When you bet on sports, you normally place a wager – whether it’s $2 or $100 – on the outcome of a game. Most people don’t give it much thought, but behind the scenes, there’s a lot more happening than you’d think.
What Is a -110 Betting Line?
When you bet on sports, you normally place a wager – whether it’s $2 or $100 – on the outcome of a game. Most people don’t give it much thought, but behind the scenes, there’s a lot more happening than you’d think.
The line item in question here is the “wager,” and for the sake of our explanation, we’ll break it down into two parts:
- The amount “bet”
- On what is the bet (sports, event, etc)
Let’s start with what is the bet.
The first part of a wager is the amount you’re placing on the line. This could be any amount, from $2 to $100 (or more), but it’s most common for people to lay down between $2 and $5 on each game they play. The reason for this is simple: for someone who normally bets $2 on a game, a -110 betting line is essentially the same as a +110 line. The key takeaway from this is that it’s a lot easier to win money when you’re playing the underdog.
For the sake of this explanation, let’s assume that you’re a football fan and you want to bet on the Super Bowl. You might not know that $5 can be wagered on a single game in Vegas. You might assume that it’s illegal for sportsbooks to take wagers of that size, but that’s not the case. In order to comply with sports gambling laws, books like Las Vegas will set different limits based on how big a fan you are. For example, if you’re a diehard Detroit Lions fan, you might only be able to bet $2 on that team.
On What is the Bet?
The second part of a wager is the material on which it is being placed. This can be anything, from actual sports events like football games to things like celebrity-related wagers or political contests. It can even be something as simple as the outcome of a dog show, where you’re betting on which three dogs will finish in the top three spots. What isn’t commonly accepted is a wager placed on a team that you support in another sport – like, for example, placing a bet on the New York Yankees to beat the Boston Red Sox. It’s not allowed, and for very good reason. When a bookie takes a wager on a sports team, they’re essentially taking sides in the rivalry between the two organizations. This could lead to serious consequences, especially if the bookie is also taking bets on which player will win a particular game. This is why it’s generally not accepted to bet on a team that you also support in another sport.
Why Are Some Lines Banned While Others Are Not?
As we mentioned earlier, some lines are more legal than others. This generally has to do with how the sportsbook gets its money. If a bookmaker takes wagers of varying sizes on different games, they need to be able to cover their costs somehow, which is where most books get their money from. If the government decides to crack down on sportsbooks, it might limit what kinds of wagers they can accept. It would also affect how much they can charge for each wager, since large wagers usually earn the books more money.
There are also lines that are just avoided because they’re too easy to win or lose. The vast majority of sportsbooks steer clear of –110 betting lines because they’re considered “no brainers.” What this means is that if the lines are set at –110, it’s basically a given that the Giants will beat the Patriots – no debate. Everyone knows this is going to happen. This can lead to an adverse selection bias, where people start leaving the market because they have a clear understanding of what’s going to happen. It also skews the odds heavily in favor of the favorite – and that’s not good for anyone involved in a side-betting controversy. This kind of line is usually set at even amounts, like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers versus the Los Angeles Chargers. It’s not an ideal situation to find yourself in when you’re betting the Bucs because it’s so easy to see how they’ll win this game. The last thing you want to do is spend your entire bankroll on something that’s practically a sure thing.
The Risks of Betting
Of course, there’s always the chance that you could lose the entire wager. This is why, when you’re betting, it’s important to keep in mind the risks as well as the potential rewards. When you lose a wager, you’re usually out the money you lost plus the vigorish (or additional charges) from the bookie. It’s also important to remember that when you play in a real world setting, the risks are generally greater than they would be in a casino, simply because there’s more money on the line. While the risk of getting sick or injured while playing is very low in a casino (especially in comparison to the risks associated with real life) it’s very high if you’re taking part in sports outside the safety of a controlled environment.
How to Place a Wager
Now that you’re aware of what a -110 betting line is and why it’s important, let’s discuss how to place one. First off, it’s important to note that this isn’t something you want to do regularly or even on a semi-regular basis. This is basically a last resort kind of bet, more of a strategic move than anything else. If you’re planning on placing a wager, you need to have determined that its outcome will have a significant impact on your life, not just on the life of the person you’re betting on. Things like winning the lottery and hitting it big on the horses are both amazing accomplishments, but they shouldn’t be the reason you’re entering the sports betting world. You’ll be better off in the long run if you continue to believe that sports are for fun and entertainment, than you will if you try to make serious money from it.
If you’re planning on placing a wager, you need to have determined that its outcome will have a significant impact on your life, not just on the life of the person you’re betting on. Things like winning the lottery and hitting it big on the horses are both amazing accomplishments, but they shouldn’t be the reason you’re entering the sports betting world. You’ll be better off in the long run if you continue to believe that sports are for fun and entertainment, than you will if you try to make serious money from it.
Deciding to participate in sports wagering can be a major life transformation. You’re no longer limited to the choices that the bookmakers offer, but instead, you have the opportunity to choose the winner of the game you love the most, and then use that knowledge to help you win money or to recover losses in the future. What’s important is that you remain confident and hopeful that this is a worthwhile endeavor, and continue to place your bets, even when things get a little dicey. This is the surest way to ensure your success and to have fun with it.