Whether you’re betting on a basketball game or a baseball game, there are a number of factors you need to know to make a winning bet. While you’ll have good days and bad days, you can reduce your losses by using a flat-betting strategy. This means wagering the same amount on every game and risking one to five percent of your bankroll on each play.
Point spreads
Point spreads in sports betting provide bettors with a way to evaluate the margin of victory for a game. For example, you can wager on the Kansas Jayhawks to win by three points against the Oklahoma Sooners. If the game is close, a point spread of -34.5 would be appropriate. However, you might not want to make that bet if you think Kansas will beat Oklahoma by five touchdowns. In this case, you would bet a little more conservatively and get your money back.
To calculate point spreads, you must consider several factors. For example, home-field advantage plays a major role. In a game between the New England Patriots and Philadelphia 76ers, the Philadelphia 76ers would be a 4.5-point underdog. In both football and basketball, home-field advantage is often worth a couple of points. Then, you must factor in other factors, such as the team’s current form and injury history, to make a sound decision.
Moneyline bets
A moneyline bet is a type of bet in which you do not place your bet based on the point spread. You must choose a team or side to win the game and, in some cases, also place a bet on the draw. This is the case in soccer, European football, and boxing/MMA matches.
Moneyline odds can either be positive or negative. A positive number indicates that the favorite is expected to win and a negative number means that the underdog is likely to win. The positive moneyline odds are the total number of bettors who will win $100 if they bet on the favorite.
Prop bets
There are many types of prop bets in sports betting. Some people take sports betting very seriously and put money on things that aren’t strictly related to the game. For instance, some people like to bet on the distance the ball will travel during a golf game. While this type of wager may not seem like the most professional way to bet, it can be a lot of fun.
While most sportsbooks only break out their revenue by individual sports, the activity is still a large part of their overall sports betting revenue. Prop bets are often the first bets that people make when they start sports betting.
Totals bets
Totals bets in sports betting are popular in almost every sport. They are especially popular in games that are high-scoring. Baseball, for instance, has its own version of an over/under bet, referred to as a ‘win total’. The odds for over/under bets are typically listed in the third column of a baseball game’s odds sheet. The same goes for NBA games, as there is no correlation between the Jazz and the Hawks.
When placing a total bet, it is important to understand the factors that are involved in determining the outcome of a game. A team’s offense and defense will influence the total score. If a team is playing fast-paced defense, it will likely score more points than a team with a slower-paced offense.