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elrod817
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After Mitch asked what a teaser was I thought maybe a thread with some basics was in order for those who have never wagered or are only occasional bettors. In this thread we'll discuss some lines, in another wager types, and lastly we'll put out a "glossary" of gambling terms so that you can familiarize yourself with them and make more sense of what some of us are talking about.
Please, if you do decide to wager with real money understand that sports gaming is NOT a get-rich quick scheme and it is just as easy to lose a bet as it is to win one. Only risk what you can afford to lose. If you cannot afford to lose anything do not wager. I know firsthand many horror stories and I'm sure others on the board know some of their own. Gambling is not a sprint, but a marathon...Now on to lines and wager types:
Lines
Point Spread - The point spread is the handicap or "headstart" that the underdog is given. Example from this weekend's Lions games
Tampa Bay -1.5
Detroit +1.5
This means that Tampa Bay must win by two or more points to cover and ultimately win your bet and conversely if you wager on Detroit as long as they don't lose by more than two points, you win.
Moneylines - A moneyline is a wager on the outcome of a game without taking into consideration a point spread. While this bet may seem like a sure thing, there is a twist. The moneyline is based off of odds. We'll use tonight's game as an example:
New Orleans +210
Green Bay -250
What this means is that if you bet $100 on the Saints to win outright you will win $210 or 2.1 times your wager. However, if you'd like to take Green Bay you must wager $250 in order to win $100. This is where it gets tricky, you may think the favorite is a sure thing but you have to risk more to win less.
Totals aka Over/Under - The total is a wager on the total score of a particular game. This bet does not require a particular team to win, but rather that the amount of points scored by both teams either surpass a set number (over) or stay below a set number (under).
We'll go back to our beloved Lions. The over/under or total for this Sunday is 41. If you take the over the Bucs and Leos must combine to score more than 41 points, while an under bet is wager where you would want the total to be less than 41, i.e. Detroit 20, Tampa 17
Proposition Bets - These bets, also known as props, are not based on the final score of a game, but rather on some other aspect of the game. Anything from the number of total sacks to the amount of times a player carries the ball. Prop bets use odds similar to moneylines. A completely made up example:
Calvin Johnson over 150 yards receiving -150
Calvin Johnson under 150 yards receiving +160
In this example if you think that Megatron will surpass 150 yards receiving in a game you would wager $150 to win $100. If you believe that the Bucs will shut him down a $100 wager will net you $160.
Futures - A future bet is just that, a bet on a future outcome happening. Usually futures are a wager that a certain team will win a division, conference, or championship, but they can also be bets on the outcome of a given series (i.e. first round of an NHL playoff series).
Example:
Lions odds to win the Super Bowl 30-1
This means that you would win 30 times your wager after the Lions win the Super Bowl this year. A $100 wager would win you $3,000 in this example.
You may find some other unique lines out there, but this should give you a basic overview to help get you started. If you ever have questions I'm sure one of us degenerates will be more than happy to help!
Please, if you do decide to wager with real money understand that sports gaming is NOT a get-rich quick scheme and it is just as easy to lose a bet as it is to win one. Only risk what you can afford to lose. If you cannot afford to lose anything do not wager. I know firsthand many horror stories and I'm sure others on the board know some of their own. Gambling is not a sprint, but a marathon...Now on to lines and wager types:
Lines
Point Spread - The point spread is the handicap or "headstart" that the underdog is given. Example from this weekend's Lions games
Tampa Bay -1.5
Detroit +1.5
This means that Tampa Bay must win by two or more points to cover and ultimately win your bet and conversely if you wager on Detroit as long as they don't lose by more than two points, you win.
Moneylines - A moneyline is a wager on the outcome of a game without taking into consideration a point spread. While this bet may seem like a sure thing, there is a twist. The moneyline is based off of odds. We'll use tonight's game as an example:
New Orleans +210
Green Bay -250
What this means is that if you bet $100 on the Saints to win outright you will win $210 or 2.1 times your wager. However, if you'd like to take Green Bay you must wager $250 in order to win $100. This is where it gets tricky, you may think the favorite is a sure thing but you have to risk more to win less.
Totals aka Over/Under - The total is a wager on the total score of a particular game. This bet does not require a particular team to win, but rather that the amount of points scored by both teams either surpass a set number (over) or stay below a set number (under).
We'll go back to our beloved Lions. The over/under or total for this Sunday is 41. If you take the over the Bucs and Leos must combine to score more than 41 points, while an under bet is wager where you would want the total to be less than 41, i.e. Detroit 20, Tampa 17
Proposition Bets - These bets, also known as props, are not based on the final score of a game, but rather on some other aspect of the game. Anything from the number of total sacks to the amount of times a player carries the ball. Prop bets use odds similar to moneylines. A completely made up example:
Calvin Johnson over 150 yards receiving -150
Calvin Johnson under 150 yards receiving +160
In this example if you think that Megatron will surpass 150 yards receiving in a game you would wager $150 to win $100. If you believe that the Bucs will shut him down a $100 wager will net you $160.
Futures - A future bet is just that, a bet on a future outcome happening. Usually futures are a wager that a certain team will win a division, conference, or championship, but they can also be bets on the outcome of a given series (i.e. first round of an NHL playoff series).
Example:
Lions odds to win the Super Bowl 30-1
This means that you would win 30 times your wager after the Lions win the Super Bowl this year. A $100 wager would win you $3,000 in this example.
You may find some other unique lines out there, but this should give you a basic overview to help get you started. If you ever have questions I'm sure one of us degenerates will be more than happy to help!
