reason why it would be best if you take into account factors such as injuries, schedules, the overall condition of the football team you are planning to support, and so on.
Finally, we should also note that when you wish to find the best value, one of the best things you can do is to sign up for an account at more than only one virtual sportsbooks which boast football betting. Thus, gambling enthusiasts will be able to compare the odds bookies offer and to figure out which one offers the most advantageous deals. Despite the fact that in most cases, the difference in the value of the odds is quite small, it may definitely have an impact on your overall profit over the long term. That is the reason why spending only a couple of minutes to make this comparison will repay in the future.
For the novice sports bettor, understanding how sports betting odds work can be one of the most confusing sets of numbers you've ever dealt with. For those who have just started betting on sports, to know how the odds work is of key importance for a profitable and enjoyable betting experience. We are here to give you an overview of the basic styles of betting odds, how you can read the different formats, and how to use them to your favor.
While you may still be confused at the end, the only way you are going to learn how to play with odds is by adapting the appropriate information and utilizing it firsthand. To this degree, we have found various sports betting sites where you can utilize these options to the fullest extent. And, if you ever have any questions, please drop us a line at webmaster@explainbettingodds.com where we can answer all of your questions through email.
Different Types Of Betting Odds Explained
Quick Explanation Of How To Read Sports Betting Odds
- Point Spread - If A Football Team Is -7, Then That Team Must Win By 8 Points To Win The Bet.
- Over / Under ' AKA The Total' - If An Over / Under Is 42 In A Football Game, The Combined Total Amount Of Points Both Teams Must Score Needs To Be Over 43 Points To Win The Wager.
- Moneyline Betting Odds - If The Money Line Has 'Team A' at -150 Betting Odds Against The Colts, I Must Bet $150 To Win $100 And If Team A Wins, Then I Would Win My Bet.There are three forms of regular betting odds that you will see at every sportsbook that you visit, whether online or in person. These are the ones that you see right off the bat and the ones that really matter when you are betting on sports. If nothing else, you have probably heard them talked about by either your friends or TV broadcast on ESPN or other channels.
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$250 Max - 50% Match | 46 States | Go To Bovada |
$1,000 Max - 50% Bonus | All 50 States | Go To MyBookie |
100% to $300 | All 50 States | Go To Xbet |
$1,000 Max - 50% Bonus | All 50 States | Go To Sportsbetting |
Football Spread Betting Explained
How To Read And Understand MoneyLine Betting Odds
First there are the moneyline betting odds , which is the bet on who will win the event outright with no point spreads or other variables. You simply pick the team you think will win and place the bet. However, without using the odds, the payouts are usually much different then they would be with the odds in place.
When betting on the moneyline, the favorite will always have a negative symbol in front of the number and the underdog will always have a plus sign in front of it (an example is -150 favorite or +150 for the underdog).
How To Read The Point Spreads
Next, we come to what may be the most common type of sports betting odds, which is the point spread. They put point spreads up for all of the main sports such as football, basketball, hockey, baseball, and others. This is called 'The Spread' and it basically tells you which team is favored and by how much. When betting the spread, you are betting that a team will win by a certain number of points, runs, or whatever. Here is an example to help you understand point spreads in football.
If you are Betting The Point Spread On 'Team A' in Football - Favored by -6 - This means 'Team A' must beat the other team by 7 points or more to win the bet.
If You Are Betting The Point Spread On 'Team B' in Football Game - Underdog that is getting +6 points - This means as long as 'Team B' does not lose by 7 or more points, then you will win the bet. If Team A wins, but only by 3 points, then you will still win and get paid.
How To Read The Over / Under Betting Odds
There is also the total score or the over/under, and this line lets you bet on whether or not the total score between all competitors will go above or below a predetermined amount. You simply look at what the Over / Under is and then bet on which you think it will be. There are over and under betting odds for pretty much every sport including baseball, football, hockey, UFC, Basketball, Horse racing, and much more.
The over/under betting odds, or the totals, work differently for each sport. If the number is 42 in a football game and you bet the over, you would need 43 points total between the two teams. In baseball betting, it is the number of runs scored that sets the total. The UFC over/under betting odds are which round the fight will end. Hockey totals are how many goals will be scored between both teams.
With the spread and the total, you will occasionally see that the odds are distributed with 'half points,' which are in place to prevent a 'push,' or no one winning or losing the bets. As long as there is a winner or loser, the sportsbooks will make their money on the juice and be happy.
What To Know About Vegas Betting Odds
The truth of the matter is that Vegas pretty much sets all of the sports betting odds for the entire world. All of the world's leading experts work for the big casino companies in Las Vegas, and all of them work together to set the odds for different sports. Anytime you hear someone asking or talking about Vegas odds, they are simply talking about the odds and nothing specifically related to Vegas. All of the online sportsbooks use services that simply use the Vegas odds as a starting point for events. Then their own systems will adjust the spread depending on how people are betting at their sportsbook. Ultimately a sportsbook wants 50% of the bets on each side of a game so that they can simply make money on the juice.
Exotic Betting Odds Explained
Exotic bets are there to make for a more entertaining betting experience, but they work somewhat differently compared to the straight bets. But, the original point spread is still used in all these bets no matter how you look at it.
Parlays are essentially a combination of two or more bets into one, such as three teams winning their respective matches. These parlays are usually a long shot since so many teams have to win, but in the end, they are also some of the highest paying games. You can pick teams to cover the point spread, over or unders, or moneylines in a parlay and sometimes you can mix in different sports.
Pleasers are some of the highest paying bets, as they take the spread and then subtract points, making it harder to succeed. Then you also have to combine them into another bet of the same type in order to win. The payouts are huge, but it is not likely that these will come in unless you have the utmost luck or some sort of inside knowledge.
Teaser bets bets are the exact opposite, in that you can adjust the spread to be more favorable, thus lowering your payout but increasing your chances of winning. Either way, these are some of the more exciting ways for you to wager.
There are also 'If-Bets', which allow you to combine two bets. The first bet has to win for the second bet to have action. If the first bet fails, the second bet doesn't come through. If you win the first bet, you can then use the winnings on the second bet, essentially building your bankroll.
Different Formats Of Betting Odds
How To Read American Betting Odds
American odds have become incredibly commonplace, despite the fact that they are not as easy to read as other formats. As an example, American Odds read like this:
Odds To Win Super Bowl:
- Team A: -150
- Team B: +200
- Team C: +600
- Team D: +1000
With American odds, the number represented is how much you have to bet to win $100. If the number is preceded with a '+' sign, then you would risk less than $100 to win a wager worth $100. And, the opposite is true when the number is preceded with a '-' where the bettor would have to risk more than $100 just to win $100 of the wager.
In the example above, you can see that Team A has the lowest number of the group and are considered to be the favorite to win this bet. If you wagered on Team A to win the Super Bowl and they end up winning, you are going to need to risk more than $100 to win $100 as indicated by the '-' symbol preceding the payouts. In this particular example, a bettor would need to wager $150 to win $100.
On the opposite side of that, the other 3 teams in contention all pay better than 1 to 1 odds (risk less than $100 to win $100). Team B is at +200: risk $50 to win $100. Team C is at +600: risk $16.67 to win $100. Team D is at +1000: risk $10 to win $100.
These can be a little bit confusing but if you just pay attention to the + or - symbol then you should not have any issues. And, with a little bit of manipulation, you can see how these odds will pay if the wager ends up being a winner and that is what we're all here for... to win.
How To Read Fractional Odds
Fractional betting odds are the easiest to understand. Just about every single sportsbook that caters to Americans has the option available for fractional odds. And, while they may seem daunting at first, you don't really need to understand complex fractions in order to utilize these odds. Let's look at an example:
Odds To Win Fight:
- Fighter A: 4/7
- Fighter B: 3/2
In order to best understand these lines, you first need to look at the ratio to 1. In the example above, 4/7 odds is less than 1 and the opposite can be said for the other side as 3/2 is more than 1. Once you have determined this, you can figure out the favorite.
To figure out which side is favored, you simply need to figure out which is the lower number. In this case, Fighter A is at 4/7 odds which is less than 1 and Fighter B is at 3/2 odds which is more than 1. Fighter A's wager is the clear favorite as it is the lower number.
So, how do you figure out what these pay? Again, we refer back to 4/7 being less than 1, and 3/2 being more than 1.
Anytime fractional odds are displayed at a value of less than 1, the bettor must risk more than they intend to win if the wager is a winner. And, the opposite can be said for if a fractional value is more than 1... that bet will pay more than what is risked.
As we said before, 4/7 odds are less than 1 so in this case, the bettor must risk $7 to win $4 from the wager. Then, 3/2 are more than 1 so when risking $2, the bettor will win $3 off the wager. As you can see, the payouts are in the fractional odds, you just need to know which way they go based on if they represent a value greater than or less than one.
Understanding Betting Odds That Use Decimals
Decimal odds are slightly more confusing than most other types of odds. In fact, we prefer not to use them when we bet but that is just our preference. Regardless, we are going to give you a little insight into these lines, as we want to give you insight about all of the common types of odds available.
If you look into these odds, you will definitely come out a little bit confused unless you are from Europe where these odds are commonly used than American or Fractional odds. The multiplication game is not as straight forward with decimal odds. Let's take a look at another example:
Odds To Be Next President:
- Candidate A: 1.50
- Candidate B: 2.45
When looking at decimal based odds, the same thing applies to them as all the other forms of odds when trying to determine the favorite... whichever is the lowest number is favored. In the example above, the favored candidate is Candidate A at 1.50 however Candidate B is only a little bit behind at 2.45
Figuring out the payouts is where decimal odds can get tricky, but you'll soon learn a little trick that will make these very easy to understand.
The best way to start off look at these odds is to consider them to be monetary amounts based on what you will win if you wager $1 or one euro, one pound, etc... which includes the original wager. Be sure to keep that in mind when looking at the other odds types.
If Candidate A wins the election, every $1 wagered will win $.50 plus the original $1 wagered which equals $1.50 or 1.50 odds.
Candidate B: every $1 wagered earns $1.45 which equals $2.45 or 2.45 odds.
Now That You Know How To Read Sports Betting Odds
Now that you understand how to read odds, you will then want to see how they are adapted to the different betting lines. With the straight wagers and exotic wagers alike, you will find that these odds are worked into the lines. After you figure out how to read the odds, you will then have to figure out the different types of bets that you can find through most sports betting sites. The different types of bets use odds somewhat differently, but in the end, it is all fairly similar.
We have created special pages that explain how to read the betting odds on a variety of sports. The reason for this is that some sports have betting odds available that others do not. Some sports betting odds can be broken down into a half or quarters while others are just for the entire duration of a match or game. For instance, you cannot really compare the NASCAR or PGA odds with NFL, and vice versa. Each page is crafted specifically for an individual sport making it easier for bettors to learn the ins and outs of betting on whichever sport they choose.
Online Sportsbooks With The Best Sports Betting Odds Available
Now we come to the online sportsbooks + sports betting sites that actually offer the odds we are explaining. There are plenty of betting sites out there, but we have decided to list only those we felt were of the highest level of quality. When personally and individually tested these sportsbooks in order to figure out exactly what they have to offer. In the end, we decided to play with those offering the highest paying odds, the most diverse set of betting types, and a fairly wide range of different sports. Throw in the big bonuses and easy financial transfers and what you get is one of the best sets of betting sites on the Internet.
Bovada Sportsbook - More Betting Odds Than Other Sports Betting Sites
Its already know that Bovada is one of the better online sportsbooks for players to sign up for. The fact that there are so many betting options on this sportsbook makes it known to be a better site as well. Most of the time players look for sites that have the total package which is what Bovada has. Players will flock towards Bovada and one main reason for that is because of the betting odds that are offered to players.
Vegas Football Odds Explained
The odds offered on Bovada are her for a player to place big-time bets and make a lot of cash. This makes it very easy for players to pick which bets they want to place. Because of these great betting odds offered, it is known that players are cashing big on parlay bets. More players have a lot got involved in live betting as well because these odds that are here on Bovada are better than other sites they have visited. Because of these betting odds offered, the attention Bovada will get will only increase!
BetOnline Sportsbook - New Bettors Get Bonuses On Every Deposit You Make For Life
There is no doubt that BetOnline has a lot of players that have accounts with them. There are many reasons for that and this list of players will continue to grow and will for the right reason. Even though the age requirement of 18 and older to sign up is one thing that players notice when it comes to BetOnline, the betting odds are something that also grabs a lot of attention as well. These betting odds that are here on the prop bets and are much better than most other online sportsbooks.
Knowing how betting odds work is important and that also will make it easier to understand why BetOnline has the best betting odds for all players. These close odds are what players like and most of the time this will decide what bets they place. With a team being slight underdogs with those odds definitely makes players think if they want to place a bet on those teams and these upsets can end up earning players a lot of extra money! BetOnline odds are very good and makes players consider both sides.
Football Betting Odds Today
MyBookie Sportsbook - Betting Odds The Best Here On MyBookie
Mybookie is clearly known to be one of the better sites for many players. The number one thing that players check out when they sign up for online sportsbooks is what kind of bets that it offers and there is no doubt that MyBookie has any bet that players can think of. With so many different betting options comes the betting odds as well. The odds here for are taylor made for players. This means that these odds are very good for players because they are close and have players considering to take the upset over the favorite sometimes.
Taking the upset sometimes over the favorite can be the way that players can capitalize big. Something as simple as picking the Miami Heat over the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA could be considered because of the close the betting odds could be on MyBookie. The great thing about sports is nothing is guaranteed and upsets are often happening so taking an upset sometimes could be very beneficial on MyBookie. This also goes picking the favorite as well. Slight favored could mean to put a lot more money down and lead players to win more. MyBookie is known for great betting odds.