Football Bets That First-timers Should Try
Football is played in more countries than any other sport. Over 3.5 billion spectators and 250 million players are in the sport throughout 200 countries. Football is becoming increasingly popular, and so is football betting.
Now that many states have legalized sports betting, millions of sports fans will seek to start betting for the first time. Here’s an introduction to the different types of bets that every beginner needs to know.
Moneyline
The simplest type of sports bet is the moneyline. Simply said, it’s a wager on the victor of a sporting event.
Online betting sites like Betway offer moneyline for all wagerers. Typically, there are three main types of wagers offered for games on an odds sheet or on sites like this, which are:
- The point spread (also known as the “line”)
- The total (sometimes known as the “over/under”)
- The moneyline (also referred to as the “win”)
When you bet on the moneyline, you’re essentially saying that you believe the team you’re backing will win the game. Regardless of the final score, you come out on top if they win. While betting on the point spread needs your chosen side to win by a certain margin, betting on the moneyline only requires them to win.
However, the odds on point spread bets are often close to even money, so if you win, you’ll get back roughly what you wagered. The odds for moneyline wagers can fluctuate widely.
Point Spread
In sports betting, the point spread serves as the great equalizer when comparing teams, and it is rapidly becoming a standard element of the sports dialogue at large. It is most popularly utilized for wagering on professional and collegiate football and basketball. The point spread is a type of wagering in which one side is designated as the favorite and the other as the underdog, and a line is set that is subtracted from the favorite’s points total to make the two teams’ odds of winning the game equal.
Game Total
When you hear the term “total” in sports betting, it means the bettor is placing a wager on the cumulative number of runs, goals, or points scored by both sides. A bettor can choose between wagering “over” or “under” the total. Those unfamiliar with total betting will have difficulty grasping the “over/under” concept.
Linemakers estimate how many points will be scored by both teams and use that amount as the game’s total. The “over” and “under” become the two possible wagers. By betting “over,” you’re indicating that you expect a total score from both teams that exceed the number set by the oddsmakers, and “under,” you’re indicating the reverse.
Bookmakers aim to balance the amount wagered on each possible total when setting betting lines. The bookmakers are banking on the fact that half of the bettors will consider the line too high and the other half too low. If they are successful, they can earn money without taking any chances.
Teaser
Teasers are parlay bets in which the bettor can gain an advantage by adjusting the point spread or the Over/Under by a certain number of points. Sounds good, doesn’t it? The problem is that a winning teaser bet depends on the outcomes of several individual wagers combined into a single stake.
Two or more bets are required for a teaser (but some books demand three or more), and the more the number of bets, the greater the possible reward, but the higher the risk. Like parlay wagers, the teaser only pays out if each bet included in it also wins. The entire teaser will be marked as a loss if any game fails to win.
Alternate Point Spread
The term “alternate spread” refers to a line that differs from the game’s official spread. You can make changes of more than 10 points to several alternate spreads. Alternate spreads affect the spreads available for wagering and the odds attached to those spreads for a given game. Payouts increase in proportion to the number of points you spend on the favorite when using an alternate spread.
Alternate lines give bettors more options. This means they can bring in more business for the bookmaker. Though not every alternate line will attract many bets, the total number of choices is still huge.
That way, the sportsbook gets more action, and the bettors get more flexibility in selecting the lines they want to wager on.
Final Thoughts
A big part of football’s appeal as a betting sport is its popularity and accessibility. Football is played in many countries, and most have multiple teams competing in various competitions. What’s more, a growing number of states are legalizing sports betting. If you’re just getting started in the world of sports betting, you can benefit from our comprehensive guide on the several types of football bets and find the most value in them.
