How to bet on Sports

Bet Type and Rules

  • Straight Wagers
  • Special Lines

Straight Wagers
A line is the set of rules used to calculate results and payouts of straight wagers. The four standard line types are listed below.

  • Point Spreads
  • Money Lines
  • Totals

Point Spreads
A Point Spread bet is placed on one team to win against another, subject to the Point Spread. The favorite is indicated by the minus sign "-" and the underdog is indicated by the plus sign "+". To determine the winner for betting purposes, the Point Spread is added to the final score of the team you bet on. Point Spread rules are as follows:

  • To win your bet, the team you bet on must win by the Point Spread.
  • On certain events, you can adjust the point spread by buying points.
  • Games that tie, when taking the point spread into consideration, are no-action. This means that your original bet amount will be refunded to your account.
  • The odds are $1.10 to win $1.00 (-110) unless otherwise indicated.
  • The Point Spread may change between the time you place your bet and the time the event starts; regardless, your bet is subject to the point spread displayed at the time you placed your bet.

For example, you wager on Pittsburgh -7 to beat Cleveland +7. The following table shows possible wager results on three final scores.


Actual Final Score

Final Score with
Point Spread applied

Bet Result

Pittsburgh 21 Cleveland 19

Pittsburgh 14 Cleveland 19

Loss

Pittsburgh 26 Cleveland 19

Pittsburgh 19 Cleveland 19

Tie

Pittsburgh 27 Cleveland 19

Pittsburgh 20 Cleveland 19

Win

Money Lines
Money Lines are the simplest form of sports bets. The team you bet on just has to win the game. Your bet is not subject to a point spread. The amount you may win is determined by the money line. Money Line rules are as follows:

  • Money Lines are displayed with a plus "+" or a minus "-" sign.
  • Money Lines posted with a minus sign "-" require a bet equal to the amount shown after the minus sign to win $100.
  • Money Lines posted with a plus sign "+" require a $100 bet to win the amount shown after the plus sign.
  • To win your bet, the team you bet on simply has to win the game.
  • Tie games are no-action, which means your original bet amount will be refunded to your account.
  • You can combine a Money Line with a Totals line, even on the same event.
  • The Money Line may change between the time you place your bet and the event's start time. Payout of your bet is subject to the Money Line that was displayed at the time you placed your bet.

For example, you bet on Pittsburgh -160 to beat Cleveland +260. You must bet $160 to win $100 if Pittsburgh wins the game. Your friend bets on Cleveland. Your friend must bet $100 to win $260 if Cleveland wins. The following table displays the results of four different winning Money Line bets.

 

Winner

Money Line

Bet Amount on Winner

Payout (including bet amount)

Pittsburgh

-160

$ 80

$ 130

Pittsburgh

-160

$ 160

$ 260

Cleveland

+260

$ 100

$ 360

Cleveland

+260

$ 50

$ 180

 
Totals
Totals are also known as over / under bets. You bet that the actual combined total score of both teams will be over or under the number displayed in your bet. The winning team is irrelevant to this bet. Totals rules are as follows:

  • If the actual combined total score of both teams is equal to the number displayed in your Totals bet, the bet is no-action; this means your original bet amount will be refunded to your account.
  • The odds are $1.10 to win $1.00 (-110) unless otherwise indicated.
  • On certain events, you can adjust the odds by buying points.
  • You can combine a Money Line or Point Spread bet with a Totals bet.
  • The Total amount may change between the time you place your bet and the time the event starts; regardless, your bet is subject to the Total amount displayed at the time you placed your bet.

For example, the current Totals line on the Pittsburgh-Cleveland game is Over 35 / Under 35. You bet on the Over and your friend bets on the Under. The following table displays the bet results based on three different game outcomes.

 

Final Score

Combined Score

You

Your Friend

Pittsburgh 21 Cleveland 19

40

Win

Loss

Pittsburgh 21 Cleveland 14

35

Tie

Tie

Pittsburgh 21 Cleveland 4

25

Loss

Win

Buy Points
Buy Points allows you to move the point spread in your favor by paying a surcharge. You can only buy points on football and basketball point spreads and totals.

You can normally buy an extra 1/2 point by laying -120 instead of the standard -110.

Buying points on or off key points or magic numbers is more expensive. Three is usually the key point in football. Although there are no standard key points in basketball, we may set key points on certain games.

After you buy a point and place your bet, check your betting ticket to see the new price on the event.
 


For example, Pittsburgh plays Cleveland and Pittsburgh is favored by 4.5 points. You want to adjust the line in your favor by bringing the Pittsburgh line down to -2. You can do this for an additional 60 cents. This means you will have to bet $170 to win $100. The following table shows the incremental cost of various point purchases including purchases on and off Key Points.

 

Pittsburgh Point Spread

Buy Points Surcharge on this Game

Posted Line -4.5

standard -110

-4.5 to -4.0

10¢ or -120

-4.0 to -3.5

10¢ or -130

-3.5 to -3.0

15¢ or -145

-3.0 to -2.5

15¢ or -165

-2.5 to -2.0

10¢ or -175

Special Lines

The following special lines are available to offer increased flexibility and potential payouts.

  • Quarter
  • Half-Time
  • Parlays
  • Teasers
  • If Bets
  • Futures
  • Propositions

Quarter:
Quarter lines allow you to bet on the first, second, third and fourth quarter of basketball and football games. Quarter lines are generally posted at the end of the previous quarter. Quarter betting rules are as follows:  

  • Quarter bets are calculated the same as straight bets unless otherwise indicated.
  • Game must go the full quarter for quarter bet to have action.
  • Overtime is not included as part of the fourth quarter.
  • Parlays, Teasers and buying of points are not available on quarter bets

Half-time:
Half-time lines allow you to bet on the first or second half of basketball and football games. Half-time betting rules are as follows:  

  • Half-time bets are calculated the same as straight bets unless otherwise indicated.
  • Half-time bets must go the full half for action.
  • Overtime is included as part of the second half.
  • Teasers and buying of points are not available on half-time bets.

Parlays :
Parlays are wagers on two or more teams, in no particular order, where all selections must win for the wager to win. Parlay rules are as follows:  

  • In the event of a tie or no-action, the parlay reverts to the next lowest number for payout. A 2-team parlay reverts to straight wager.
  • Parlays that incorporate money lines or European prices are paid out based on the odds of the individual selections.
  • You cannot bet on connected events on the same parlay card. For example, one leg of a parlay is for Sampras to beat Agassi in the 4th round of Wimbledon and an additional part of the parlay is for Sampras to win the overall Wimbledon title. The match forms part of the overall tournament and is therefore connected. In the same way, you cannot parlay the over of the first half of a football game with the over of the full game because the two are connected.
  • By placing a Parlay bet, you can increase your payout odds. For example, you want to bet on the Flames to beat the Islanders and the Flames to beat the Stars, but the odds are even money. You are pretty sure the Flames are going to win both events so you want better odds. By parlaying the two games you increase your odds to 13:5.

Parlay Payouts: The following parlay payout table is valid if all selections within the parlay are based on the standard point spread or totals line of -110 (bet $110 to win $100).  

Number of Teams Odds

2

13:5

3

6:1

4

10:1

5

20:1

6

35:1

7

60:1

8

80:1

To calculate odds for parlays that use money lines other than the standard -110, you should convert the money line to a European price. Then calculate the parlay payout odds by multiplying the European prices of each event together.

For example, let's say you bet on Chelsea 2.5, Sunderland 1.7 and Newcastle 2.1. A parlay of all three teams would pay 2.5 x 1.7 x 2.1 = 8.93. If your bet amount is $100 then the payoff would be $100 x 8.93 = $893 (this includes your original stake, so your winnings are $893 - $100 = $793).

Teasers
A teaser is a parlay in which you take more points or lay fewer points than the line, thus adjusting the point spread in your favor. However, your payout odds are reduced when you do this. Teaser rules are as follows:

  • A teaser can only consist of point spreads and totals; you cannot buy additional points.
  • The number of teams and the number of teaser points you select determines your payout odds.
  • A tie or no-action and either a win or a loss on a 2-team teaser shall constitute a no-action wager.
  • A tie on a 3 or more team teaser shall revert to the next lowest betting bracket. For example, a tie on a 3-team teaser becomes a 2-team teaser.

 

 

Teaser Payoff Odds for Basketball and Football

Football
Basketball

6-point
4-point

6.5-point
4.5-point

7-point
5-point

2-team

110:100

120:100

130:100

3-team

100:160

100:140

100:120

4-team

100:300

100:200

100:170

5-team

100:450

100:400

100:350

6-team

100:600

100:500

100:400

 

 

 

 

Other Teasers

  • 3-team, 10-point football teaser odds are 12/10. No totals or opens allowed and ties lose.
  • 3-team, 7-point basketball teasers odds are 13/10. No totals or opens allowed and ties lose.
  • 3-team, 10-point football teaser odds are 12/10. No totals or opens allowed and ties lose.
  • 4-team, 13-point football teaser odds are 13/10. No totals or opens allowed and ties lose.

The teasers listed above can only be made on the point spread. Totals cannot be used.

For example, you place a 3-team 6-point football teaser. The chart above lists the odds as 18/10. The unadjusted line is San Diego -7, Tennessee -3 and Seattle +15.
The point spreads are adjusted as follows.

  • San Diego -7 plus the adjusted six points = -1
  • Tennessee -3 plus the adjusted six points = +3
  • Seattle +15 plus the adjusted six points = +21

If each and every one of the three teams wins against the adjusted spread, you win $18 for every $10 you bet.

If Bets -- If Win and If Action
An If Bet allows you to increase your betting power and limit your risk by placing multiple bets on one betting ticket. Each individual bet after the first bet will only have action if the previous bet in the sequence is successful. This limits your risk to the dollar amount of the first bet on your betting ticket.

An If Bet is also useful if you want to make more than one bet but do not have adequate funds in your account to cover the second bet, unless the first bet wins. An If Bet will place the second bet immediately upon success of the first bet. If Bet rules are as follows:

  • One If Bet can contain two to seven individual bets.
  • If Bets must be made prior to the start time of the earliest event.
  • Bets do not have to be made in the order of each event's start time.
  • The first bet's limit is set by the house.
  • Additional bets in the sequence use the bet amount of the first bet.
  • The first bet is always placed, unless it is considered a no-action event.

Two Types of If Bets

  • If Win  

    You choose the order of each bet in the series. The first bet is always placed. Each subsequent bet is placed only if the previous bet wins. If any bet in the If Win series loses, ties or is considered no-action, then all subsequent bets on the betting ticket are considered no-action.  
  • If Action  
    You choose the order of each bet in the series. The first bet is always placed. Each subsequent bet is placed only if the previous bet is won, considered no-action or is a tie game (also know as a push). If any bet in the If Action series loses, then all subsequent bets on the betting ticket are considered no-action.

For example, on October 7th, you place an If Win bet on the Chargers to beat the Dolphins in their October 12th game. Then you select the Jets to beat the Dolphins in their October 11th game. The game on October 12th wins and the second part of the If Bet is placed on the Jets/Dolphins game with the original bet amount.

This second bet is placed, even though this game started prior to the first event and already had a final result of a loss. The first part of your If Win bet is a win but the second part is a loss. Your If Win bet placed on October 7th is placed prior to the start time of both events so, you are able to bet on both games while ensuring that your preferred bet on the Chargers game gets placed, even if your second choice, the Jets, lose.

Normally, the only way this would be possible, would be to expose yourself to both bets separately. An If Bet puts a restriction on your bet that says if the Chargers lose; do not place a bet on the Jets/Dolphins game. This limits your risk to the first bet amount, but provides you with the opportunity to make a second bet with the original stake, if your first bet is successful.

Futures and Propositions

Future bets are based on the outcome of events that happen each year. Propositions are bets based on the outcome of special events. All bets are final. There will be no payouts until the conclusion of the specified season for futures or the conclusion of the specified event for propositions.

If your selection (person, team, etc.) does not participate in the event for any reason, your bet is considered a no-action.

The odds we offer may change between the time you place your bet and the time the event starts. Regardless, your bet is subject to the odds displayed at the time you placed your bet.

In the event of a dead-heat for first place, stakes will be divided by the number of selections dead-heating with the divided stake settled at full odds. Remaining stake money is lost. The dead heat rule only applies to future bets. If the tie was a betting option, the dead-heat rule does not apply.

For example, if there is a 3-way tie for the top scorer in a football game, your winnings are calculated by taking your stake, dividing it by 3, and multiplying that amount by the odds on your betting ticket.