When you place a wager on the NBA or NFL game, you’re basically placing a bet on the number of points that will be scored during the course of the game. If you wagered $100 that the Eagles would cover the spread at minus-200 and they did, you’d win $200. That’s a pretty neat return on investment, huh?
The point spread is the amount of wagering money placed on one side or the other of a contest or game, meaning that if you bet on the Broncos vs. Raiders game and it ends up being a close one, you’d win half of what you bet (plus your original $100). It’s all about odds and the over/under betting system, which is largely based on odds. The theory is that by analyzing the odds of various outcomes in sports betting, you can get an idea of how likely those events are to occur, and thus how much you should wager on them. For example, if you believe that the odds of the Patriots scoring a touchdown in the next quarter are 10/1, you may decide to place a $100 wager on them, since they are likely to cover the spread (in this case, -200).
Why Do Gamblers Choose To Bet On The Over/Under?
Over (the over/under) and under (the under/over) are used to indicate the total number of points that will be scored in a given football game. As the name would suggest, the over/under indicates that the total number of points will be more than stated, while the under/over indicates that the total number of points will be less than stated.
These bets are popular because they give gamblers the chance to bet on an absolute winner, while limiting their losses. For instance, if you put $100 on the under bet in the Broncos – Raiders game, you’d lose your $100, but at least you’d still have your $100.
The theory behind these bets is that since it’s almost impossible for a single team to score a huge amount of points in a single game, the over/under or under/over will almost always go under. For instance, take a look at these three teams: the Patriots, Steelers, and Broncos. While it’s true that in a given year, these teams may dominate the competition, it’s much more common for one of them to struggle mightily and the other two teams to cover the spread more often than not. This is evidenced by the fact that these three teams combined have won 70% of their games within the past three years, while only scoring 68 total points in the process (on average).
This kind of betting adds an additional layer of excitement to an already intriguing game. Just like in real life, it’s often difficult to determine which team is going to come out on top, especially since the games are often close. This is where the excitement comes in. You know that one of these teams is going to win, but which one? It’s a fun question to ponder as you throw your head back and scream at the top of your lungs in the meantime.
How Do I Place The Right Sport Bet?
When deciding which sports to bet on, it’s important to consider which teams are most likely to win. Sometimes it’s easy and you know exactly which team is going to cover the spread: the Patriots will beat the Rams, for example, or the Red Sox will beat the Yankees. Other times, it’s much more difficult to figure out who will win, especially since it’s rarely a clear-cut matchup, as evidenced by the previous example. This is where smart sports betting comes in.
One of the best things about sports betting is that it removes the stress of trying to figure out who will win each and every game. Depending on your betting preference and the size of your wager, you may get an idea of how the game is going to play out before the final whistle.
For instance, let’s say you like to bet on the over-under and you decide to place a $100 wager. If you look at the odds for the Rams – New England game, you’ll see that the over is -180 and the under is +140. Since you’re placing a wager on the over, you may feel pretty good about your pick, as the odds are in your favor. However, if you look at the same odds for the Redskins – New England game, you’ll see that the over is +130 and the under is -170. In this case, you’d better start practicing your golf swing, as the odds are against you.
In general, when betting on the NFL, you should avoid those games where the over/under is 48 or more yards. Also, pay close attention to the spread in the game you choose, as this can vary from -3 to 3 points, and you may lose a lot of money if you don’t keep up with the odds. For instance, if you bet $100 on the under bet in the Bengals – Steelers game and the final score was 25-20, you’d lose your money because the spread was 4 points, while if you’d bet $100 on the over you would’ve won $400, since the spread was 3 points.
What Are Some Popular Strategies When Placing A Bet?
PlentyOfFish’s analysis of NBA season win/loss records over the last five years shows that the teams that have won the most games rely on three basic strategies: 1) They score a lot of points; 2) They prevent their opponent from scoring; and 3) They hit a lot of three-pointers.
Let’s examine these strategies in turn.
They Score A Lot Of Points
There are several ways in which a team can score a lot of points. The most popular method is to simply rack up a large lead and coast to victory. Take a look at the 2014-15 Golden State Warriors for instance. They finished with the third-best offense in the NBA last year and they did it without Kevin Durant, who was injured for most of the year. Even during the regular season, when KD was healthy, they couldn’t consistently keep up with the offensively explosive Cleveland Cavaliers.
Durant’s injury and the resulting shortened season allowed the Warriors to take advantage of the fact that matchups against weaker opponents became easier. They were in the fortunate position of having Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green as their starting forwards, while adding Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston at the guard position. This gave them the flexibility to spread the floor with multiple shooters, which enabled them to launch an offensive attack on any given possession. They finished with the fourth-best offense in the NBA, despite missing the entire postseason.
They Prevent Their Opponent From Scoring
The second popular strategy is to prevent your opponent from scoring. This is typically done through either defense or goaltending, with the two being effectively the same. The key is to focus on the fact that every team will have an equal number of offensive and defensive possessions in a game. This being said, defense is typically the more popular option among teams that want to succeed in sports betting.
Take a look at last year’s defending champion San Francisco 49ers for example. They finished with the second-best defense in the NFL, only losing four games all year long. This kind of balance is extremely important, as it makes a significant difference in terms of how well a team can do in sports betting.
They Make A Lot Of Three-pointers
The last popular strategy is to make a lot of three-pointers. This can be done in a variety of ways. The most common method is to have a lot of shooters on the roster. The more shooters a team has, the more opportunities they have to make three-pointers. In order to make this work, you need to add another dimension to your roster, meaning that you either have to let a player go or trade for a new one. If you want to successfully place a bet on the NBA, you have to incorporate this strategy into your plan.