Sports Betting Odds Explained

October 6, 2008

Sports Betting Odds You may be familiar with the money line and the point spread style of wager. However, these are just the most popular form of betting offered by bookmakers. There are other types of bets to consider, and some of these bets may actually offer much friendlier odds to you, whether you are a novice bettor or an experienced professional on the verge of starting your own career.

Proposition bets are wagers that are made on match outcomes, such as the number of goals or yardage—anything not related to total points. This is an ideal bet for bettors who know and love their sport and who enjoy observing and predicting the little details. For example, kudos to anyone who bet on Tennessee Titans’ kicker Rob Bironas setting an NFL record for field goals due to the ultra-conservative coaching of Jeff Fisher.

Parlays actually involve multiple bets and rewards bettors handsomely for the higher risk. A bettor usually bets four different wagers in what is called a four-team parlay. For a discounted betting price, he either loses the parlay or receives a much larger payout. This gamble pays off heavily but may be too difficult for novice bettors. Teaser bets are similar since they allow the bettor to combine bets on two or more different games.

A run line bet is an alternative to the money line bet and features a fixed point spread that offers a higher payout for the favorite team and a lower payout for the underdog team. Finally, there are future wagers, which merely predict a specific accomplishment by a team or player. For example, the Miami Dolphins will win the Super Bowl. In these types of bets, depending on the team and the feasibility of the accomplishment, the odds may be very high, such as 50-1. (For example, the Miami Dolphins winning the Super Bowl in 2009) This means that the bookmaker would pay 50 times the amount wagered if the goal is reached. For more on sports betting and strategizing, feel free to read previous posts.

Until Next Time;
Andy B