Basketball is a sport that has been around for more than a century now, and it continues to grow in popularity every year. There are countless of games that you can watch and bet on, but sometimes understanding the betting terminology can be a little difficult. In this article, we will break down the meaning of some of the most commonly used betting terms in basketball so that you can make better wagers on game day.
Over:
The over is the amount of money required to place a wager, expressed in the same way as the point spread in sports betting. For example, if you wager $100 on the over for a particular basketball game, you are essentially saying that you believe the game will end in a score closer to 120 than to 109. If your team scores more than the over, you win the bet. If your team scores less than the over, you lose the bet. It is important to know that some books will not allow you to select the over as one of your wagers because they consider it an extremely steep bet that is almost impossible to win.
Under:
The under is the opposite of the over, in that it is the amount of money you will win if the score of the game ends up being closer to the number you wager than to the number you are betting against. For example, if you wager $100 on the under for a particular basketball game, you are saying that you believe the final score in that game will be either a 107-point victory or a 65-point defeat. In the same way as the over, if your team scores more than the under, you win the bet. If your team scores less than the under, you lose the bet. It is important to note that some books will not allow you to select the under as one of your wagers because they consider it a very tricky bet to back.
Street:
The street is the collective name for the various sportsbooks that operate in the U.S. These shops offer all the usual betting choices, such as point spreads and totals, but they also offer some more obscure wagering opportunities, such as individual player performances and moneylines. One of the most popular sportsbooks is undoubtedly Bovada, which offers the NFL and some other sports, as well as the NBA. Another popular option is Bodog, which formerly offered MMA fights as well as the NBA and NFL. Since those sports are no longer available, Bodog has restricted itself to the standard sportsbook options of the major leagues. If you are unfamiliar with sportsbooks, make sure to check out our guide to choosing the best sportsbook for yourself.
Moneyline:
The moneyline is the most basic type of wager offered at a sporting venue. It is usually presented as either “win money” or “take money”, depending on whether you want to win or lose money on the wager. For example, if you wager $100 on the over/under for a particular game, the moneyline will be presented as either “over/under” or “under/over”, with the former representing your wager and the latter indicating the opposite. The moneyline is extremely popular because it is essentially a 50/50 shot, which most people feel is akin to a free gamble. In some places, you can even place multiple moneylines on a single game, offering you the opportunity to hedge your bets or change your mind about which way the score will go. While this feature is not available in every sportsbook, it does give the bettor the opportunity to make the most of his or her half chances.
Totals:
The totals are the total scores of each team in a particular game. For example, if you wager $100 on the totals for a particular NBA game, you are saying that you believe the final score in that game will be either 111 points or 100 points. The bettor wins the wager if the score is closer to the number he or she wagers than to the number on the board. In the case of a tie, the bettor loses his or her wager. Fortunately, most sportsbooks will enter the scores from prior games into the totals for the current game, making them easy to check before and after the bet is placed.
Point Spread:
The point spread is the amount of points by which one team is favored over another. For example, if you bet $100 on the point spread for a particular NBA game, you are saying that you believe the spread will be either 5 or 6 points. If your team is the favorite, you win the bet. If your team is the underdog, you lose the bet. In some places, you can even bet on which direction the point spread will go, with bets like “+3” or “-3” appearing on the board as the spread gets closer to the point where it will be settled on. In case of a tie, the books will usually do what is called a “straight-up”, where both teams will earn whatever is wagered. In this way, the books ensure that every wager is a winning one, offering the point spread as a means of creating additional revenue streams.
Expected Score:
The expected score is simply the point spread combined with the total scores of each team in a particular matchup. For example, if you expect the score of a particular NBA game to be 110-105 in favor of the underdogs, you will need to wager $110 to win $105. You will lose your bet if the game ends up being closer to your prediction than to the number of points you wagered on it. In the event of a tie, the books will usually do what is called a “straight-up”, where both teams earn whatever is wagered.
Takeaway:
The takeaway is the total amount of money won or lost on a wager. For example, let us assume that you wager $100 on the over/under for a particular NBA game and your team wins. In this case, you will earn $200 because your wager was won. On the other hand, if your team loses the bet, you will lose $100 because your gain was offset by your loss.
Bookmaker:
The bookmaker is the person or organization that administers the wagers at the book. For example, if you wager $100 on the over/under for a particular game between the Knicks and the Heat, but the Knicks win the game by 4 points, the bookmaker will take $100 from you as a sign of winning the bet. He or she will then give the Heat credit for the remainder of the bet, in this case $96, as the bookmaker’s credit is typically smaller than the bet amount. In some cases, bookmakers will require you to deposit money with them before you can place a wager, in order to ensure that you have sufficient funds to cover your wagers. In other cases, they may allow you to place bets without needing to be funded with money first.