An over under is when you place a bet on the total number of goals that will be scored in a game. Also known as over/unders, or O/U, it’s one of the most popular betting themes out there. It’s simple to understand–you’re backing the underachievers (score less than the total posted) vs the overachievers (score more than the total posted). You can also take the under on the over (if the favorite scores more than the total, you win) or the over on the under (if the underdog scores more than the total, you win).
Here’s an example: Let’s say you’ve got a basketball game between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers. Before the game begins, you place a bet on the total number of points that will be scored in the game. The Warriors are 27.5-point favourites, so if you’re betting on points, you’re going to lose your money. But if the Lakers score more than 27.5 points, then you win. That makes sense, right?
The truth is a little more complicated. The point spread is not the only factor you need to consider here, since you also need to look at the over/under and how that will affect the point spread. Here’s some more information about the over under and how to use it to your advantage.
The Over Under As Betting Measure
Just like the point spread, the over/under is not something you should bet on lightly. In fact, you should only bet on the over under if you’re confident that the point spread and over/under will behave in the way you expect them to. Let’s take a closer look at how the over/under affects the point spread.
The Over Under and the Point Spread
If you remember back to our previous example, the total number of points scored in our game between the Golden State Warriors and Lakers was 77.5. But what if we told you the spread between the two teams was 10 points? That means the Warriors were actually 28 points underdogs, right?
Well, the spread only represents one of the two numbers you need to consider when betting on the over/under. The other is the over/under itself. If you remember back to our previous example, the point spread was calculated as 77.5 – 27.5 = 49 points. But if the over/under was 20 points, the total number of points would be 88 – 28 = 60. In that case, you’d win $10 on the over under, rather than just the $2 on the point spread.
Why is this important? It’s important because not all numbers in sports are created equal. The point spread is often more valuable than the over/under, since it has a direct impact on the final outcome of the game. If you’re not careful, you can actually lose MORE money gambling on the point spread than you would betting on the over/under. This is why you should only bet on the over/under if you’re confident that it will behave in the way you expect it to.
Betting On The Total Number Of Goals
Another way to gamble on sports is to bet on the total number of goals that will be scored in a game. To do this, you need to set your stake on the number of goals that will be scored in the game, regardless of the team’s final score. So, if you bet $2 on the number of goals scored in that particular game, you’ll need to settle up with $2 on the winner-take-all ticket when the game ends. As you might expect, this is one of the more popular ways to gamble on sports. It’s simple, it’s easy to understand, and it has a high payout (you’ll win a large sum of money if your pick scores exactly the number of goals you’ve staked on).
That’s not to say this kind of betting is without its risks. For one thing, there’s always the possibility your pick scores less goals than you’ve staked on it. In that case, you lose your money. But there’s also the risk of losing a large sum of money if your pick scores more goals than you’ve staked on it. Inevitably, there’s always the risk of getting your money back if your pick scores an absurd amount of goals, but that’s part of the fun of gambling, right?
Here’s an example of betting on the total number of goals. Let’s say you’ve got a game between the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks. Before the game begins, you place a bet on the total number of goals that will be scored in the game. The Red Wings are a 4.5-goal favorite, so if you’re betting on goals, you’re going to lose your money. However, if the Blackhawks score more than 4.5 goals, then you win. That makes sense, right?
Again, the truth is a little more complicated. The point spread is not the only factor you need to consider here, since you also need to look at the over/under and how that will affect the point spread. What’s important to remember is that not all numbers in sports are created equal. Just like the point spread, the total number of goals is only as good as your expectation for how many goals the game will end up being. If you’re not careful, you can actually lose MORE money gambling on the total number of goals than you would betting on the over/under.
Which One Should You Bet On?
Well, that’s a hard question to answer. It really depends on what you know and/or believe about the game. If you have strong feelings about either team, you might want to consider betting on the spread. However, if you think it’s a coin flip as to who will win the game, you might want to consider betting on the total number of goals.
In short, you should consider all the angles when betting on sports. But if you want to make sure you’re not risking more than you can afford to lose, then you should probably stick with the point spread. Now, if you really want to get in on the action and experience something new, then you can’t go wrong betting on the total number of goals. So, remember: not all numbers in sports are created equal, and sometimes you can win MORE money by betting on the underdogs than you can by betting on the favorites. Just keep in mind the risks associated with each type of bet before you make your move.