When betting, people often wonder what the point is of betting -10. For those who are new to the world of betting, -10 can seem like an impossible hurdle to overcome. But, as you will discover, there is actually a lot of value in betting -10. In this article, we will discuss some of the reasons why -10 is such a popular number in betting.
Shortest Point-Spread
One of the best things about betting is that you do not need to predict the winner of a game with any degree of precision. If you place a bet on the favorite, you know you will surely lose, and vice versa. So, in essence, you are guaranteed to get your money back (minus some commission, of course).
As a result, the line moved a little in the direction of your bet. If you laid down $100 and the spread was 3, you would win $103.50 (your $100 + $3.50 exchange rate). The only thing you need to do to collect on your winnings is to wait until the game ends and the final score is released.
In the example above, it is clear that your instinct was good, because the team you bet on, the Denver Broncos, won. However, due to the incredible number of points that were scored in the game, the point-spread (the difference between the actual score and the predicted score) moved in the direction of your bet. In order to overcome this -10 obstacle, you would have to win by more than 10 points. In other words, the odds would have to be in your favor. In the case of the Denver Broncos, you beat the spread by less than 10 points, so it was not worth it for you to place the bet in the first place.
In conclusion, betting -10 is frequently used in games where the scoring is high, but the spread is very close. For example, in the Super Bowl, when the underdog is very close to the favorite, people often bet -10 to pick up a small profit. On the other hand, in the NBA, where the scoring is typically lower, but the spreads are wider, there is less demand for betting -10, as the odds are often in your favor. Another example can be found in the College Football Playoffs, where many people like to bet on their alma mater, as they want to see their team win, but they also want to see them cover the spread. In fact, in the case of the BCS Championship Game, where the University of Oklahoma is playing against the University of Alabama, the odds are usually in favor of Alabama, as they are usually an underdog in most of the other games they play throughout the year. As a result, a large number of people are interested in laying down some Alabama money, and they often choose to do so, even if it is by less than 10 points.
Insurance
The next reason why people like to bet -10 is that it is a popular number with insurance companies. When people get insurance, one of the first questions that they ask is, “How much do I need to bet to win this?” If you are unfamiliar, insurance is when an organization (usually an insurance company or an association) takes on the responsibility of paying off a sum of money, if you meet a certain condition. For example, if you have medical insurance, and you get injured, the insurance company will pay the medical bills, as long as the injury was not caused by intentional foul play. If the injury was intentional, then the law will determine who must pay, the insurance company or you, the person who is insured.
In the case of the NFL, for example, if you bet on the favorite, the Cleveland Browns, and they win, the insurance company you have on your car will pay off. If the outcome is a tie, then it will be considered a “no-call”, and you will not have to pay anything. However, if the spread is indeed -10, and the Browns win, then your insurance company will cover the $100 you bet. In other words, you will have doubled your money, because you placed a $200 insurance bet ($100 on the Browns + $100 on the spread).
The logic behind this is that you are guaranteed to lose your $100 (which is what you placed as an insurance bet), but at least you will not lose more than that. In the case of the Cleveland Browns, you bet $200 and expected to win $200, so the insurance company sees this as a winning bet. However, if the score was indeed 21-17, then it would be a no-call, because there was no clear evidence that the injury was caused by intentional foul play. In this case, you would not win, and the insurance company would not have to pay out anything. This scenario is frequently used in golf betting, as well, where you have an insurance bet on the first hole (it is also possible to have a combination of both, where you have an insurance bet on one hole and a prop bet on another).
In the case of golf, if you double your money (on the first hole, this would be fourfold), and you make it to the second hole, you would win $100 (the par is $100). So, in essence, you would win $400, because it is a no-bracket tournament and four people played. But if you do not make it to the second hole, then the insurance company does not have to pay out any money.
Look At The Over / Under
Another great use for betting -10 is to simply look at the over/under, which is the total amount of points that will be scored in the game. People who love to gamble often use this, particularly in the Super Bowl. As a general rule, the over/under is usually between 14.5 and 17.5 points, so you can get very high or very low odds, depending on whether you go over or under that point total. If you are unfamiliar, betting on the over/under is when you place a bet on whether the total points scored in the game will be higher or lower than a certain number.
In the case of the Super Bowl, you can make the perfect “double or nothing” wager. This means that you will win $10,000 if the Philadelphia Eagles win, or you will lose $10,000 if the New England Patriots win. Similarly, if the over/under is 15 points or more (betting 17 points or more is considered an aggressive play in the Super Bowl), you are almost certainly going to win (the amount of money you win will depend on whether you bet on the Patriots or Eagles, as they are 2 of the most popular teams in the NFL, with millions of Americans following their games).
If you are playing in the College Football Playoff, and the over/under is 17 points or more, then you are almost certainly going to win (in this case, it is better to bet on the favorite, as they have the best chance of winning). In fact, in most cases, you are going to win by a lot. For example, let’s assume that the two teams you are playing against in the playoff are the University of Southern California, and the University of Oklahoma. The USC Trojans are the favorite in this game, with many people believing that they are going to beat the Oklahoma Sooners. If you are going to bet on the Trojans, and they do indeed beat the Sooners, then you will win $100,000. In other words, it is better to bet on the Trojans than to bet on the Sooners, as the latter are usually very good, but not great.
In conclusion, betting on the underdogs is a proven way to make money. However, it is important to note that there are many risks involved. For example, if you are picking the Kansas City Chiefs to beat the San Francisco 49ers in the wild-card round of the playoffs, and the Chiefs do indeed upset the odds and win, you will lose your entire bet, as the San Francisco 49ers are one of the most popular teams in the NFL, and many people do not like to lose money on a bet. Additionally, if you do not like the team you picked then there is always the risk that they will upset you, as discussed above.