| Sports betting can be a bit intimidating if you're trying to | | | | 2. There Are Also "Money Line" Betting Odds |
| bet on sports played in a foreign country. However, | | | | In addition to the point spread, you must also be aware |
| one of the best opportunities to profit from sports | | | | that there is a "money line" with each game. There are |
| betting is to place bets on American sporting events. | | | | only two types of money lines -one when you bet on |
| Now that the United States has passed laws making it | | | | the favorite, and the other when you bet on the |
| even more difficult for Americans to place bets on | | | | underdog. These money lines work differently. |
| sporting events in their own country, there will be even | | | | When you bet on the favorite, the money line shows |
| more opportunities for astute gamblers to win big | | | | how much money you have to bet to come out |
| money betting on sports. Why? Because sports | | | | ahead by $100. If the money line is -110, that means |
| betting is a competition among the people who | | | | you have to bet $110 and if you win, you get your $110 |
| participate in it. The sports books set the point spreads | | | | back PLUS your $100 winnings. In other words, when |
| based on how people are betting, not necessarily on | | | | you see -110 that shows the amount you are risking to |
| who they think will win the game. This creates an | | | | win $100. |
| opportunity for the "smart money" gamblers to place | | | | When you're betting on the underdog, the money line |
| high percentage bets, and to win lots of money! | | | | works differently. For example, you might see a |
| But before you can hope to do this, there are three | | | | money line at +135. When you see a + sign in front of |
| important things you need to understand about | | | | the number, that means that this bet is on the |
| American Sports Betting: | | | | underdog. What this represents is the amount of |
| 1. You Must Understand The Betting Odds | | | | money you win if you bet $100. For example, if the |
| Let's just stick with American Football. The way most | | | | money line is +135 that means if you bet $100 and you |
| people bet these football games is by using the | | | | win your bet, you get your $100 back, PLUS your $135 |
| pointspread, also known as the "line" or simply as the | | | | winnings. |
| "spread." Here's how this works. Say the Pittsburgh | | | | 3. Even With Point Spread Bets, There Are Still Money |
| Steelers are playing the Cleveland Browns and | | | | Line Odds |
| everybody expects the Steelers to win easily. The | | | | Typically when you make a bet using the point spread, |
| sports books will put a "line" on the game to try to get | | | | the money line is -110. What this means is that whether |
| an equal amount of money bet on both teams. They | | | | you take the team getting points, or the team giving |
| might say the line is Pittsburgh -7. This means that if | | | | points, you still need to bet $110 just to win $100. For |
| you bet on Pittsburgh, you have to "give" the Browns 7 | | | | example, if the Steelers are -7 and you bet on them, |
| points. You win your bet if Pittsburgh wins by more | | | | you bet $110 that the Steelers will win by more than 7 |
| than 7 points. If Pittsburgh wins by exactly 7 points, it's | | | | points, and if you're right, you get your $110 back, PLUS |
| called a push, and you get your bet back. | | | | you're $100 winnings. |