Whether you are a Toronto FC fan or a follower of the Dallas Cowboys, you may be looking to get into some sports betting online, but there are some things that you must know before you jump into the pool.
The first thing that a player (perhaps one that uses price per head bookmaking software) would tell you to do is to learn how to read point spreads and money lines. The first concept you should grasp is that there will be a favorite (shown by a minus sign) and an underdog (shown by a plus sign). Point spreads are mostly used in basketball and football, and that would mean that, for example, Miami (-5) is favored by five points to beat New York (+5). The Heat has to win by more than five points to win your bet; if they win by five, you lose.
The money line is different in that it would be shown, for example, Miami (-140) is favored over New York (+120), and that means you have to bet $140 to win $100 on Miami, but $100 on New York would net you $120.
Then you have to understand the vig, or the juice, and this gives the sportsbooks a chance to make money regardless of outcome; basically, it’s their cut for taking your bet. Sportsbooks look to attract an equal amount of money on both sides, and they will also offer, on certain days, a reduced juice so it costs less to make a wager. These are definitely things you should look for when you’re sports betting online.
