What is money line bet? In the world of sports betting, various types of wagers exist, each with its own unique characteristics and appeal. One such wager, widely popular and straightforward, is the moneyline bet. Whether you’re a seasoned bettor or new to the world of sports gambling, understanding what a moneyline bet entails is fundamental. So what is a moneyline bet? Let’s explore this topic together with bestsoccertips.com in the following article!
What is money line bet?
Moneyline is one of the most popular and straightforward forms of sports betting, where you simply pick a team or player to win outright without considering point differentials. For example, you might simply bet on which team will win a specific football match or which tennis player will win a particular game.
Moneyline betting is typically available at all sportsbooks for every contest between two teams or individuals. It’s prevalent in the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, UFC, soccer, tennis, and most other sports. Among the “Big Four” sports in the United States, it’s most common in the NHL and MLB, where games tend to have lower scores, making point spread betting less appealing.
Because you’re only picking the outright winner between two opponents, the odds for those opponents can vary greatly depending on their likelihood of winning. For instance, in a game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals, the 49ers might be more likely to win. They boast all-star players like McCaffrey, Kittle, Samuel, Aiyuk, Bosa, and Warner. A winning wager on the 49ers would pay out significantly less because it’s more likely to happen, whereas a successful moneyline bet on the Cardinals would yield greater profits because they are less likely to win.
What is the money line in betting?
The payout odds of a successful moneyline bet depend on the magnitude of the winner or loser. The favored team – the expected winner – will be “minus money” and represented as such by a minus sign (-), indicating how much you would need to bet to earn $100. The underdog – the team indicated by the odds as more likely to lose – will be “plus money” (+), indicating how much you would win if you bet $100.
A successful $135 bet on the favorite at -135 would yield a profit of $100. A successful $100 bet on the underdog at +155 would yield a profit of $155. In the latter case, a total of $255 would be returned to you – your initial $100 wager plus $155 in profit.
Explanation of Three-Way Moneyline Betting
Three-way moneyline betting is a bet where the match can also end in a tie, not just one team winning while the other loses. This is most common in soccer, although three-way bets can also be offered in head-to-head golf matches. In such bets, the game may have a tie outcome (“draw”) but there is no “draw” bet. If a match ends in a tie or draw, bets placed on a team to win are counted as losses.
Your team or player must win outright for the bet to cash. And of course, betting on a tie result will lose if either team wins. In soccer matches, especially in direct knockout rounds with extra time and possibly penalties, three-way moneyline bets are settled based on the score at the end of regular time. If the match goes to extra time, the three-way bet will win. If you bet on a team to win outright, the bet will lose even if they win in extra time or penalty kicks.
How to Place a Moneyline Bet
Every sportsbook offers moneyline markets for most imaginable matches, so it won’t be difficult to find a place to bet. However, you might want to shop around at different sportsbooks because the odds can vary depending on the book. For example, you might find your favorite at -150 in one book and -160 in another. Or you might find the underdog at +200 in one book instead of +195 in another.
When is the moneyline a better choice than the point spread? Well, there might be some situations where the moneyline is more valuable. For example, if an underdog is only getting 1.5 points on the point spread, why not simply take the moneyline for a larger payout? No matter how small the point spread is, if you feel confident in an underdog winning outright, you can also bet on the moneyline for a larger profit.
At the same time, if you’re confident in your favorite team winning outright but worried about them covering the spread, then the moneyline might again be an attractive option. Whatever your strategy is, just like with any market, remember to research team and player news, the head-to-head history of a specific match, and anything else that helps you make a more informed decision.
Calculating Moneyline Odds
Moneyline odds are typically presented in American format (using plus and minus signs), as opposed to decimal or fractional formats. If the favorite’s odds are -167, you would need to bet $167 to earn $100. This is similar to betting $5 to earn $3, so the fractional form of the bet -167 would be ⅗. The decimal form would be 1.6, as betting $100 would return a total of $160 – your initial $100 wager plus $60 in profit.
Though the moneyline is presented in American format, as noted above, it’s quite easy to calculate those numbers equivalent to decimal and fractional ones. Remember that the favorite team will be denoted with a minus sign (-), while the underdog is usually denoted with a plus sign (+). There are instances where both sides are considered even and have an equal chance of winning; in such cases, both sides will have odds like -110 or -115.
Moneyline Betting in Soccer
What does the money line mean in football? Moneyline betting in soccer is quite common, much like in most other sports. When you bet on the favorite team, it can be a safer option compared to playing the point spread and giving a certain number of points to the underdog. After all, it wouldn’t matter if the team you bet on only wins by one point; they don’t necessarily have to win by 5, 10, or 50 points.
Think about key numbers like 3, 7, and 10 – common winning margins – when betting on soccer. If the favorite is giving 3.5 points or 7.5 points, you may want to take the money if you don’t think they’ll win by more than one goal or more than one touchdown. If the underdog is getting 3.5 points or 7.5 points, you may want to consider the point spread if you believe that number is large enough for them to cover even if they don’t win outright.
Keep in mind that home underdogs can sometimes offer good value in terms of money. Winning on the road in the NFL isn’t easy, but the value may lean toward teams on the road who are more talented on paper than their hometown opponents.
Moneyline Betting in Basketball
Moneyline betting in basketball is quite common, much like in most other sports, although not as prevalent as point spread betting in a sport with such high scores. When you bet on the favorite team, it can be a safer option compared to picking the point spread and giving a certain number of points to the underdog. After all, it wouldn’t matter if the team you bet on only wins by one point; they don’t need to win by 5, 10, or 50 points. And it might be a more valuable way to play for the underdog than trying to cover the spread. If you feel confident in the underdog’s straight-up winning chances, you may want to go with the moneyline to maximize your payout.
Head-to-head matchups are particularly important because in a typical NBA season, each team plays against others multiple times, including up to four times against conference rivals. Before placing a bet, it’s crucial to know how teams fare against each other. “Load management” has also become common in regular NBA seasons. Star players occasionally sit out a game simply for rest purposes. Make sure you have a good idea of the starting lineup for a game before placing your bet.
Conclusion
Moneyline betting provides a straightforward avenue for sports enthusiasts to engage with their favorite teams or athletes. Unlike point spread betting, which involves predicting the margin of victory, moneyline betting simply requires bettors to pick the outright winner of a game or match. This simplicity makes it an attractive option for both casual and experienced bettors alike. Additionally, the flexibility of moneyline betting allows for strategic decisions based on individual matchups and team dynamics. Whether you’re confident in a favorite’s chances or see value in an underdog’s potential upset, moneyline betting offers an accessible and exciting way to enjoy sports while potentially reaping rewards.
See more: Top 10 inspirational soccer quotes from the best players in the world
