How Do Moneylines Work In Sports Betting
Since July 2019, New York has had retail sportsbooks up and running. There are no mobile or online options yet, but sports bettors in the Empire State now have a number of places to wager.
A big part of sports betting involves understanding how to read and interpret the odds that sportsbooks offer.
Moneylines As Primary Options Moneylines are the primary betting option in a number of sports. In sports like baseball and hockey, that’s the main way the betting goes as players simply decide.
In order to locate current odds at New York’s retail sportsbooks, you physically have to visit the sportsbooks themselves since they are not available online. That said, you can get an idea of what sorts of wagers are out there for any day’s games by checking out current odds at other sportsbooks.
New Jersey has many online sportsbooks up and running, which you can download in NY to compare lines. This page provides an overview of the types of odds you can expect to see.
Latest odds: Moneyline, spread and totals
Basic types of sports bets
If you choose a sport in which games are coming up tonight or in the near future, you have a choice of odds to view. The most popular types of bets include:
Betting on sports gives you a ton of options. Everyone has their own ideas and approaches and preferences. Wager types will vary by person. And yet, no two bets are more popular than the moneyline and point spread.They are the wagers both newbies and pros use, staples that are easy to understand because they deal with the outcomes of straight events or, in some cases, future bets. Betting the moneyline for a football game is simply betting on which team you think is going to win. There is no point spread involved. Whichever team you select has to win outright for a wager to be successful. In the unlikely event of a tie, your stake will be returned.
Three-Way Moneylines, Made Simple Whereas a typical moneyline bet involves a bet on one of two options, three-way moneyline betting involves three options. When wagering on a three-way moneyline, you can bet either Team A to win, Team B to win, or for the. In sports betting, a moneyline bet is a wager on which team will win a game. Moneylines are the primary wagering option for hockey and baseball, while for basketball and football they are viewed as a secondary alternative to the point spread.
- Moneylines
- Point spreads
- Totals (over/unders)
Moneylines
A moneyline bet is the simplest type of wager, essentially perceived as a “straight up” bet on one side to win.
Let’s say the New York Giants are playing the Dallas Cowboys, and you want to bet on the Giants to win. Place a moneyline bet on the G-men. If they win, you win. If they lose, you lose.
Point spreads
A bet on the point spread isn’t just a wager on who will win. Betting the spread also involves taking into account how many points the favored team is expected to win by when placing your wager.
A point spread bet on the favorite is for that team to win by more points than the spread indicates. Meanwhile, a wager on the underdog is a bet on that team to either win outright or not lose by more points than the spread.
For example, if the Giants are a 4.5-point favorite over Dallas, and you place a bet on them against the spread, New York must win by at least five points for you to win. A wager on Dallas as a 4.5-point underdog means the Cowboys need to lose by no more than four points — or win — for your bet to cash.
Totals (over/under)
A bet on the total, aka an over/under bet, is a wager on the total number of points/runs/goals both teams will score in a contest.
The sportsbook sets a totals line, say in the NYG-DAL contest a line of 47.5 points, and you bet either over or under that total. If you bet the over, the two teams will need to score 48 points or more for you to win. A wager on the under requires a total score of 47 or fewer for a win.
Other types of sports bets
There are many other ways to wager on sports. Some other popular types of bets include:
- Props: “Proposition” bets are on outcomes within a game not related to the overall result, such as how many points a player will score in a basketball game.
- Parlays: Multiple bets (or “legs”) combined into one bet, with all of the bets having to be correct in order for the parlay to win.
- Teasers: A type of parlay bet in which a bettor can alter (or “tease”) the lines of individual “legs” of the bet (which also affects the payouts).
- Futures: A bet on the outcome of a future event, such as a preseason bet on a team to win the Super Bowl.
- In game or live betting: Bets placed after a game has started and while it is still ongoing.
How do sports betting odds work?
One of the first questions new sports bettors ask is how sports betting odds work. Specifically, what do those “-185” and “+165” figures mean, and how do they relate to the wagers you place?
Those numbers represent how much a winning bet pays. They also reflect the odds the sportsbook is laying on each team in any given contest. The bigger the favorite, the less you win by betting on them. Meanwhile, the bigger the underdog, the more you can win.
A negative number, such as -185, indicates that side is favored. A positive number, like +165, means an underdog.
If a moneyline bet on the favored Giants pays -125, that means you need to bet $125 in order to win $100. In other words, since New York is the favorite, you win less than double your bet.
On the flip side, a bet on the underdog Cowboys might pay +165. In that case, a bet of $100 on Dallas to win would pay $165, meaning you would more than double your bet.
Notice how even the bets on point spreads and totals have negative and positive numbers listed next to them. In each case, those numbers are telling you what the odds are and how much a winning bet will pay.
What causes the line to move?
You might notice odds changing during the days leading up to an event. The Giants might have been a 4.5-point favorite onMonday, but by Saturday they became only a 3.5-point favorite. The odds might shift as well, altering how much winning bets would pay out.
What causes these changes? There are a few factors.
- Money coming in on one side: Sportsbooks try to set lines in such a way that will encourage equal action on both sides of the bet. If a lot of people are betting on one side, the sportsbooks might adjust the line to encourage more betting on the opposite side.
- Injuries, player availability: If a key player gets injured or suspended and the team announces that the player will miss the upcoming game, sportsbooks might change the lines in response.
- Weather, playing conditions: Say there’s going to be a storm with huge gusts of wind on game day. For outdoor sports like football, that might encourage sportsbooks to lower the line for totals bets, since offenses tend to not function as well in difficult weather conditions.
Where do New York sportsbooks get their odds?
If you travel to a New York sportsbook (or use your mobile device, eventually), you will inevitably find a long list of betting options for every major sport. Depending on the book, you may also see opportunities for some more esoteric events.
Each option will come with its own odds. Because there are so many of them each day, you may be wondering where the sportsbooks find the time to get all of these listings.
The short answer is that they usually get them from someone else.
Usually, this source is a Las Vegas-based sportsbook. Las Vegas, despite the fact that sports betting is spreading across the country, remains the mecca and authority for sports betting in the US.
No other collection of sportsbooks can offer anything like the same level of experience and expertise. This leads many sportsbooks outside of Las Vegas, including those in New York, to have the same odds as those at one of the venerable sportsbooks in the desert.
As a result, most of the odds that you see in New York are going to be identical to the odds at some Las Vegas-based sportsbook, at least to start with. Any national operator is going to use the same odds across its different properties. If it truly matters to you, you can probably do some internet research or ask the personnel at the sportsbook for the source.
However, it is possible, albeit somewhat rare, that a local sportsbook might create its own odds or tinker with the odds it uses as a source. Whether the changes make the odds “better” or “worse” likely will depend on your perspective.
If the odds’ source is a concern, the best thing to do is ask a sportsbook employee. If you are concerned that odds might be unfair, then contact the New York State Gaming Commission to report the issue. Alternatively, you can just decline to bet.
Which sportsbook has the best odds?
You may be wondering if any particular sportsbook in New York and, for that matter, Las Vegas has the best odds for players. The short answer is that it depends on the bet, the sportsbook and what you’re wanting.
First of all, if you use only a single sportsbook, then you’ll never know if the odds are favorable to you or not. You must visit multiple sportsbooks and shop lines. In fact, doing so is a rather critical strategy for effectively betting on sports. Online sports betting makes it quite easy, since each book is only a few button presses away.
However, in terms of what you’re shopping, it’s a good idea to have the bet you want to make in mind. Let’s say that you want to bet on the Brooklyn Nets’ moneyline against the Los Angeles Clippers. Here are some of the listings for that game:
FanDuel odds
DraftKings odds
BetMGM odds
Our three options for betting the moneyline on this game are +104 at FanDuel, +102 at DraftKings and +100 at BetMGM. Based upon those numbers, the “best” option is the one at FanDuel, since we stand to win $2 to $4 more for the same $100 compared to the other books.
Incidentally, here is the same listing from FanDuel later in the day:
As you may notice, the moneyline has dropped on the Nets to +100. That means that FanDuel bettors judged the Nets to have a better chance to win than the earlier line suggested.
Now, if we were to shop other bets at these sites, we might find very different results for which site had the best offer. It is absolutely critical to do so, though, and equally important that you keep track of the movement of the odds throughout the day and week.
If the smart bettors are headed one direction, you probably should, too … unless you have a good reason to think otherwise.
Why would the odds at one book vary drastically from another?
By and large, most odds you’ll see will be near one another. In the examples above, for instance, there were only a few dollars of difference between the three operators.
However, you’ll occasionally come across a listing that is radically different from most. In those cases, the most likely reason is that there was some sort of mistake or glitch. Since sportsbooks rely on automation and technology so much these days, it usually boils down to some sort of improper input that the site received from one of the humans behind the scenes.
Now, in those cases, you have to decide what you want to do. A sportsbook that has a published line — even one that is obviously wrong — may or may not be on the hook for it. If you go ahead and place the bet, you may find the bet canceled and refunded to you, rather than a payout for the winnings.
There are some times when the sportsbook does end up taking one on the chin. However, for the most part, the terms and conditions that sportsbooks use give them the right to void bets and not honor wagers on bad-faith odds.
On the other hand, if you can determine that the listing is not an error, then you should set about to investigate if the people running the book are incredibly smart or incredibly stupid. If they see something about a game that no one else sees and have adjusted their lines accordingly, it may be an opportunity for you at their competitors. If they have misinterpreted something, however, then their loss might be your gain.
Wrapping up on sports betting odds
In general, the most important thing about odds is that you’re able to understand their implications. It is much less important — and less fun — to attempt to create your own set of odds or understand the exact math behind a sportsbook’s algorithm.
What is usually more effective is to monitor the movement of the odds. While the odds themselves are computer-generated these days, the direction that they change is still human-directed.
So, even if your command of mathematics and statistics is rudimentary, you can still use the odds effectively with your sports betting. Shop the lines, follow the crowd, or look for reasons to bet against the smart money.
At the end of the day, making a little money is better than losing a lot of it. If you are a serious and/or professional sports bettor, then you’ll need to have a far deeper understanding of the odds than we’ve described here. Of course, if you are in that category, you probably didn’t need to read this page.
One of the most common types of sports betting lines when wagering on a game is the moneyline. You will see moneyline odds for every game and every sport played for the most part. While some games that have a very large spread but stray away from offering a moneyline, it is still one of the most popular styles of betting. A moneyline is a type of straight wager where the bettor wagers simply on who will win the contest, straight up – without any spread involved.
The easiest way to think of moneyline betting odds is that you are only betting on who wins the game. It does not matter how many points or goals they win by, all that matters is who wins. If you see a - (negative) symbol then that team is the favorite and the team with the + (plus) sign is the underdog. Keep reading below to understand how moneyline odds work or visit the homepage of ExplainBettingOdds.com to read about odds in general.
Understanding How Moneyline Betting Odds Work
The moneyline is used exactly the same no matter what sport you are betting on. All you must do is select who you believe will with the matchup without any other thought behind you. By taking the favorite, a bettor would have to risk more money than what their expected return would be. Because there is no point spread involved to handicap the game, the oddsmakers and books handicap the payouts to ensure their book stays balanced. Betting on the underdog will result in a much better payout, as the oddsmakers have deemed this team less likely to lose. As you take action on either the favorite or the underdog and select the moneyline, a ratio of $100 is used to represent the payouts.
Seems pretty easy right?
Well, it's definitely easier than betting the point spread, in which a team has to cover a spread installed for a match up however you should know that moneyline wagers do not payout the same as a wager against the spread. Keep reading to learn more about payouts when betting on the moneyline.
Understanding Payouts When Betting On The Moneyline
The biggest differences on the moneyline though, aside from no point spread, is the payout. The idea behind a point spread is to bring the two teams in a match up to a more even playing field. If a team is better than the other, the points given by the favorite brings the underdog to a more even field. That is not the case on the moneyline.
Simply put, you will have to risk a whole lot more money on a favorite to profit. On the flip side though, if you bet on the underdog, the potential profit is a lot bigger on the moneyline than betting on the point spread. That is because the likelihood of the underdog winning is slim on the moneyline.
Explanation Of How Moneylines Work In MLB
- Atlanta Braves -300
- Philadelphia Phillies +200
Betting Moneyline Nfl
This is an example of a moneyline you could see in Major League Baseball. The Braves are matching up with the Phillies, with Atlanta set as the favorite. You can tell Atlanta is the favorite because of the minus symbol. It is indicative of the amount that must be risked to return a profit. At -300, a $1 profit is made for every $3 risked on the Braves to win the game. On the other side, at +200, that is the same as saying 2/1. That means, for every $1 risked on Philadelphia to win the game, a $2 profit is returned. Moneylines are simply straight-up betting lines with no spread involved, which is why they can range quite significantly.
Article: How To Read MLB Betting Odds
Understanding The Moneyline In Football
- Denver Broncos -300
- Jacksonville Jaguars +300
Here in this example, the Broncos have been set in the role of the favorite, going off at -300 on the betting line. That means, for every $3 risked on Denver to win, a $1 profit is returned. So if you wager $30 on Denver to win, you stand to win $10. On the flip side, the Jaguars are set as a +300 underdog. That means for every $1 risked on Jacksonville, a $3 profit is returned. So if you were to wager $10 on Jacksonville to win, you would profit $30. So you can certainly see the disparity on the payout and why someone might want to take the Jaguars over the Broncos. Also, taking underdog moneylines in parlay bets can be huge for your payouts!
Article: How To Read College Football Betting Odds - How To Read NFL Betting Odds
Understanding The Moneyline Odds In The NBA
- Los Angeles Lakers +200
- Miami Heat -200
Here in this moneyline example for the NBA, the Lakers are matching up with the Heat. Miami has been set in the role of the betting favorite, going off at -200 on the betting line. As such, a $2 wager is needed to profit $1. So if you were to wager $200 on Miami, as $100 profit is returned if the bet is won. On the other side of the equation, the Lakers are in the underdog role. at +200, that is the same as 2/1. So, for every $1 risked on L.A to win, a $2 profit is returned. You can see a wide range of profits for a moneyline, because the underdog and favorite can be far apart straight up with no point spread.
Article: How To Read NBA Betting Odds
Bovada Sportsbook - Best Sports Betting Site For Betting On The Moneyline
Moneylines are one of the most popular bets that players get involved in. There are always teams that are expected to beat other teams. The margin of victory may be pretty wide. The big thing that sticks out here is how big of a favorite some teams are.
There plenty of moneylines that might show a team being a heavy favorite and if players bet against them, that is a very huge profitable opportunity. Upsets are always going to happen so this is where a lot of bread can be won. There are also toss-up games as well that many players take a stab at as well and end up cashing big on Bovada. This is the place to get when it comes to Moneyline bets regardless if its blowouts or close games.
BetOnline Sportsbook - Best Sportsbook With Great Moneylines
It's clear that BetOnline is one of the best sportsbooks for players and the moneylines that are offered are one of the main reasons why. There is news coming out all the time about teams prior to games and as soon as news drop that effects a team, it also affects the Moneyline on BetOnline.
This is what gives BetOnline a bonus over other sportsbooks because of the consistent update of Moneyline and always moving. Place your bet early could also be a great idea because of the news that could swing later on that week or day before matchup. BetOnline has it set up to where if any changes need to have done that is possible.
SportsBetting's Sportsbook - Lots Of Betting Odds When Betting On Moneylines
How Do Moneylines Work In Sports Betting
There are a number of things that SportsBetting sportsbook offers that makes it one of the better online sportsbooks for players. When it comes to picking some of these games with favorable matchups, the Moneyline does really determine how much players want to put down on these games. Most of the time, these games have the favorite that doesn’t really see players win a lot unless they put a lot of money down. When it comes to upsets, however, this is where players can have their lives change by just one pick.
Players with SportsBetting account have seen the Moneyline and have taken advantage of that the line because of the possible big payout. When you see a team like the Lions be underdogs against the Arizona Cardinals pull out the victory, only one thing is happening and that is big money is being handed out to all the players who took the chance on SportsBettting.
MyBookie Sportsbook - Money Line On MyBookie One of The Best
It is hard to find any sportsbook that has better moneylines that MyBookie. The way Moneyline works is very simple and most of the time it changes depending on what players are playing and are not. This often changes and sometimes in the favor of a player's bet. MyBookie is known for having a lot of people cash big when picking the Moneyline and the reason why is simple, their lines are better.
See the underdog betting like at (+115) is not bad but MyBookie will have that same under down with a Moneyline of (+130) which would win players more money if they were to bet on that underdog team. This is why shopping for lines is so important for all players. You can like a team to win a game and have decided you want to place a wager on them but once shopping around for lines, there is a big chance that you will find that MyBookie has the best moneylines.
Deposit Bonuses | Visit Sportsbook | |
$1,000 Max - 50% Bonus | All 50 States | Go To BetOnline |
$250 Max - 50% Match | 46 States | Go To Bovada |
$1,000 Max - 50% Bonus | All 50 States | Go To Sportsbetting |
100% to $500 | All 50 States | Go To BetDSI |