One of the most common questions new people ask when they first get into sports betting is “What does -119 mean in betting?” This is followed by a bewildered expression and a shaking head. They have been told by a bookie that this is the number they will need to use in order to place a bet; however, they do not know what it means or whether it is legitimate. In this article, we will explain what -119 means in betting and if it is worth using when betting on sports.
What Does -119 Mean In Betting?
Many people have been led to believe that -119 is some sort of magic number when it comes to placing wagers on sports. In fact, some bookies only offer bets in multiples of 119 as it simplifies things for them. While this may be true, it is not a necessary condition for placing a bet on sports. In this case, you can use any whole number you like, as long as you know what it means.
There are several different ways in which -119 can be used in betting. The first and most basic one is as the name suggests: You put together a total – the summation of the points scored in all the games up to that point in the season. If you add up all the scores of the first 11 games of the MLB season (which we’ll call “game 11” for simplicity), the sum will be -119.
This is an appropriate use of -119, and it has one significant advantage over using the regular number: When using game 11 as the basis of your sports betting picks, you are certain to win money. Why? Because the total for game 11 will never, ever, ever be exceeded in all of sports history. It is simply too high to be surpassed. For example, if you bet $100 on Seattle to win the Superbowl this year and they win the game 11, your bet will be refunded (minus a small juice charge). This is commonly known as a “push” and can be used with any game, any league and any sport.
Is It Worth Using -119 In Betting?
You might be wondering if it’s worth using -119 in betting, as it’s a pretty magical number. After all, isn’t 11-1/2 the official win percentage for coin flips? Wouldn’t it make sense that 119 is the halfway point between a coin flip and a sure thing?
While it is true that 11-1/2 is the win percentage for a coin flip, it is definitely not the case that 119 is the halfway point between a sure thing and a coin flip. Why? Well, it takes more than 11-1/2 to achieve a sure thing, but it also takes more than a coin flip to achieve a match. The key point here is that you cannot make sense of -119 without betting on sports. Therefore, while you might get lucky with a coin flip, you are much more likely to lose money if you use -119 as the basis of your wager. This is why it isn’t a good idea to use -119 in betting; however, if you must, then use the regular number, as it is a bit more reliable and easier to understand.
Other Ways To Use -119 In Betting
In addition to using -119 as the basis for your wager, you can also use it for two other purposes. One is to figure out which teams are most likely to cover the point spread. The second is to predict the final score of a game. Let’s explore how these work.
To figure out which teams are most likely to cover the spread, you need to consider two things: The first is how the rest of the season is going to unfold; the second is which teams are currently favored to win their respective divisions. Using our example from before, let’s say that the final score of the Superbowl is Seattle 24, New England 19. This means that the points scored in game 11 determine the spread for that game; however, it is also indicative of a possible divisional playoff game between the two teams (provided that the two teams at the top of their division are still playing at the time).
What this means is that, as the season goes on, a team who is winning will continue to cover the spread, while a losing team will start falling short of covering it. You can use this to your advantage by taking either the under or the over on the Superbowl point spread.
The reason these numbers are used for dividing up the points from a game is that it simplifies things for the bookies. They have to do the math in their head, so having a number that divides evenly is a timesaver. This will likely mean fewer mistakes and less time spent verifying scores, so it’s definitely a good idea.
As you may have guessed, figuring out the outcome of a game based on the final score is a bit easier than trying to pick a winner based on the total points scored in each quarter. This is because a game that is closer to the end is likely to be more one-sided than a game that is further along. For example, if you are trying to pick a winner between the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers, you are more likely to be successful if you wager on them meeting in the Superbowl rather than the regular season.
When Is It Worth Using -119?
While it is always best to use the odd numbers when betting on sports, there are times when the regular number is the right choice. One such time is when you have a small amount of money to invest and do not want to risk large amounts of cash on a single bet. Let’s look at an example.
Say you have $100 to invest in bets, but you do not want to risk more than $5 on any given bet. If you are using the regular number, you will have to make 11 bets of $5 each to achieve that $100 return. However, if you are using the odd number, you can make 10 bets of $5 each and return $100, plus some extra money. In this case, odd numbers are preferable because, while they may appear to be random, they are, in fact, telling you which teams are most likely to cover the point spread. In other words, they are the best bets for gambling purposes.
The important thing to remember is that, while it is always a good idea to use the odd numbers when betting on sports, it is not always the best idea. Sometimes you have to use the regular number and, in those cases, you should simply avoid using -119 as a betting number. Things will go much smoother if you use the even numbers instead.