Sportsbetting 101

When it comes to sportsbetting, the terminology can be overwhelming. Whether you’re looking to make your money go further by placing high-probability bets or shopping around for inflated odds, the key to profiting at sports betting is understanding how to analyze and compare different angles of a particular game or event.

Point spreads are a great place to start when making sports wagers. These numbers are created for every betting matchup, with the goal of giving equal wager amounts on each side of the line. A favored team is listed with a minus sign (-2.5) while an underdog is listed with a plus sign (+2.5).

The most popular sports bets are based on the points spread. When a team is the underdog, they must win by more than a specified margin in order to cover the spread. A team’s home field advantage and other factors such as the weather, can affect the result of a sporting event, which is why it’s important to read up on a game before betting.

In addition to the standard point spread and moneyline bets, there are also a variety of prop bets available. These bets are placed within a game and include player or team props such as the first team to score a touchdown or how many total points will be scored in a given game. Sportsbooks often offer hundreds of these props, which can be a great way to improve your chances of winning.