Although the spread odds expressed in sports betting are 1/1, they are really approximately 1/1.10. Here's why: When you place a $1.00 point spread wager, you place the dollar bet plus 10%. Thus, you would place $1.10 on a team to win $1.00. You get back your original bet, $1.10, and the one-dollar payout. Understanding Odds 1. Know that odds tell you the likelihood of an outcome. Odds represent which team, horse, or athlete has the highest. Read sporting odds as the likelihood that one team, athlete, or horse, will win. The most common use of odds is found. Remember that lower odds return a. That same ratio is applied to all betting amounts, so a $100 bet on the Cowboys moneyline would net a $25 profit. If one were to bet the Chief's moneyline at odds of +300, a $100 bet would return a $300 profit. The reason why the payout is so big is that they were considered eight-point underdogs to begin with.
Sports Betting Odds and Lines Explained
by Doc's Sports - 2/28/2012
Are you new to the online gaming world? There's a big event that might draw your betting interest nearly every month of the year. Perhaps you are looking to put down some action on the Super Bowl, the World Series, the NBA Finals, the Stanley Cup Finals. Perhaps one of the Grand Slam events for golf or tennis. Or any of numerous horse races. Or the Olympics! Maybe you just want to be well-versed in sports betting 101 to understand what your significant other, friends or family are talking about while watching sports. Here is everything you need to know with sports betting odds and lines explained.
The simplest and most common type of gambling is on the point spread – that's the amount one team is favored to beat the other club. Now, one thing to be aware of is that oddsmakers aren't necessarily predicting the outcome of an event but are putting up a line that will draw the most action from bettors, preferably on both sides.
A point spread is used in the NFL and college football, the NBA and college basketball among the major American sports. If you see a line at a site that has the Chicago Bears -7.5 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers that means the Bears are favored to win by 7.5 points over the underdog Steelers.
Of course, there is no such thing as a half point in football or basketball. However, the sportsbooks use half points at times to ensure there is no ‘push' – which means a tie and neither the sportsbook nor the bettor wins (all money is returned). So if you were to bet on that Bears-Steelers example, Pittsburgh essentially starts the game with a 7.5-point lead. If you wanted to win money on the Bears, Chicago would have to win by no less than eight points. If you wanted to win money on Pittsburgh, the Steelers would simply have to not lose by more than 7.5 points. So a 21-14 final score in favor of Chicago would be a win for Steelers bettors but not for Bears bettors. Any Pittsburgh victory obviously would be a win for anyone who bet the Steelers. There is also a point spread called a ‘pick'em' – which means there is no favorite or underdog. All you have to do is pick the winner regardless of score.
There is also what is called a total. This is posted for every major American team sport. In football and basketball, the total is the combined amount of points the teams score in a game. You would either bet ‘under' or ‘over' that total. If the combined final score lands right on the number, then it's a tie and all money is returned. In baseball, the total is usually between 6-10 runs scored combined by both teams in a game. In hockey, the total is usually between 5-6 total goals scored combined between two teams.
Often the over and under are both the same in terms of one or the other being a favorite. But there are times when either the over or under is favored over the other. This is when a moneyline comes into play. A moneyline is based on units of $100. It can also be used as a different way to bet on a winner or loser. In that Bears-Steelers example, Chicago could be listed at -150 on the moneyline and Pittsburgh at +200. That means you would have to bet $150 to win $100 on Chicago. But for that same $100, you would win $200 on the Steelers (in both cases minus what the book's fee, or vigorish, is for accepting the bet).
Football and basketball often have both pointspreads and moneylines. You have the choice of betting either one or both. Betting on the moneylines to determine a winner are used prominently in hockey and baseball because usually these are low-scoring games where the winning team only wins by a run or goal – thus you won't see pointspreads in those sports. But there are options in hockey and baseball to use either the puck line or run line. The Detroit Red Wings might be -1.5 goals against the Montreal Canadiens on the puck line – so Montreal starts the game from a betting perspective with a 1.5-goal lead. In baseball's run line, the option is usually 1.5 runs to separate the teams.
Finally, fractional odds also are used in some American sports. Golf and horse racing are two prime examples. These odds are the net total that will be paid out to the bettor, should they win, relative to what they bet. It's again best to think in terms of $100 units. So if a horse is the 3/1 favorite to win the Kentucky Derby, for example, or a golfer 3/1 to win the Masters, from a moneyline conversion perspective that would be +300. Thus, you would win $300 for every $100 wagered on the horse/golfer. If the horse/golfer is the 1/2 favorite, that means it's -200 on the moneyline. Thus, you would have to bet $200 to win $100.
Doc's Sports is offering $60 worth of member's picks absolutely free – no obligation, no sales people – you don't even have to enter credit card information. You can use this $60 credit any way you please for any handicapper and any sport on Doc's Sports Advisory Board list of expert sports handicappers. Click here for more details and take advantage of this free $60 picks credit today.
Most Recent Sports Betting 101
Did you know that many online sportsbooks also let you bet on political elections? That's right, you can go to the sportsbook section of a wagering site for 2016 presidential election odds. If you have ever bet on sports, wagering on politics works much the same way. Each line is for a separate category, i.e. republican candidates, democratic candidates, who will be elected president, etc. Clicking on any particular candidate will bring up a wagering calculator, which lets you type in the amount of money you want put down, and it calculates the payout amount. This page will explain the various types of odds, how to read them, and what they mean. It will also tell you all about underdogs and favorites. Finally, this page will give you some recommendations for some top-quality online sportsbooks that let you bet on politics.
Different Types Of Odds
Explain Betting Odds
There are three types of odds that most sportsbooks use. The most common type is the moneyline. This is also known as American odds because it is the kind most commonly used by American players. It is an example of regular odds, as opposed to exotic odds. You will see American odds displayed as a name with a number next to it with either a plus or a minus. The minus corresponds to the favorite, and the plus represents the underdog. The favorite is most likely to win. The next type is fractional odds, which are more commonly used in Europe. A more rare type is decimal odds. They show you what your total payout will be. It takes a little bit of mathematical calculation to convert fractions into decimals. Both fractional and decimal odds fit into the category of exotic odds.
How Do I Read The Odds?
Americans who bet on politics most likely will be using the moneyline, or American odds. If you look at the numbers, the minus symbol means the candidate is the favorite, and will most likely win. The plus symbol means the candidate is the underdog. When you are looking at the favorite, say a candidate's odds are -150. What this means is you will win $100 for every $150 you bet. For the underdog, if the odds are +150, it means for every $100 you bet, you will win $150. Fractional odds are also pretty easy to read. The first number is the amount you stand to win, and the second number is the stake. So if the odds are 6/1, it means you will win $600 if you bet $100, for a grand total of $700. Simple enough, right?
What Do The Odds Mean?
Betting on the favorite means you are more likely to win, but your payout will be smaller. Betting on the underdog produces a much higher payout, but your chances of winning are smaller. One thing to keep in mind is that the negative and the positive numbers correspond to the opposite of what you would think. The favorite has a negative number, and the underdog has a positive number. Also, the higher the number for the favorite, the more likely they are to win, and the lower the payout will be. For the underdog, the higher the number, the less likely they are to win and the higher the payout will be. If you aren't completely sure about the exact ratios, you can always use the odds calculator provided by the site.
Underdog Versus Favorite
When betting on politics (or anything, for that matter), you have to understand the concept of underdogs and favorites. The oddsmaker spends days, weeks, months even, looking at the statistics and calculating the odds. If you are absolutely sure that the favorite will win, it makes sense to bet on them even if the payout is meager. However, the underdog might just surprise everyone and come out ahead. If this happens, you stand to win much more money. Like anything having to do with wagering, you just have to weigh your options and make a smart decision.
Bonus |
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Bovada Sportsbook
BOVADA SPORTSBOOK |
Of all the online sportsbooks that let you bet on political races, Bovada is one of the best. Their sportsbook is very easy to use, with odds that are spot-on. Joining Bovada takes just a few minutes of your time, but if you want to take a tour of the site and see what it is like, you can. You can visit Bovada's sportsbook to see the odds, or you can try out various wager combinations using their betting calculator. You just click on a particular candidate and type in some numbers. It's that simple.
Are you new to the online gaming world? There's a big event that might draw your betting interest nearly every month of the year. Perhaps you are looking to put down some action on the Super Bowl, the World Series, the NBA Finals, the Stanley Cup Finals. Perhaps one of the Grand Slam events for golf or tennis. Or any of numerous horse races. Or the Olympics! Maybe you just want to be well-versed in sports betting 101 to understand what your significant other, friends or family are talking about while watching sports. Here is everything you need to know with sports betting odds and lines explained.
The simplest and most common type of gambling is on the point spread – that's the amount one team is favored to beat the other club. Now, one thing to be aware of is that oddsmakers aren't necessarily predicting the outcome of an event but are putting up a line that will draw the most action from bettors, preferably on both sides.
A point spread is used in the NFL and college football, the NBA and college basketball among the major American sports. If you see a line at a site that has the Chicago Bears -7.5 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers that means the Bears are favored to win by 7.5 points over the underdog Steelers.
Of course, there is no such thing as a half point in football or basketball. However, the sportsbooks use half points at times to ensure there is no ‘push' – which means a tie and neither the sportsbook nor the bettor wins (all money is returned). So if you were to bet on that Bears-Steelers example, Pittsburgh essentially starts the game with a 7.5-point lead. If you wanted to win money on the Bears, Chicago would have to win by no less than eight points. If you wanted to win money on Pittsburgh, the Steelers would simply have to not lose by more than 7.5 points. So a 21-14 final score in favor of Chicago would be a win for Steelers bettors but not for Bears bettors. Any Pittsburgh victory obviously would be a win for anyone who bet the Steelers. There is also a point spread called a ‘pick'em' – which means there is no favorite or underdog. All you have to do is pick the winner regardless of score.
There is also what is called a total. This is posted for every major American team sport. In football and basketball, the total is the combined amount of points the teams score in a game. You would either bet ‘under' or ‘over' that total. If the combined final score lands right on the number, then it's a tie and all money is returned. In baseball, the total is usually between 6-10 runs scored combined by both teams in a game. In hockey, the total is usually between 5-6 total goals scored combined between two teams.
Often the over and under are both the same in terms of one or the other being a favorite. But there are times when either the over or under is favored over the other. This is when a moneyline comes into play. A moneyline is based on units of $100. It can also be used as a different way to bet on a winner or loser. In that Bears-Steelers example, Chicago could be listed at -150 on the moneyline and Pittsburgh at +200. That means you would have to bet $150 to win $100 on Chicago. But for that same $100, you would win $200 on the Steelers (in both cases minus what the book's fee, or vigorish, is for accepting the bet).
Football and basketball often have both pointspreads and moneylines. You have the choice of betting either one or both. Betting on the moneylines to determine a winner are used prominently in hockey and baseball because usually these are low-scoring games where the winning team only wins by a run or goal – thus you won't see pointspreads in those sports. But there are options in hockey and baseball to use either the puck line or run line. The Detroit Red Wings might be -1.5 goals against the Montreal Canadiens on the puck line – so Montreal starts the game from a betting perspective with a 1.5-goal lead. In baseball's run line, the option is usually 1.5 runs to separate the teams.
Finally, fractional odds also are used in some American sports. Golf and horse racing are two prime examples. These odds are the net total that will be paid out to the bettor, should they win, relative to what they bet. It's again best to think in terms of $100 units. So if a horse is the 3/1 favorite to win the Kentucky Derby, for example, or a golfer 3/1 to win the Masters, from a moneyline conversion perspective that would be +300. Thus, you would win $300 for every $100 wagered on the horse/golfer. If the horse/golfer is the 1/2 favorite, that means it's -200 on the moneyline. Thus, you would have to bet $200 to win $100.
Doc's Sports is offering $60 worth of member's picks absolutely free – no obligation, no sales people – you don't even have to enter credit card information. You can use this $60 credit any way you please for any handicapper and any sport on Doc's Sports Advisory Board list of expert sports handicappers. Click here for more details and take advantage of this free $60 picks credit today.
Most Recent Sports Betting 101
Did you know that many online sportsbooks also let you bet on political elections? That's right, you can go to the sportsbook section of a wagering site for 2016 presidential election odds. If you have ever bet on sports, wagering on politics works much the same way. Each line is for a separate category, i.e. republican candidates, democratic candidates, who will be elected president, etc. Clicking on any particular candidate will bring up a wagering calculator, which lets you type in the amount of money you want put down, and it calculates the payout amount. This page will explain the various types of odds, how to read them, and what they mean. It will also tell you all about underdogs and favorites. Finally, this page will give you some recommendations for some top-quality online sportsbooks that let you bet on politics.
Different Types Of Odds
Explain Betting Odds
There are three types of odds that most sportsbooks use. The most common type is the moneyline. This is also known as American odds because it is the kind most commonly used by American players. It is an example of regular odds, as opposed to exotic odds. You will see American odds displayed as a name with a number next to it with either a plus or a minus. The minus corresponds to the favorite, and the plus represents the underdog. The favorite is most likely to win. The next type is fractional odds, which are more commonly used in Europe. A more rare type is decimal odds. They show you what your total payout will be. It takes a little bit of mathematical calculation to convert fractions into decimals. Both fractional and decimal odds fit into the category of exotic odds.
How Do I Read The Odds?
Americans who bet on politics most likely will be using the moneyline, or American odds. If you look at the numbers, the minus symbol means the candidate is the favorite, and will most likely win. The plus symbol means the candidate is the underdog. When you are looking at the favorite, say a candidate's odds are -150. What this means is you will win $100 for every $150 you bet. For the underdog, if the odds are +150, it means for every $100 you bet, you will win $150. Fractional odds are also pretty easy to read. The first number is the amount you stand to win, and the second number is the stake. So if the odds are 6/1, it means you will win $600 if you bet $100, for a grand total of $700. Simple enough, right?
What Do The Odds Mean?
Betting on the favorite means you are more likely to win, but your payout will be smaller. Betting on the underdog produces a much higher payout, but your chances of winning are smaller. One thing to keep in mind is that the negative and the positive numbers correspond to the opposite of what you would think. The favorite has a negative number, and the underdog has a positive number. Also, the higher the number for the favorite, the more likely they are to win, and the lower the payout will be. For the underdog, the higher the number, the less likely they are to win and the higher the payout will be. If you aren't completely sure about the exact ratios, you can always use the odds calculator provided by the site.
Underdog Versus Favorite
When betting on politics (or anything, for that matter), you have to understand the concept of underdogs and favorites. The oddsmaker spends days, weeks, months even, looking at the statistics and calculating the odds. If you are absolutely sure that the favorite will win, it makes sense to bet on them even if the payout is meager. However, the underdog might just surprise everyone and come out ahead. If this happens, you stand to win much more money. Like anything having to do with wagering, you just have to weigh your options and make a smart decision.
Bonus |
50% To $250 Sportsbook Match Bonus |
25% Up To $1,000 Sportsbook Bonus Each Deposit |
25% Lifetime Bonus On All Deposits |
Bovada Sportsbook
BOVADA SPORTSBOOK |
Of all the online sportsbooks that let you bet on political races, Bovada is one of the best. Their sportsbook is very easy to use, with odds that are spot-on. Joining Bovada takes just a few minutes of your time, but if you want to take a tour of the site and see what it is like, you can. You can visit Bovada's sportsbook to see the odds, or you can try out various wager combinations using their betting calculator. You just click on a particular candidate and type in some numbers. It's that simple.
Once you've decided to sign up with Bovada, you can start betting. To get you started, Bovada offers a welcome bonus of 50 percent on all first deposits not exceeding $250. To get your bonus, send in the correct promotional code to the site. Also, you have to spend five times the amount of the bonus before you can use it. This is what's known as a rollover requirement. All sportsbooks that offer bonuses have rollovers, but Bovada's is less than most others. It may seem unnecessary, but if rollovers didn't exist, too many people would use the bonus money and never wager at the site ever again. It's just a way for Bovada to protect itself from swindlers. Join Bovada NOW!
5Dimes Sportsbook
5Dimes SPORTSBOOK |
Understanding Betting Odds
5Dimes is an online betting site that lets you wager on all kinds of things, including politics. The upcoming presidential race is sure to be a heated one, with Democratic and Republican candidates working hard to win your vote. The great thing about betting on the presidential election is that the odds could change any second. There are many factors that go into predicting the winner, and 5Dimes' odds-makers have spent months researching the candidates. Their picks are sure to bet accurate and on-target.
Explain Betting Odds Football
Betting on politics at 5Dimes is a lot fun. The site has gone out of their way to include some great special features that will make your wagering experience more enjoyable. For example, they have one of the best bonuses in the industry. It's called reduced juice, and it saves you fifty percent on the interest of every bet you make. Reduced juice works on every wager you make, and you don't have to worry about any annoying rollover requirements. All you have to do is send the reduced juice promo code to 5Dimes and you are ready to go. So don't wait until it's too late. Join 5Dimes now and get in the game! Join 5Dimes NOW!