Most people are familiar with moneyline betting—you place a wager on the outcome of a sporting event and the bookmaker will pay you if your team wins. However, there is another form of betting which is equally as exciting and has recently gained popularity: alt receiving yards (or ARY’s for short).
What is alt receiving yards in betting?
The way that most sportsbooks operate, you’ll place a standard wager on the outcome of a sporting event, be it football, baseball, or tennis. However, instead of focusing on whether your favorite team will win or lose, you wager on which team will score the most receiving yards.
For example, if you’ve got a strong feeling that Michigan will beat Ohio State in the Big Ten football game this coming Saturday, you might want to place your bet on Michigan to score the most receiving yards. If you’re feeling especially daring, you might even go so far as to bet on both teams to score equal amounts of receiving yards.
The reason for this is that in addition to betting on the sporting events, you’re also wagering on the total number of receiving yards scored by each team. If you’re convinced that one team is going to score a tad more receiving yards than the other, then you’ll certainly want to bet on that team to score the most receiving yards.
So let’s break down the exact format of a single play and how it works.
First Down:
The first down is essential in any sporting game, as it signifies that the offense has begun their possession of the ball. When the defense catches the ball, they get a chance to start from scratch and try to score a touchdown.
On first down, the linebacker will almost certainly be covering the slot receiver, and the defensive back covering the outside receiver. The quarterback will be under center and will hand the ball off to the running back as he breaks out of the pocket. The running back will usually head straight for the defensive line to gain a few more yards and attempt to break a tackle.
Most sportbooks will show you how many yards the team consumed on first down (sometimes also called the possession value), so you’ll be able to see how many yards the offensive line progresses on each play. First down is critical in scoring a sport—if the defense doesn’t commit a fumble or an interception on first down, then the offense will have a chance to possess the ball for the whole game.
Second Down:
The second down is similar to the first down, but on second down, the linebacker will be covering the slot receiver, while the defensive back covering the outside receiver. The quarterback will still be under center, but rather than hand the ball off to the running back, he will keep the ball and attempt to find an open receiver. A quarterback with a good arm will often keep the ball in breeze and throw curves and slants to open up receiving channels for the passing attack.
On the second down play, the tight end will be pulling double duty, as he’ll be blocking and also recieving passes. The receivers will once again be aligned in a niche, with one lined up underneath the overhang of the linebacker, and the other sticking to the sideways or flagging down the field. If the offense manages to move the ball down the field and into the red zone, they’ll start seeing open streaking receivers who can run after the catch.
If the defense does manage to stifle the attack and force the offensive team to settlement for a punt, then the defense will get a chance to recover the ball. However, they’ll have to go back to zero and start from scratch, like the first down.
Third Down:
On third down, the linebacker will be dropping into a more passive role, while the safety or the cornerback will be responsible for taking on the receiver. The quarterback will be taking more detached aims in finding open space for a passing attack, as he isn’t going to be tackling anyone and risking an injury.
On third down, the running back will again be tackling (or at least attempting to tackle) the defensive line every down. However, the linebacker will not be blocked by the line of defense, as they’re moving back to cover the receivers. Third down is often referred to as the red zone, because that’s exactly where the offensive plays are going to be aimed—the red zone is that tiny sliver of space between the line of defense and the outer edge of the purple zone. If the offensive line moves the ball into the red zone and down the field, they’ll start seeing more open space for the receiving attack.
Long Distance Receiving:
Finally, we come to long distance receiving (or LDR), the final play in a sport. On long distance receiving, the linebacker will be folded over to cover both the slot receiver and also be responsible for picking off the long passes. The safety will once again be in charge of covering the receiver on the outside, while the cornerback will be responsible for handling the inside receivers. The pass rushing star will still be aligned on the blind side of the linebacker and will blast past the defensive line—however, when the ball is thrown, the linebacker will be moving toward the passing attack to take on the receiver.