You place a wager on the game, you’re given two choices: money line or spread. What is the difference and when should you use each? Let’s dive in.
What Is The Moneyline?
The moneyline is the amount of money you wager on either team winning the game. For example, if the moneyline is $100, then you’re betting $100 that the Browns will win the game, or the Ravens will cover the spread. You can’t win money on the moneyline if your team doesn’t show up to play; it’s as simple as that. You can, however, win money on the moneyline if both teams show up to play but you pick the wrong one. Money lines are pretty self-explanatory, but sometimes they can be a bit confusing. For instance, if the line is totally open, that means whatever team you pick will win the game with no regard to the spread. If you’re picking between the Giants and the Cowboys, you might want to consider betting on the over/under instead. That’ll give you some leeway if one of the teams you’ve chosen doesn’t show up. The bottom line is this: you can’t win money on a moneyline if your team doesn’t show up or if they lose the game anyway. That’s why it’s best to avoid using them when you’ve got a bad feeling about the game. You’re better off knowing what you’re getting into instead of trying to muscle your way into a win with some strange line.
The Spread
The spread is the amount of points you’ll get if you choose one team to win the game versus the amount of points you’ll get if you choose the other. For example, the spread between the Browns and the Ravens is 3 points, which means if you’ve got $100 to wager on the game, you stand to win $300 if the Browns win and $100 if the Ravens win. You can, however, bet on the spread and still win if one of the teams you’ve chosen loses the game. The downside to the spread is it requires a little more work. You’ve got to do a bit of research beforehand to find out what the spread is and what the betting line is. That means you’ve got to check the books or look up the stats online before placing your bet. Research is key when using the spread because you don’t want to place your bet on a game that you’ve already lost interest in. You want to be sure that the game is still worth watching or paying attention to. The upside to the spread is it allows you to have more flexibility when placing your bet. If you’re only getting $100 to wager on the game, you might not want to choose the over/under since that’ll mean you’ll win or lose the full $100 no matter what. With the spread you have the option of winning $300 or losing $100, which is a much better option if you’re just getting started. As long as you do your research beforehand and know what you’re getting into, the spread is a fantastic alternative to the moneyline. Don’t feel like you’ve got to choose between the two; there’s a reason why they’re both popular options among sports bettors.
Which One Should You Bet On?
There are times when it’s best to use the moneyline and times when it’s best to use the spread. One of the main reasons is based on how much confidence you have in each team. If you’ve got confidence in a team to cover the spread, then it’s best to go that way. If you’ve got confidence in a team to win the game, then it’s best to go with the moneyline. There are times when you’ve got confidence in a team to win but the odds are against you, so it’s best to avoid those types of bets if you’ve got any. Confidence is key when it comes to betting because you want to make sure that you’re not putting too much faith in something that might not pay off. It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to betting, especially when you’re starting out. If you’re new to betting, then it’s best to stay away from the moneyline and take some time to learn how to use the spread.
It might be tempting to go with the moneyline since it’s what you’re more used to, but if you’re just getting started then you might want to avoid it. The first rule of betting is be sure you know what you’re doing, and the second rule of betting is know when to stop. You don’t want to bet on a game that you’ve already lost interest in because it’ll be difficult to get your money back if you do end up losing. That’s why it’s best to stay away from the moneyline if you’ve got any interest in betting on sports. It’s also important to note that there are times when it’s best to check the moneyline before the spread. Sometimes you get numbers that are just too good to pass up regardless of whether or not you’ve got confidence in the team to cover the spread. If you find yourself in that situation, it’s best to go with the moneyline to make sure you get your money back. The key is to find the right situation and the right time to use each type of bet. It might be difficult to know what those are at first, but with practice and time, you’ll become an expert and know exactly when and where to use each type of bet.