The act of wagering on a game, event or outcome. Betting is an essential part of any sports betting experience, and if done correctly can lead to long term profitability. Whether you are backing a team or laying a total, all bets should be based on the principles of positive expected value (EV).
Futures.
A bet placed on an event that will not take place until later in the season or year. For example, a bet on a team to win the Stanley Cup at the start of the NHL season or a golfer to win next year’s Masters tournament. Futures bets typically offer higher odds and larger payouts than standard straight bets.
Spread bets, also known as line bets, are used to even out unequal games. In this form of betting, a number is assigned that handicaps one team and favors another, forcing the favorite to win by a certain margin or cover the spread (also called “covering”) in order to win the bet. Another form of a spread bet is a teaser, which allows players to shift the point spread by a set number of points.
Over/Unders.
A popular way to bet on a game is with an Over/Under wager. This type of wager is based on the final score of a game rather than who wins or loses. A popular saying as it relates to Over/Under wagers is “It’s never Over until the clock strikes zero.” This is because the outcome of a game can fluctuate and the final score is not always known at the end of the event.