What Is 15/2 in Betting in the USA?
You may be familiar with combining odds to make smaller profits in sports betting – perhaps you’ve even done it yourself. But, have you ever wondered what those odds actually mean? What is the relationship between the oddsmakers and the outcomes of the events they’re betting on? How can you use this to your advantage? Let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of getting the best odds possible when betting on sports in the United States.
Odds Of Success
To begin with, it’s important to understand just what odds mean in sports betting. When you place a bet on a sporting event, the odds makers will give you two figures to consider: the first is the money line, which simply states whether the sports events you’re interested in will end up being won or lost by the teams you support. The second number, represented by the bookmaker, is the spread. The spread takes the form of odds-to-win, so for example, if you bet on the New York Jets at -2.5 and the spread is 6, then you’re betting on the Jets to win the game 6.5 to 2.5 – in other words, you’ll win $100 if the Jets win the game and you bet $100 on them.
Why Are The Odds So Important?
Before we dive into how to get the best possible odds when betting on sports in the USA, let’s first look at why the odds are so important. Imagine you’re backing the Cleveland Browns in a football game. You want to ensure you make a profit no matter what happens, so you look to the bookmakers for advice. According to them, the best odds you’ll get are +2.5 for the Cleveland Browns to win the game.
Based on this information, you put down a $100 bet. If the Browns win the game, you’ll actually win $150 – a $50 profit. But if they lose, you’ll lose your $100 bet, resulting in a $50 loss. By taking the time to find out the best odds available for your preferred NBA, NFL, or NCAA teams, you can ensure you make the right choice and maximize your profits in any betting scheme.
How Do I Find The Best Odds?
As you might imagine, there are multiple ways to find the best odds available when betting on sports in the United States. Most bookmakers will have an odds calculator tool, which you can use to find the best odds for any given sporting event. Simply enter the relevant information about the game (such as the names of the competing teams, the date, and time) and the tool will compute the best available odds (expressed in your selected denomination).
You can also use an online database of odds, such as sportsinteractive.com, to find the best odds available for any sportsbook – regardless of whether you’re betting on games in the United States or internationally.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, finding the best odds when betting on sports in the United States is simply a matter of understanding what they are and how to find them. Combining odds to make smaller profits isn’t exactly a unique concept, but it’s certainly a viable one when betting on sports in the USA. Using the information we discussed above, let’s say you want to bet on the Cleveland Browns in an NFL game. You can do so using the below form, where you’ll need to select the game, the team you support, and whether you’re placing a win or lose bet (you don’t need to specify the betting amount):
By entering the game, team, and desired outcome you can select the best available odds from a spread of +2.5 to -2.5. Simply entering the information above will present you with the following format:
Alternatively, you can use a tool to find the best odds available for any given NBA, NFL, or NCAA game. As you’d expect, the bigger the game, the more significant the odds will be. And, as mentioned above, odds can vary based on the sport. For example, a college basketball game will usually have more available odds than an NFL game.
Remember: Getting the best odds possible is as simple as selecting the team you support and the desired outcome and using the numbers provided by the bookmakers to make the right choice. Doing so will ensure you make the right choice and maximize your profits in any betting scheme.