This is also called “vig” or “vigorish.” NBA Betting Lines Explained – Moneyline That is because the payout isn't even and those ten percent are taken away by the sportsbook as some kind of commission. For example, if you wager $110, you will win only $100. If you placed a bet on a spread with odds of -110, you will usually have to wager 110% to win 100%. For this reason, most sportsbooks list the spread with a decimal. For example, if the spread was 2 points and not 2.5, and by chance, the game ended with 102 points for Milwaukee and 100 points for Golden State, the bet would be pushed. The reason the spread is listed with a decimal number is to prevent the “tie” situation. If you want to bet on the favorite (Bucks) they would have to win by two or more points if you want your money. If you plan on betting on the Warriors, which are the underdogs you will win the wager only if they win the match or if they lose by 1 point. Here is the example we will use to explain it better. Like always the favorite team is with the negative odds, while the underdog is listed with the positive odds. Because betting on a certain winner isn't as exciting as wagering if the winner would cover the specific spread. This would help bookies not lose money and it would make it more interesting for the customers. The point spread is mostly called only “spread” or sometimes even “line” and this is where the term betting line originated, but as we already said lines are also called odds sometimes.Įssentially, the point spread was created to even out the odds for both teams in the cases where the favorite is clear from a mile away.
In this next part, we will discuss how do NBA betting lines work when it comes to point spreads specifically.
How to Read NBA Betting Lines – Point Spreads Typically, they are the spread, totals, and money line betting markets. They can be three or only one depending on the sportsbook itself. Usually, once you open the NBA betting category on the sportsbook sheet, you may see only the most important bets while scrolling through the next game.
Whichever way the sportsbook presents them the home team is always the second one, while the guests are the first team. The NBA betting lines might be presented beside each other or on top of each other. That represents that the underdog has the higher odds, while the favorite has the lower odds.
Usually, the favorite team is the one with the (-) sign and the underdog is the one with the (+) sign. All sportsbooks in the USA use American odds, which are listed with positive and negative signs between them. Generally, the odds are presented in the same manner or similar. Let's find out how do NBA betting lines work and the specifics about them Did you know that “lines” are the odds themselves or the name of the spread. They are called by different names sometimes and you might have heard some of the names, while others would be new to you. When it comes to NBA bets there are several you should know about. Continue reading for more! How do NBA betting lines work? Also, we will explain the differences between the most popular markets and of course how they work. New to basketball betting? This is the perfect place to find out how to read NBA sports betting lines and odds.