Have you ever wondered about the + sign when it appears in the odds of a sports game or a slot machine game? You’re not alone. We looked into this, wondering what exactly the + sign means. Here’s what we found.
What Is the + Sign?
The + sign indicates that the particular event, team, or horse you’re wagering on is + (plus) the juice, or + (plus) the vigorish, or + (plus) the bankroll. So, for example, if you’re betting on a hockey game and the hockey team (+4) runs a score (4) in the first period of a game, you’re going to win ($100) plus $4, or $104. To give you some sense of how this works, imagine you’re playing 100 pairs of rock, paper, scissors. If you win, you get to choose which hand the dealer shoots in the next round. So you’re effectively getting an extra game for free.
How Do I Use It?
When you see the + sign in the betting odds, it simply means that the particular team, event, or horse you’re wagering on is + (plus) something. You’ll notice that the team, event, or horse will be listed adjacent to the + sign. For example, if you’re watching the Super Bowl and see that the Seahawks (+2) are against the Redskins (+2), this simply means that the Seahawks are + (plus) twice as good as the Redskins. In the case of the Seahawks vs. The Redskins, the Seahawks are + (plus) twice as good as the Redskins.
Exceptions
Although this + (plus) sign indicates that the team, event, or horse is + (plus) something, this doesn’t always mean that it’s easy money. Sometimes, you’ll see a – (minus) sign instead of a + (plus) sign in the betting odds. When this happens, it means that the team, event, or horse is – (minus) something. For instance, if you’re watching the Super Bowl and the Seahawks are – (minus) 2 against the Redskins, this means that the Seahawks are – (minus) twice as good as the Redskins. In the case of the Seahawks vs. The Redskins, the Seahawks are – (minus) twice as good as the Redskins.
These odds alterations – (plus) sign for good teams, – (minus) sign for bad teams – are important to keep in mind. They can make or break your penny pinching. So if you see a big difference in winning percentage between two teams, it’s usually a good idea to bet on the favorite. If the favorite loses, it’s usually not such a good idea because the loss isn’t necessarily owing to a fundamental flaw in the underdog’s play but may be a result of the difference in skill. The – (minus) sign can also appear in the odds in the case of a predictable game, such as a college football or a basketball game between two similarly ranked teams. In these cases, you’d bet on the underdog to reduce your chances of losing your wager.
What About The Half (+) And Half (–) Sign?
The half (+) sign indicates that a particular team, event, or horse is equal (plus) the half (+) of what it is worth. For example, if you see that the Seahawks (+2) are against the Broncos (–2) in the odds, this means that the Seahawks are plus (plus) half as good as the Broncos. In the case of the Seahawks vs. The Broncos, the Seahawks are plus half as good as the Broncos.
Why Are The Odds Altered?
There are several reasons why the odds might be altered in this way. First, the bookmaker might have an agreement with the team, event, or horse to affect the odds in a particular way. Second, the odds might be set by a government or some other form of authority and can’t be changed by individual gamblers or small groups of gamblers. Third, the odds might be adjusted to make the game more or less even keel. Fourth, the odds might be adjusted to enhance the gamblers’ odds of winning. These may be legal or illegal games or events, but it’s best to stay within the rules. Fifth, some jurisdictions may disallow some forms of wagering while others might permit it. Lastly, some books allow you to view the odds before, during, and after the game while others don’t. It’s best to look at the book to see what the current odds are before you place or renew a bet.
What Are The Most Popular Sports + (Plus) Signals?
It’s the + (plus) sign that seems to pop up the most in the form of alternate nouns and adjectives when speaking of sports wagers. For example, if you’re playing college football and the home team wins by a score of 6 to 3, you might see that the Aggies (+6) are good at making wagers with the + (plus) sign. Similarly, if you’re playing college basketball and the home team wins by a score of 6 to 3, you might see that the Athertons (+6) are good at making wagers with the + (plus) sign.
The – (minus) sign appears to appear the least, if at all, when speaking of sports wagers. For instance, if you’re playing college football and the home team wins by a score of 12 to 0, you might see that the Notre Dames (–12) are bad at making wagers with the – (minus) sign. Similarly, if you’re playing college basketball and the home team wins by a score of 12 to 0, you might see that the Santa Ricas (–12) are bad at making wagers with the – (minus) sign.
How Do I Calculate My Bets?
If you’re new to betting or if simply want to gain an understanding of how to calculate your bets for a sport parlay, you can start with this simple formula: