Anyone has the potential to be a sharp sports bettor with the right info. That’s why SBD put all the fundamentals into our introductory series for new bettors: Sports Betting 101.
Learn about the types of sports bets you can place, how to read odds, and how to manage your bankroll to get the most value out of your wagers.
Moneyline Uses Besides baseball and hockey, moneylines are used for betting on other sports where a point spread becomes irrelevant, such as auto racing, boxing, soccer, and tennis. While there are margins of victory in some of these, they are so small that it would be impossible to create a point spread for every game. Sports betting is a rapidly growing industry in the United States, particularly after a 2018 ruling by the Supreme Court that opened the door to legalized operations on a state-by-state basis. Betting on a point spread is the most common type of sports bet. Point spreads are in essence a handicap to even the odds between two teams. The favorite will always have a minus sign attached to their number, while the underdog can be identified with a plus sign. In this example, there is no plus sign with regards to the point spread.
We’ll break down some confusing terms you might encounter while getting started and walk you through some basic considerations to think about before placing a sports bet online.
Let’s get started!