Sportsbook wagering on any given matchup can involve betting on the side, the total, or the money line. The sportsbook odds for these bets are what define the betting board and it is imperative that a sportsbook bettor understands how to wager on all of the different types of odds effectively. Such is the case because sometimes the odds for one type of wager offer worthwhile value while the sportsbook odds for the other wagers do not.
Sportsbook betting on sides is the most common type of sportsbook betting, and it involves wagering with a point spread. For instance, the sportsbook odds for a football matchup may favor one squad by 3½ points. In such a situation, the favored team must win by at least four points in order for a wager on that team to payoff. On the other hand, a wager on the underdog will pay out if the team wins or manages to lose be three or fewer points. With sports like football and basketball the sportsbook spreads can vary tremendously, but this allows the pricing for each wager to remain at or near -110. In other words, the payout ratio involves risking $110 to win $100. However, in sports like baseball and hockey the sportsbook spreads typically remain a constant 1½ points, and as a result the prices associated with each team vary.
Sportsbook betting on totals is quite simple because one simply must wager on whether the total number of points scored in a matchup will be above or below a given number established in the sportsbook. For instance, the odds for an NBA basketball total may be 185. In this situation, one would wager on whether the sum of the points scored by both teams would be above or below 185. Many sportsbook bettors overlook the opportunity to wager on totals, which is unfortunate because the totals line can frequently offer value when the point spread does not. Moreover, wagering on the total can be beneficial when one strongly supports one of the teams in a matchup, because wagering on a side will be influenced by this preference but one can still wager on the total quite objectively.
Finally, one should always consider the sportsbook odds for the money line. Wagering on the money line is quite straightforward because one simply must wager on which team will win a certain matchup outright. However, because these odds do not involve a point spread, the price for each team will vary considerably. For instance, the money line sportsbook odds for a favorite may be -230 while the odds for the underdog are +190. Consequently, one cannot simply wager on the team most likely to win the matchup; rather, one must carefully analyze how much sportsbook value a team offers based on its price.
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