Below is a list of Sports Betting & Wagering Types. Below are the definitions and types of bets often found in the sports betting industy.
Pointspread
The pointspread – also called “the line” – is used as a margin to handicap the favorite team. The oddsmaker – also called the handicapper – “gives” points (or goals) to the underdog for betting purposes only. The bettor must take either the favorite or the underdog.
The favorite is always indicated by a minus sign (e.g. -5.5) and the underdog by a plus sign (e.g.+5.5). For betting purposes, the outcome of the game is determined by taking the actual game score and finding the difference between the scores of the two teams playing (called the pointspread or just the “spread”).
If the “line” is put in at a half point (e.g. -5.5 for the favorite Orlando) by the oddsmaker then there can be no “push.” In this case, there is “action” at any final game score pointspread. In a pointspread, you must wager $110 to win $100 ($210 is returned to the winner). 10/11 is the standard for pointspread bets on most sports.
More about Pointspreads
Straight Bet
A straight bet is a bet on the outcome of a single event or game that, for betting purposes only, is determined by a Pointspread, a Moneyline or a Game Total.
The team or event wagered on must win by the posted odds. A single bet may be a play on the side to win, the total, or even a proposition or future bet. All single bets must lay 110 to win 100 unless otherwise noted at the time of the wager. Games that end in a tie are no action or push, and the money is refunded. The odds may fluctuate at anytime as they move with the monies wagered. But the money you bet on a team or event at a specified pointspread or game total is the total you receive for your bet.
Straight Bet Example:
If the money line is -135 then you would wager $135 to win your $100 bet. If the money line is a positive number then you will wager $100 to win the money line. Likewise, if the money line is +125 then you would wager $100 to win $125.
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Over/Under
The Over/Under, sometimes called the “Total”, quite simply is the combined scores of both teams competing in the game being wagered on. You can bet whether the game will go over or under this figure. A bet on a matchup between two teams may be set by a money line instead of a pointspread. If a matchup is determined by a money line, like American baseball, then it will cost the customer more to wager on the favorite.
Over/Under Example:
The Atlanta Braves may be favored over the Chicago Cubs by 150. In this example, the customer must lay $150 in order to win $100 if Atlanta wins the game, no pointspreads are involved. If Atlanta loses, the customer loses $150. However, the customer could bet on Chicago, in which case the customer would lay $100 in order to win $140 (10 cent line). If Chicago loses, the customer only loses $100, because Chicago is the underdog.
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Parlay or Combo
This bet applies to Football, Basketball, Ice Hockey and Baseball. A parlay bet happens when you bet on two or more teams in the same wager in any order. All teams bet on must win in order for you to win. Also, there is no “juice” or commision on this style of bet.
Your wager may combine different sports along with different styles of bets (i.e. over/under, pointspread, etc.) In the parlay style bet your original winnings are invested back into the next game. If one of your games is cancelled or ties the parlay drops to the next lowest number.
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Second Chance Parlay
A parlay wager is a bet on two up to 10 teams or selections. It is one of the more versatile forms of sports wagering. The player can combine different sports point spreads lines. In a second chance parlay you can have up to 3 losses depending on the number of teams and still win.
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Teasers
This bet applies to Football, Basketball, Ice Hockey and Baseball. A teaser is a selection of two or more teams in one wager in which either the pointspread and/or total is adjusted in the bettor’s favor. Each sport has its own range of points for teaser selections. An adjustment to the favorite team will decrease the disadvantage. An adjustment to the underdog will increase the advantage. The adjustment makes pointspreads less for the favorite and more for the underdog, depending on the selections you make. If you select a total, the adjustment makes totals higher-to-go-under or lower-to-go-over.
Teaser Examples:
Denver Broncos (-3) teased by 6 points: Denver is +3 with the Tease.
Buffalo Bills (+9) teased by 5.5 points: Buffalo is +14.5 with the Tease.
Seattle Seahawks and NY Giants (31 pts.) teased by 5 points: 26 pts. for the over Total
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Pleasers
A pleaser is a group of NFL side straight bets combined into one bet. The difference between a pleaser and a teaser is that with a pleaser the line you bet against for each individual wager is moved against your favor by 6 points. Pleasers are currently only available on NFL regular season side plays. Pleasers will not be taken on NFL totals, NFL preseason, or NCAA football at the current time. If the regular line is –10 and you play a pleaser then your line would be –16.
Pleasers Examples:
Odds:Dallas is (-3) over Washington
Pittsburgh is (-8) over ClevelandA “Two Team Pleaser” on
Dallas and Pittsburgh would be:
Dallas (-9) Pittsburgh (-14)
A “Two Team Pleaser” on Washington and Cleveland would be: Washington (-3) Cleveland (+2)
More about Sports Betting Pleasers
Open Wagers
Open wagers allow the customer to play teasers or parlays making one selection at different times or even different days.
Open Wagers Example:
3 Team Parlay
$100 to win $600
Cowboys -8
Dolphins -14
OPEN*
* This spot can be left open for seven days. No open slots on the Internet.
Runline
This bet applies to Baseball. This is a bet to predict which team will score the highest number of runs. This bet is handicapped, with the underdog always given +1.5 points advantage. If the final score, taking into account the handicap, is a tie (known as a Push), the bet is considered void, and your stake is refunded.
Multiplier
A multiplier is offered mostly for soccer matches, and is a European-based line. Like a moneyline, a multiplier is based on true odds rather than fixed odds. The favorite and underdog are given odds to win a match. You will achieve higher winnings from your original wager as the amount to be won equals the original bet multiplied by the product of the odds.
Multiplier Example:
A $100 bet on Arsenal (1.65) to win would result in a Payout of $165 if Arsenal did win the contest. Sample Bet: $100 x 1.65 = $165 For a Combo (Parlay) bet, Payouts would be as such: a $100 bet on Newcastle (2.90) to win, Manchester United (1.83) to win, and Chelsea/Liverpool (3.25) to draw would result in a payout of $1,724.78. Sample Bet: $100 x 2.90 x 1.83 x 3.25 = $1,724.78.
Moneyline
A moneyline is offered when no handicap is given, such as a pointspread or runline, and the odds are not therefore fixed. Payouts are then based on true odds rather than fixed odds. The favorite and underdog are given odds to win a game or fight. The minus sign (e.g.-130) always indicates the favorite and the amount you must bet to win $100. The plus sign (e.g.+120) always indicates the underdog and the amount you win for every $100 bet. Therefore based on the above moneyline, you bet $130 to win $100 on the favorite. For the underdog, you win $120 for every $100 bet.
More about Sports Betting Money Line Bets
Buy Points
Buy Points means that you can move the pointspread so that you give away less points with the favorite or get more points with the underdog, for both football and basketball. To do this you must pay more “juice” for every 1Ö2 point you buy in your favor. Most sportsbooks charge 10% for every 1/2 point you buy. For the NFL and NCAA football, you will pay an additional amount of “juice” to buy on or off of 3 or 7 points – also know as Key Points. And if you buy through either 3 or 7 points, you will pay an additional amount of “juice.” Most sportsbooks charge another 10% for key points. There are NO Key Points for basketball.
Buy Points Example:
New York Jets (+4.5) are 4.5 point underdogs. To move the line to 5 points, you would buy 1Ö2 point and lay $120 to win $100 (at 4.5 points you would have layed $110 to win $100). An example of how to buy off of 3 points: the Kansas City Chiefs (-3) are 3 point favorites. To buy 1/2 point and make them a 2.5 point favorite, you would need to lay $125 to win $100. And example of how to buy through 7 points: the Seattle Seahawks (-7.5) are 7.5 point favorites. To buy 1 point through 7 points and make them a 6.5 point favorite, you would need to lay $140 to win $100.
More about Buying Points For Sports Betting
Puckline
Sometimes sportsbooks use a combination of handicap/spread and odds for the NHL. This is called the Puckline.
Puckline Example line:
Boston + 1 (-110) Detroit – 1.5 (-110) The favorites are the Detroit Red Wings, who are giving the Boston Bruins 1.5 goals. To win the bet, Detroit would have to win the game by 2 goals.
When placing this bet you are getting even money, which means that for every $110 you wager, you will win $100. If you are betting on Boston, you will receive a 1.0 goal handicap, meaning that if Detroit wins by 1 goal the game is a push. If the game ends in a tie or Boston wins, then you win the bet. The odds again are at -110.
Proposition Bet
A “prop bet” is a bet the sportsbook offers at odds and conditions of its choosing. Prop bets can be exotic bets like which team will score the most touchdowns, which team will shoot the most three pointers, which running back will rush for the most yards, etc. Most prop bets are offered at 11-10 odds, but some of the exotics will be offered at better or worse odds, depending on the bet.
Futures
This bet applies to Football, Basketball, Baseball and Ice Hockey. Futures are a single wager on the outcome of an event that will be determined sometime in the future.
Futures Example:
It might be a bet made at the start of the season on Dallas Cowboys to win the Super Bowl. Futures odds change continuously throughout the season – You get the odds in effect at the time you bet. Futures bets often attract (high) odds to the bettor. An If Win wager is an excellent choice for money management. You wager a fixed amount on one team if that team wins or the game is tied, then another fixed amount -up to the original amount- shall be placed on a different team. Your first wager must win in order for you to have action on the remaining wagers. If the first wager loses, there is No Action thereafter. You cannot have duplicate teams in the same If Win wager.
More about Futures Sports Betting
If Wagers
If wagers allow the customer to make a second wager pending a win on the first selection. If wagers must be made on one call, and the second part of the if wager cannot exceed the amount of the first selection.
If Wagers Example:
Dallas Cowboys -5 $110 to win $100 IF (if win, tie, or cancel) Carolina Panthers +4 $110 to win $100 If the Cowboys lose, the wager stops there and is scored a loser -$110; if the Cowboys win +$100 the wager continues to the Panthers wager; if the Panthers win, the wager is a $200 winner; if the Panthers lose the wager is a $10 loss.
More about If Win Sports Betting
Reverse Wagers
Reverse wagers are always double action IF Bets.
Reverse Wager Part A
Cowboys -5 $110 to win $100
IF ( win, tie or cancel )
Dolphins -14 $110 to win $100
Reverse Wager Part B
Dolphins -14 $110 to win $100
IF ( win, tie, or cancel )
Cowboys -5 $110 to win $100
If both teams win +400
One win, one loss -120
Both teams lose -220
Push +200
More about Reverse Betting
Action Points
An Action Point wager allows a player to place a bet on how many points his/her selected team will beat the spread by up to a set cap. You can choose your own cap between 1 and 15 points on Pro-Football games. You choose how much you wish to bet per action point. When you place an action point wager, no money is deducted from your account, but your maximum loss potential is restricted from your account until the game is final. You win the dollar amount wagered for each point the team covers by up to the selected cap. You lose 1.1 x (dollar amount wagered) for each point your team does not cover by up to the selected cap.
Round Robins
Typically for football and basketball the Round Robin option allows you to select up to 8 teams and produce a series of parlay bets involving a nominated number of teams in every combination. To select this option click the ‘Round Robin’ check box. You will need to also select the number of teams in each parlay. The drop down menu labeled ‘Round Robin teams in each parlay’ to the right of the ‘Round Robin’ check box provides this ability. You need to select one of the following:
3 teams every 2 ways = 3 bets
4 teams every 2 ways = 6 bets
5 teams every 2 ways = 10 bets
6 teams every 2 ways = 15 bets
7 teams every 2 ways = 21 bets
8 teams every 2 ways = 28 bets
4 teams every 3 ways = 4 bets
5 teams every 3 ways = 10 bets
6 teams every 3 ways = 20 bets
7 teams every 3 ways = 35 bets
8 teams every 3 ways = 56 bets
5 teams every 4 ways = 5 bets
6 teams every 4 ways = 15 bets
7 teams every 4 ways = 35 bets
8 teams every 4 ways = 70 bets
6 teams every 5 ways = 6 bets
7 teams every 5 ways = 21 bets
8 teams every 5 ways = 56 bets
7 teams every 6 ways = 7 bets
8 teams every 6 ways = 28 bets
The selected item will indicate to you the number of teams you need to select as well as the number of bets that will be generated. The number of teams you select in the drop down menu must match the number of team selections you check on the betting page, if this does not match then an error message will be produced. The total number of bets will be multiplied by the stake $value you select. This amount will be deducted from your account when the bets are confirmed. Eg. if you select 6 teams every 4 ways this will generate 15 four team parlay bets. If the stake value selected was $10 then 15 x $10 = $150 would be deducted from your account.
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