The Superbowl is the final stage of the American football season and is the biggest game of the year. It is played between the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC) and was originally devised to be a final test of strength and skill before the start of the baseball season. It is now a quintessential part of American football culture.
While many people will be watching the game live, the majority will be following the action online through websites like BetOnline or DraftKings. These will become the go-to source for people seeking NFL data, analysis and gossip.
Just like any other sport, the Superbowl has specific terms used to denote the numbers of points that will be scored by each team. While the specifics will vary from game to game, looking at the general structure of Superbowl betting terms can help you get a better understanding of how NFL betting works. In this article, we will cover the most basic terms, including the popular spreads, moneylines and total outcomes.
What Is A Spread?
A spread is the difference between the two teams’ point totals. The more a point spread is in favor of one team, the more that team will win the bet. Conversely, if the spread is in favor of the other team, the underdog will win the bet. The spread is measured in points and is often expressed as ‘plus’ or ‘minus’ amounts. For example, if the over/under on a game is 48, the spread will be either 48 or 49.
The most popular spreads are 10 points, 13 points, 15 points, and 20 points. Anything more than 20 points is generally considered a push, with the exception of some special circumstances, such as the AFC v NFC Championship game. Some people prefer to use percentage differences rather than exact point spreads when betting on football because it makes the whole process more objective. For instance, a 3% spread in favor of the home team is effectively the same as a 3-point spread.
- Home Team: The team at the stadium when the game is being played
- Over/Under: The total number of points scored by both teams
- Point Spread: The difference between the point scores of the two teams
- Moneyline: The moneyline is the same as the over/under except that it is usually set at a level that is attractive to bettors, anywhere from -500 to +500
- Totals: The total number of points scored by both teams, in other words, the over/under added to the point spread
What Is A Moneyline?
A moneyline is a specific amount that you must bet to guarantee a win, usually between -100 and +100. The moneyline is the opposite of the spread; a team’s moneyline is the amount needed to ‘win’ a bet. The most common moneylines in sports betting are -120 and +120, meaning you must bet at least 120 to win 120.
Moneylines are usually used in conjunction with the spread; if the spread is 10 points, you will usually find the moneyline set at -110 because there is a likelihood the under/over bet will end up in favor of the under/over, resulting in a profit for the bookmaker.
What Is A Push?
A push is when one team is so far ahead of the other that the result of the game is not debatable; in other words, the score will not be close. If you think one team is going to score more points than the other, you can put down a push bet and avoid losing money. In the event of a push, the exact game result is irrelevant; the point is that one team will win by a wide margin.
The most notable pushes in American football history are the 2007 and 2010 AFC Championship Games, where the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots, respectively, won by a combined total of 94 points. The 2010 game is most remembered for Tom Brady’s four touchdowns and Brock Osweiler’s performance for the Houston Texans. The 2007 game saw a 92-27 final score in favor of the Pittsburgh Steelers. This is most notable for the fact that the score was never below 27-27.
What Is A Half-Point Tick?
A half-point-tock is a type of wager where you make a bet of either half a point or a point. When you place a half-point-tock wager, the line will be marked at either -0.5 or +0.5, respectively. If the line is marked at 0.5, you are effectively placing a half-point bet; conversely, if the line is marked at -0.5, you are placing a point bet. The most popular half-point-tocks are -0.5 and +0.5, which translate to either a 50% or 100% win for the bettor.
What Is The Margin Of Victory?
The margin of victory is the difference between the winning team’s score and the losing team’s score. It is usually negative when the team that wins by a smaller margin is the favorite and positive when the underdog wins by a larger margin.
For example, if the New England Patriots beat the Los Angeles Rams by a score of 28-24, the margin of victory would be 24 points. The favorite team won the bet when they scored 28 points, while the underdog lost the bet when they scored 24 points. If the Patriots had only won by six points, they would have lost the bet.
The margin of victory is more likely to be used for Specials bets than it is for regular season games. There is so much volatility in the NFL that a six-point victory by the New England Patriots in the last minute of the game may just as easily be followed by the Los Angeles Rams winning the next week’s game by 27 points. For this reason, most people will use the over/under instead of the spread when making NFL wagers because you can never be sure which game will be the exception and which one will be the rule.
What Is A Quarter-Point-Tick?
A quarter-point-tick is a type of wager where you make a bet of either a quarter of a point or a point. When you place a quarter-point-tick wager, the line will be marked at either -0.25 or +0.25, respectively. If the line is marked at 0.25, you are effectively placing a quarter-point bet; conversely, if the line is marked at -0.25, you are placing a point bet. The most popular quarter-point-ticks are -0.25 and +0.25, which translate to either a 12.5% or 25% win for the bettor.
What Is A Spread Finisher?
Spread finishers are wagers where you make a wager on the spread to win or lose the entire game, with the exception of the Superbowl. For instance, if the spread is 10 points and you wager $100 on the underdog, you will win $110 if the Rams win, but you will lose $110 if the Patriots win. In this type of bet, your loss will be limited to the amount you bet. In theory, at least. Sometimes things don’t go as planned.
What Is An Over/Under Bet Or Under/Over Bet?
An over/under bet or under/over bet is the same as a moneyline bet except that the lines usually run in the opposite direction and the over/under is determined by the total combined score of both teams. For instance, if the over/under is 48 and the bettor is betting on the under, they will lose regardless of whether or not the Rams win. Conversely, if the over/under is 48 and the bettor is betting on the over, they will win regardless of whether or not the Rams win.