NFL GAME
Some common definitions and different forms offered by some of the best online sports books:

Sides – Sides is a term that represents many aspects of the game like “Odds” or “Pointspread” giving all the same meaning. For e.g. it represents Team ‘A’ being a favorite over Team ‘B’. If Team ‘A’ is a 3 point favorite over team ‘B’, it will be expressed as -3. It means is that team ‘A’ is likely to beat Team ‘B’ by 3 points. So if you bet on ‘A’, Team ‘A’ would have to beat team ‘B’ by more than 3 points for you to win. A final score of the favorite by 3 points would result in a ‘push’, that is nobody loses.

Many services claim to have established the “Line”. But one main group can be set take the responsibility of setting it – Las Vegas Consultants headed by Michael (Roxy) Roxborough. Although he has retired from LVSC, he is still actively involved in furnishing odds information to most of the gaming industry, including sports books in Las Vegas. As regards the NFL games, the ‘line’ comes out on Sunday night for games to be played on the following weekend and is known as the ‘Outlaw Line’. Only a few can bet this line. After this line is posted and bet, it is adjusted based on bets made, and only then made available to the rest of the betting public.

Typically, because the sports books only want to balance the betting action, they will put the line according to popular betting public opinion. The main factors affecting the ‘line’ and making it move up and down is how the line is bet. If the bettors wager heavy on the favorite, the line may move to -3.5 or -4.0. In the event that the underdog is bet heavily on, the line may move to -2.5 or lower. Other factors to consider would be injuries and the weather.

Totals – Some of the best online sports books also offer totals that are over or under the bet. This represents the combined points that both teams would score in a game. The posted total ranges from 29 points or less to 70 points or more. Weather will constitute a major factor in this kind of online betting, since bad weather will normally see a game as low scoring. Alternatively, good weather with 2 high scoring offenses could post a very high number of total points. By and large, the higher posted totals are seen in college games.

Vigorish (Juice) – In theory, sports books are neutral; they do not care what side or total is bet on. Their main objective is to balance the action by getting the same amount of money wagered on each side to avoid any liability. They make money by charging vigorish on the losing side. This amount is usually 10% (dime line) – wagering 110 to win 100. However, it can vary from no ‘vig’ to as high as 30 or 40%.
One of the disadvantages of booking bets is that you have to adjust the line if too much action comes on one side. If a team opens as a 3 point favorite, it may be moved to 3.5 or 4 points to encourage betting on the underdog in order to balance the action. The trouble here is that they can get spread out (money bet at 3 points on the favorite and money bet at 4 points on the dog) or they can get ‘middled’ if the final score is the favorite by 3 or four points. The outcome would be that they lose one side and tie the other side. This is perhaps the sports books’ biggest worry. They can fight this by leaving the line at 3 points and moving the vig to 20% on the favorite and 0% on the underdog. This encourages bettors to take the underdog because of no vig and at the same time ensure that they cannot be middled.

Money Line – Another wager that best online sports books offer is the money line. In this type of action bettors wager on which team they think will win the game outright and has no pointspread involved. A team that would normally be a 3 point favorite will be put up at a much higher vig like wagering 150 to win 100. Conversely, the dog may be set at 100 to win 120. These amounts are not rigid and can vary considerably, especially if one team is typically a 7 or more point favorite. These amounts are different for each sports book depending on each is handicapping the game.

Parleys -  Parley is perhaps one of the most dangerous bets to make. The bettor wagers on 2 or more teams as against the pointspread. If all teams in the parley cover the points, the bettor wins and the payoff is good: A 2-team parley will pay 260 for each 100 bet. A 3-team parley will pay 600 for each 100 bet. Many books offer parleys up to 10 or more teams. The main disadvantage here is that hitting 2 or more teams is much harder and the books rarely offer true odds. True odds for a 2-team would be 3-1 and for a 3-team would be 7-1. The only good thing is that there is no vig. If 100 is wagered then only 100 would be paid for a loss.

Teasers – This wager is not available with all sports books and is a high risk bet. The teaser bet allows the bettor to move the line 6, 6.5 or 7 points up or down to his advantage. The ‘vig’ will increase when points are moved. Two or more teams must be wagered on and similar to a parley both teams must win. For Example: Team A is favored by 7 points over team B. Team C is favored by 3 points over team D. The bettor could take Team A as a 1 point favorite over team B. And take team D as a 10 point underdog versus team C. A wager of 110 would win 100. This or any combination could be used. To move the line 6.5 points would be 120 to win 100. To move the line 7 points would be 130 to win 100. By putting 3 or more teams in the equation, the bettor would receive odds such as 100 to win 140, depending on the teams played.

Buying one half point – Although not all sports books offer this option, it is considered a good strategy. We have often seen bettors being caught by the hook – laying 3.5 points only to have your team win by 3. Or, betting the under dog getting 6.5 points and have the favorite win by 7. This is especially true when you are betting with more than one source and the numbers are different. Example: One book has Team A as a 6.5 point favorite (buy to 6). Another book has Team A as a 7 point favorite (buy team B to 7.5). You are guaranteed to win one side and you could possibly ‘middle’ (Team A wins by 7 and you win both bets). The price you pay here is that you have to lay 120 to win 100 (or more).

Propositions – It is popularly known that sports books will offer different kinds of wagers to suit different needs. The proposition is one such bet. They start off well before the season kicks off in the form of ‘Futures’. Odds are posted as regards which team will win the SuperBowl, their division or conference. A good team may be set at 3-1 to win the SuperBowl while a bad team would be set at 200-1. An over/under for how may games a team will win during the regular season is also bet on. During the year many ‘props’ may be offered on games: 1st half side or total, 2nd half side or total. Props are most prevalent in the Superbowl, where wagers may be offered on the coin-toss, over/under on field goals, over/under on a teams (or individual’s) rushing yards, over/under on a teams (or individual’s) receiving yards, penalties, 1st 2nd 3rd and 4th quarter scoring, plus many more. Whatever you want to bet on, the Proposition has it.

 

NFL Point Spread                        Sports  betting

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