What Do the + and – Mean in Sports Betting
Introduction
Sports gambling has gotten more popular as a form of entertainment. There are many ways to bet on sports, one of which is using a money line. A plus or minus symbol will show which team is favored and how much you’ll win or lose if you bet.
- Plus means the team is an underdog. You will get extra money if the team wins.
- Minus means the team is favored. You need to invest more to bet on this team.
The number beside the symbol is how much you will win by betting on either team.
For example, “+110” means you will get $110 for every $100 you bet if the team wins. “-215” means you will get only $100 for every $215 you bet if the team wins. Knowing this makes sports betting decisions easier!
What the + and – Mean in Sports Betting
Sports betting sites use “+” and “-” symbols to show which team is more likely to win. “+” is for the underdog team, while “-” stands for the favored team. It’s crucial to understand what these symbols mean before placing bets.
Let’s learn more about how “+” and “-” are used in sports betting!
How to Read the Odds
Reading betting lines is easy if you understand sports betting. Money Line bets are on which team will win. The oddsmakers set numbers to show favoritism and adjust with the money coming in.
A ‘+’ in front of odds means an underdog or risky bet. A ‘-‘ means a favorite or sure thing bet. For example, Team A is -150 and Team B is +160. This means Team A has an 80% chance of winning, making it desirable for ‘safe’ bets. Team B has a 40% chance of winning but yields better winnings if picked correctly.
Remember, higher risk (underdog) bets have bigger rewards when successful. Think carefully before staking your wager!
Money Lines
Money lines are a simple way to bet. Commonly seen when betting on hockey, basketball, or baseball. It’s wagering on a team to win, not considering points. It looks like this: Toronto Raptors +120 or Cleveland Cavaliers -125.
The plus sign (+) means the underdog, with a higher number. If you bet $100 on Toronto, you’d get $120 if they won. The minus sign (-) indicates the favorite, with a lower number. Bet $125 on the favored team, and you’ll get $125 back plus $100 profit if they win.
Remember to check which side has which sign (+/-) before betting. That can decide your winnings!
Point Spreads
Point spreads are a key part of sports betting. They show the margin of victory in a game. Oddsmakers set the spreads, deciding which team is favored to win. The public can then pick either the favorite or underdog, with points added or subtracted from their final score.
The “+” and “–” denote whether the winner was a “plus” (for hitting the spread) or a “minus” (for losing against it).
- For example, -6 means the team must beat the spread by 6 exactly, while +6 means the team can lose by up to 5 and still hit the spread.
Learning how these spreads work can help bettors pick winners and save money. They move based on public opinion, market conditions, weather, injuries, and more. So understanding how they function gives an edge when betting.
Over/Under
In sports betting, Over/Under (or “O/U”) has a specific meaning. It is a type of bet about a statistic, like total points scored in a game. When you bet on the O/U, you will choose if the total score from both teams will be over or under an amount from the sportsbook. A “+” or “-“ symbol is used to show if you are betting Over or Under.
- A “+” is for an Over bet. This means you think the total points will be higher than the line. For example, if the line is 45½ and you think the total points will be more than 45½ (46+), then your bet is active when the game finishes.
- A “-“ is for an Under bet. This means you think the total points will be lower than the line. For example, if the line is 47½ and you think the total points will be less than 47½ (46- or fewer), then your bet is active when the game finishes.
Calculating Your Payout
Sports betting can be confusing! Especially when calculating your win or loss. To understand payouts, it’s key to know the “+” and “-“ when it comes to sports betting odds. In this article, we’ll take a look at how the “+” and “-“ affect your payout.
Money Lines
Money lines are a popular bet that requires players to choose the team they think will win. This eliminates points spreads or handicaps. It’s common in baseball and hockey games but you can use it for basketball and other sports too.
You’ll usually see a plus (+) or minus (-) sign in front of the number. The plus is often given to the underdog since you get better odds. The minus means the team is favored and you have to risk more.
Remember the “juice” or “vig” on each side. That’s the commission that the sportsbook takes. You also need to consider the implied probability before you bet. That’ll tell you how much you can win.
For example, if Team A has -120 odds and Team B has +120, Team A is favored. If you bet $100 on Team A, you can win $83 if they win. But if you bet $100 on Team B, you can win $200.
Point Spreads
Sports betting uses point spreads to even the odds between two teams. One team is given a negative value and the other a positive. When betting with a point spread, you are predicting if one team will beat the other by more or less than the given points.
For example, if a team is favored to beat another by 7 points, and you bet on them with -7 points, it means you expect them to win by 14 points or more. If you expect them to win by 6 points or fewer, use +7, and you will make money if they cover the spread.
You can also bet on Over/Under lines. This is when you predict if both teams will score above or below a certain amount of points. If either team exceeds these limits, your bet will be voided no matter their prior performance.
Over/Under
Sports betting has two options – over/under and point spread bets. Over/under bets are popular – you predict the total score between two teams. Let’s say the Patriots & Jets’ predicted score is 45. You must decide if the actual score will be higher or lower than 45.
To calculate payouts on over/under bets, first decide which side you’re taking. If the bookmaker sets the teams at 45 points, and you think the total score will be less than this, take the ‘under’ option. If you think it’ll exceed 45 points, take ‘over’.
Payouts depend on how close your prediction is to the actual game result. If both teams get 45 points, no one wins (the bookie covers their losses). But if your prediction is close to 45, your payout increases. So if someone takes ‘under’ and both teams score 44 points, their payout could be higher than accurately predicting 47 points but taking ‘over’.
Conclusion
To sum up, the “+” and “-” signs in sports betting signify the point spread, money line, and game total values. When a bettor bets with a “+”, they are predicting a team will surpass a certain number of points or win the event. Using “-” signals that a team will not reach a certain number of points or lose the event.
Sports bettors should be aware that both physical and online sportsbooks present different numbers for betting lines. It is essential to comprehend how they differ in order to find the best value. Additionally, watch out for any potential bonuses when signing up at any sportsbook. Before you make your deposits, shop around for better promotions!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What do the + and – mean in sports betting?
A: + and – signs are used to indicate the point spread in sports betting. The + symbol indicates the underdog, while the – symbol indicates the favorite. The amount of points indicated by the + or – symbol is the point spread that is used to even out the betting odds between the two teams.
