Betting the moneyline in NFL playoffs
LAS VEGAS, NV (The Spread) – When you ponder whether to bet on a sporting event like football or basketball, one of the first things that comes to mind is whether your side can cover the spread.
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Wouldn’t it be easier to just lay money on the winning side without having to worry about the spread?
Another option for bettors in basketball and football is wagering on the Money Line. This allows you to pick the winner of the game without worrying about the point spread.
Just as with the point spread, bettors are asked to lay 11-to-10 odds and risk $11 to win $10 on each over/under wager.
The money line odds on an NBA game will look something like:
Toronto Raptors -300
Washington Wizards +240
What this means is that bettors taking the Raptors are asked to put up $30 to win $10, while those believing the Wizards will win are asked to risk $10 to win $24.
Oddsmakers set the money line so that more money must be risked on the favorite (the expected winner) and less money on the underdog in an effort to balance the willingness of bettors to back the respective sides of a contest.
In football, let’s say San Francisco takes on San Diego in the Super Bowl. The 49ers would probably be at least 7.5-point favorites to beat the Chargers, but -265 to win the game on the money line. So you have to wager $265 to win $100 on the 49ers. If San Francisco wins by 30-24, but fails to cover the spread, you can still win on the money line.
As the NFL playoffs continue and the NBA gears up for the second half, you know there are other options to bet other than wagering on the spread and over/under.
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