Sports Betting Guide


Striaght Bets

straight bets are bets on the outcome of a single event or game. These bets are the most common with bettors. A Point spread, Moneyline, Game Total, Runline or Puckline are all examples single or striaght bets. Simply put, the team bet on must win the game or event either outright or by covering the spread. The payout is determined by the odds posted.

Moneylines

The moneyline is the odds to win a game striaght up with no point spread involved typically offered in North American sports. It refers to the amount you must bet to win $100, or the amount of money that your wager will return.
Example: a moneyline of -110 means that you must bet $110 to win 100, while a moneyline of +110 would mean that you win $110 for a bet of $100.

If a moneyline is posted, an example would be:

  • Green Bay -150
  • New England +130

By choosing either -150 or +130, you are betting on what team you think will win the game. To win $100 on Green Bay, you must wager $150. If Green Bay wins, you get $250 back, the $150 you bet plus the $100 you won. If you bet $100 on New England and they win, you get $230 back, the $100 you bet plus the $130 you won.

Pointspreads

The point spread on a game is a prediction of the difference in the scores of two teams that are playing each other.

If you want to bet on a pointspread, an example would be:

  • Green Bay –3
  • New England +3

If you bet the -3 for Green Bay, they must win by more than 3 points for you to win your bet. If you bet on +3 for New England, they may lose by 2 points or less, or win outright for you to win your bet. If the +/- 3 adjustment results in a tie, the wager is push and you will get your money back. Games featuring ½ point spreads will never push, and therefore there will always be a winner or a loser in his bet.

Totals

The Total bet is used in football, basketball, baseball, and hockey. You are betting on whether or not the “Total Points” scored in a game are going to go “Over” or “Under” the number set by the sportsbook.

The Over/Under is the combined amount of runs, points or goals scored by both teams during the game including overtime. This bet involves the bettor speculating that the total score by both teams in a game will be more or less than the line set by the sportsbook.

Parlays

Parlay is a bet where you choose 2 or more teams on the same ticket. In a parlay bet all teams picked must win to win the bet. If any one team loses, the entire bet is lost.

Usually a bettor can combine different sports, point spreads, moneylines and totals on a parley bet. You may also buy points in betting a parlay. If there is a tie or cancellation, the parlay reverts to the next lowest number.

Parley rules:

  • In the event of a tie in a parlay bet, the number of plays is reduced. For example, if a five play parlay has onme tie, then it will become a four play parlay and the payout will be recalculated based on the new number of plays.
  • All picks must win for the parlay to be considered a win ,if any pick loses, the entire parlay will be considered a loss.
  • Games not played on the date specified are considered "No Action" and reduce the parlay to the next lowest number of plays. For Example: A five play parlay will be reduced to a four play parlay and Payouts are adjusted accordingly.
Teasers

Teasers are a selection of two or more bets in a single wager in which either the point spread or total is adjusted in the bettor's favor. Each sport has its own range of points for teaser selections. A teaser adjusts the spread for the favorite so that it decreases the posted spread, or conversely, increases the posted spread for the underdog. If you select a total, the adjustment makes totals higher to go under or lower to go over.

If the lines you want to tease are Green Bay +3 and New England Patriots over 37, your two team, six-point teaser would be:

  • Green Bay +9
  • New England Patriots over 31

Both results need to be correct for this teaser to be a winner.

Buy Points

Buy Points refers to a bettor moving the point spread for a given game in order to give up fewer points on the favorite, or gain more points on the underdog. Bettors pay a fee often 10 per cent for each 1/2 point bought in their favour.

Example:

  • The Green Bay are 7 point underdogs. To move the spread to 7 1/2 points, you would buy a 1/2 point for 10 per cent of the wager.
Futures

Futures as the name implies is a single bet on the outcome of a game or event to be held in the future. For example, the Super Bowl, Stanley Cup or the World Series.

Payouts on Futures depend on the odds offered by the sportsbook for each bet placed. The payout is determined by those posted odds. For example if at the beginning of the season Green Bay are 25-1 to win the super bowl you would win $25 for every $1 bet so a $100 bet on Green Bay would win you $2500