The classic sports bet is on which team will win, but there are many other exciting results to bet on. One of the best is to bet on how many total points you expect to get in a game. This type of bet is called Over / Under bets or Total bets.
It all starts when the bookmaker places a line in front of a match to predict how many combined points they think both teams will score. As a player, you can choose whether you think the final combined points for both teams will be more (Over) or less (Under) than the expected line of the casino. If you are unfamiliar with this type of bet, it may seem confusing at first. It doesn't matter because we are here to help you. This article explains how Over/Under bets work.
What does Over/Under mean?
Over/Under is a series of odds where you bet on whether the combined score will be over or under the total predicted by the odds makers.
If you think more points will be scored than the expected total, bet on the Over. If you think fewer runs will be scored than the expected total, bet on Under.
Over/under bets or total bets are one of the most popular options for sports bettors along with the point spread and money line. Total bets are simply based on the number of points scored, with no connection to the outcome of the match.
How does Over / Under bets work?
Over / Under bets are one of the easiest and potentially profitable bets and because it is available in every sport, it is worth familiarizing yourself with how it works.
Oddsmakers calculate how they think each team will perform in the game and combine those numbers into a prediction of the total number of points both teams will score.
Here are the key points to remember about Totals betting:
🔹An Over / Under line bet in sports is a bet that only takes into account the total number of points scored in the game.
🔹As an example, if the casino line for a baseball Totals bet is 6.5, an Over bet wins if both teams score combined seven or more points and an Under bet wins if they score combined six points or less.
🔹It doesn't matter which sport you intend to bet on and regardless of whether one team can dominate the other, you can bet on the total points line.
🔹Usually, the odds on both Over and Under bets are the same. This is because the casino always tries to establish a line that attracts equal action from the betting public on both sides of the line.
🔹The odds on over / under bets are generally -110, with the 10% extra representing the casino commission. A line with a -110% probability is called a Dime Line. 🔹Typically, you can expect the line to be similar or close to -110, but that won't always be the case. Sometimes you can see a line like O -105 / U -115. Or even O +105 / U -125.
How is Over/Under determined?
Odds makers consider many factors when setting the Over/Under total, beyond the basic offensive and defensive stats of the teams involved.
Weather can have a significant impact on scoring in outdoor sports like soccer and baseball, with wind being the strongest conditions. Lineups, injuries, training schedules, home and away results and scheduling are also measured by oddsmakers when setting over/under odds.
The amount of money bet on Over or under can also establish the total. When more money is bet on the Over, sportsbook can increase the total to entice bets on the Under. When more money is bet on the under, sportsbook can decrease the total to draw money on the Over.
How to bet the Over/Under?
Before making a bet on Over / Under, you must decide whether the collective score is more or less than the odds makers total and if you have to bet now or later - because the Over / Under might change. Then you would like to understand the vig / juice on the total and how much you can win.
As with all sports betting, over/under betting lines can be confusing at first. However, once you know the basics, you will find that they are actually quite simple.
Let's look at an example of an MLB baseball Total bet where the odds for Over and Under are same:
Over/Under
Red Sox+9.5O (-110)
Orioles +9.5U (-110)
The Over/Under line in this game is 9.5 runs. This means that if both teams score a combined 10 or more runs, the result counts as an Over. If less than 10 runs are scored, the result counts as Under.
With odds of -110, you need to bet $110 on either team to win $100 in profits.
Now let's look at an example where the sportsbook offers slightly different odds for each team:
Over/Under
Red Sox+9.5O (-110)
Orioles +9.5U (+105)
In this example, you would have to bet $110 on the Red Sox to win $100 in profit, but a $100 bet on the Orioles will get you $105 in profit.
Start to Place Over/Under Bets Now
By now you can probably consider yourself an expert when it comes to over/under betting. Maybe not an expert yet, but you definitely have all the information needed to become one. Although the bet is extremely easy to understand, it will still take some hard work to beat the books. You will need to invest time and effort in your research, but the hard work will pay off.
The bottom line is that Total betting are a great way to bet money on your favorite team or gain an edge if you're a serious sports player. Follow our advice and you will have another effective tool in your sports betting bag. Good luck!
Comments