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Sports Betting 101 A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding the Basics


October 3, 2025

Betting Lines Explained A Complete Guide to Reading and Using Sports Odds

In the United States, for instance, the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) put a federal ban on state-authorized sports gambling in all but a few states. However, this landscape changed dramatically in 2018 when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down PASPA, allowing states to make their own decisions regarding sports betting.

This is crucial for understanding where to find betting value. Bets on the point spread are usually offered at 11 to 10 odds. For example, a player must bet $11 to win $10 for a total payout of $21, or $110 to win $100. If you bet $100 on Green Bay at +150 moneyline odds and the Packers win the game, https://gullybetofficial.com/ you would win $150 for a total payout of $250.

How to Read Totals Betting Lines

However, responsible gambling is key to ensuring that the experience remains enjoyable and rewarding. By staying informed and making use of the resources available, bettors can enhance their understanding and make more informed decisions. The moneyline is based solely upon which team wins the game. Determining which team is the favorite and which team is the underdog is not just based upon who has the better won-loss record or more star players.

Once you’re comfortable with the basics, there are more complex betting terms and strategies worth knowing. Across the Atlantic, the United Kingdom has been a long-standing haven for sports bettors. With well-regulated bodies like the Gambling Commission overseeing the industry, bettors can participate with a good degree of confidence. First up, odds comparison tools like Odds Portal and RebelBetting aggregate odds from multiple bookmakers. Because consistently getting the best odds can substantially amplify your earnings over time. These tools streamline the task of finding the most favorable odds, offering you the upper hand even before you place a bet.

  • This is because the scoring can be high and the margin of victory vast.
  • On the flip side, if you risked $100 on the underdog at +135, you would win $135 if the dog pulled off the upset, plus get your initial $100 wager back.
  • In the era of online sportsbooks, welcome bonuses are standard practice to attract new users.
  • Bettors wager on whether the actual combined score will be over or under this set total.

By now, our ‘Sports Betting for Dummies’ guide should have equipped you with the essential knowledge and insights you need to navigate this exciting landscape. If you find yourself captivated by the world of sports and betting, consider turning this passion into a career. The sports industry offers an array of job opportunities that extend far beyond being an athlete or a coach. While online betting offers unmatched convenience, some bettors still prefer the traditional experience of in-person betting. Online sportsbooks have revolutionized the betting industry, offering convenience, variety, and competitive odds. Most major sportsbooks also provide mobile apps, so you can place bets on the go.

The – and + on a sports betting line represent the favorite and the underdog, respectively. They also indicate your prospective payout if you bet the line. Sometimes, odds shift when sportsbooks try to lure more action onto one side or the other. Various factors have been known to influence odds, so shifts should not always be viewed as hints toward the inevitable outcome of the event. So, you’ve decided to join the hundreds of millions of Americans who bet on sports each year. You have countless options and opportunities to legally bet in the United States.

These figures not only tell you who’s favoured to win, but also how much risk you’re taking for the reward. Our editorial team is run by individuals with many years of experience in digital publishing, editorial, and content production. Always verify that your chosen sportsbook holds appropriate licenses for your jurisdiction, ensuring both legal compliance and financial protection. Each platform optimizes for their core market while accommodating international users, creating seamless experiences regardless of preferred odds format. The platform’s mobile app serves over 35 million customers worldwide, with odds formatting that adapts to regional preferences while maintaining consistency across markets. Still, we can’t stress enough the importance of responsible gambling.

How to Get Into Sports Marketing PR: Careers, Skills & Opportunities

In the same respect, the Pats would have been -8.5 and therefore would not cover because they didn’t win by nine. So, anyone ‘laying the points’ (betting the favorite) went home empty-handed even if New England technically won the game. Fractional odds (aka “British” odds, “U.K.” odds, or “traditional” odds) are commonly used by British and Irish sportsbooks and bookies. Thus, we often see golf, soccer, rugby, and cricket odds listed as fractions. Fractional odds are typically featured with a slash (/) or hyphen (-), and are utilized by some of the largest international bookmakers. We also review online gambling websites to help you find the best sportsbooks and casino sites to play at.

Understanding these differences matters because the global nature of modern sports means you’ll encounter various formats. A Champions League match might display decimal odds on Bet365, fractional odds on Paddy Power, and American odds on international platforms serving multiple markets. The world of sports betting offers an exciting and dynamic way for fans to engage with their favorite sports. With a multitude of betting options, odds formats, and strategies, there’s something for both the novice and the seasoned bettor.

Conversely, lower odds indicate something is more likely to occur but will yield a smaller payout. A popular team on a winning streak might get over-backed by casual punters, forcing the bookmaker to shift the line, even if the sharp side disagrees. The number (e.g. 2.5) is the bookmaker’s prediction of the total score, and the odds (-110) indicate the payout for each side.

Now let’s look at an example in golf, where you will more commonly find fractional odds. Betting News is your trusted source for betting picks and up to date news and stats on the NFL, MLB, NHL and many other sports. A somewhat more advanced option, betting exchanges allow you to set your own odds and bet against other people directly.

Remember that your goal is to make accurate predictions about a game’s outcome to win money. If you bet on the winner of a game but not the moneyline, chances are you’re betting against the spread (ATS). The spread basically evens the betting playing field between the favorite and the underdog of a specific betting contest.