Video Summary

Sports Betting 101: Spreads, Money Lines, and Totals

As sports betting becomes increasingly popular, it's essential to understand the basics of sports betting. In this tutorial, we'll cover spreads, money lines, and totals, which are the fundamental concepts of sports betting.

Spreads

A spread is a bet on a team to win by a certain number of points. For example, if the Ravens are minus 5 points, they must win the game by more than 5 points for you to win your bet. If you bet on the Jets, they can lose the game by 1-4 points and you still win your bet.

Money Lines

A money line is a bet on a team to win outright, without considering the point spread. For example, if the Celtics are plus 145, you would risk $145 to win $100. If you bet on the Golden State Warriors, you would risk $175 to win $100.

Totals

A total is a bet on the total number of points scored in a game. For example, if the total is 210.5, you can bet on whether the combined score will be over or under that number.

Line Movement

Line movement refers to changes in the point spread or money line due to public betting or other factors. For example, if the Ravens are minus 5 points and the public starts betting heavily on them, the line may move to minus 6 points.

Juice

Juice refers to the commission or "vig" that sportsbooks charge on each bet. For example, if you bet on the Ravens minus 5 points, you would pay a commission of 10% (minus 110).

Understanding Odds

When you see odds, such as 1.1 to 1 or 1.75 to 1, it's essential to understand that the decimal point is implied. For example, minus 1.1 means you risk 1.1 units to win 1 unit.

By understanding spreads, money lines, totals, line movement, and juice, you'll be well-equipped to make informed decisions when betting on sports.