When betting on sports, few numbers are more significant than -145. It’s what is known as the over-under for a favorite to win, or a point-spread for NFL football, for example.
If you don’t know what -145 means in gambling, here’s a quick explainer.
The Over/Under
This essentially means the amount of money you’re willing to wager on whether your favorite team will win or lose the game. So if you wager $10 on your favorite team to win, they would lose by more than $5 but at most by $5, you would win $5 (assuming they won). The over-under is often used in golf, boxing, and other sports where there isn’t a set closing time for the game. In those cases, the participants are usually determined by rules to keep the game going as long as possible. Otherwise, the time would be used up and the game would have to be stopped. The over-under is also known as the “margin of victory.”
The Point-Spread
The point-spread is used in most games of football, where it’s common to bet on the spread rather than the over-under. Point-spreads are mostly found in American sports because of the way the points were treated in the early days of football. In modern times, points were not officially credited until the football rules were changed in 1906. The point-spread has become so common in football that many people think of it as the normal way to set gambling wagers. When you see a point-spread in action, the numbers are almost always preceded by the word “per” (for example, “The Seahawks per/point-spread versus the 49ers”).
The Verdict
When you see a verdict listed next to a sports betting score, the verdict is the final result of the game. It can either be good or bad, and in most cases it will depend on the performance of both teams involved. If you were lucky enough to get a winning verdict, you would win the bet; if not, you would lose it. Verdicts are usually given at the end of a game once the teams have settled down. If there is still time left on the clock when the verdict is announced, there is a possibility the game could be over. In most cases, the verdict will be some variation of good or bad, but it can also be a state of mind, for example, “Injury Bug on the Vikings” indicates they may have had a knee injury to one of their starters that prevented them from playing. In some cases, the verdict could be a penalty or suspension, as in the case of an NFL player arrested for DUI.
While -145 isn’t considered extremely significant in other sports, in football it’s a whole different ballgame. The number is so vital because it directly correlates to how much you’ll win or lose based on the game’s final score. If you study sports betting critically, you may discover that -145 is the key number when identifying strong betting markets and situations that are likely to result in profitable winnings. Just remember, if you play online, read the terms and conditions of the site you use carefully before committing.