How to Bet a Moneyline
Contents
What is a Moneyline?
Moneyline is the simplest form of betting that exists. Essentially, if you bet on the winning team, then you will win the bet. Moneyline bets can range a great deal in their odds, though. Betting on a much better team means that you won’t be getting odds at +100. For this reason, there are many times when betting Moneyline on a team does not make as much sense; however, I will get into that a bit later. The team that is favored and expected to win will have a minus sign next to a number, while the underdog will have a plus sign next to a number. This is the line for the two teams. A team favored at -350 instead of -150 is much better, as the line says you need to bet a lot more to win $100. Therefore, the higher the number next to a minus sign, the more favored the team. The same thing goes for an underdog. If an underdog is +600 instead of +150, then they are much more of a longshot to win that particular game.
Understanding Moneyline
The simplest way to explain Moneyline is through a few examples. Imagine that a team is favored at -200 odds. That means that you have to bet $200 on that team to win $100. For the underdog, it’s the opposite. If an underdog has odds of +500, then you only have to bet $100 to win $500 if the underdog pulls out the win. There are plenty of odds calculators online that you can find at various sites if you are curious to determine what would happen if you put together a string of Moneyline bets together into a parlay bet.
Moneyline: Advice for Beginners
Vig does exist on Moneyline bets as well. Don’t forget that no matter what you bet on, the vig will exist. The list of bets that a vig will live on includes Moneyline, point spread, teaser, and parlay bets, and more. Most sportsbooks will choose to implement the vig, also known as juice, because they don’t want to speculate on either position of a bet and would like to just make money from taxing bettors. This is very common, and for that reason, any time you bet, don’t expect it to be completely free.
How to Win with Moneyline
Winning on a Moneyline bet is quite simple. As long as you place a Moneyline bet on the winning team, then you will win the bet. Unlike a point spread, you don’t need to win or lose by a certain amount of points. If your team wins, then you win.
Moneyline Payouts
Moneyline payouts can vary greatly depending on the team, game, and sport you are betting on. For example, betting on Floyd Mayweather in his prime probably would not net you much money if he won. Since he was undefeated and never lost, you would not make much money from a Floyd Mayweather victory. If you bet on an NFL game that could go either way because both teams are similarly skilled and have equal records, then you will make roughly equal money on your bet. Moneyline is best used when you feel very confident about a team’s chance to win, especially when they are considered an underdog in that particular bout.
How to Place a Moneyline Bet
The very first thing that you will have to do is create an account with an online sportsbook. Once you go through that process, you can view all the different sports and bets on its main page. When the app or site lists out all of the games, you should see a breakdown of different types of bets you can make on any individual game. This usually includes the Moneyline, the point spread, and the total (both over and under.) Then, you can click on the team you want to bet on to place a Moneyline bet. On the next page, you will see the odds that the sportsbook is giving you, including the vig. You can then decide how much you want to bet on the Moneyline of that particular game. After that, you can submit the bet. It’s pretty straightforward, especially after you do it a few times.
Moneyline Summary
In conclusion, Moneyline bets are a simple way to bet on sports so that everyone can understand them. It can also be a great way to bet on games you feel confident about and know will win. Moneylines are scarcely even odds and vary greatly depending on the individual, game, or sport involved. To win, your team or player has to win. It’s that simple. There are no points to cover, like in a point spread or multiple legs that have to hit, like in a parlay. The Moneyline will also often include the vig, or juice, that a sportsbook taxes for every bet that a bettor places on its site or app.
Moneyline FAQ
- What is Moneyline?
- When should I bet Moneyline?
- If I’m a beginner, should I start by betting Moneyline?
- What do the pluses and minuses mean in Moneyline?
- Where can I bet on Moneyline?
Moneyline is the simplest form of betting in that all you are doing is choosing which team/player you think will win the game/match. The odds are applied accordingly as there are very few games/matches with even odds.
This is an entirely subjective answer as it differs from person to person. However, it is best to bet Moneyline on closely matched games/matches you feel confident will win. It is not wise to be Moneyline on highly favored teams as the payout is often not worth the risk.
It makes the most sense for someone who is a true beginner in sports betting to bet on Moneyline to get their feet wet. It will help the bettor understand what the pluses and minuses mean and how they relate to a favored team and an underdog team.
The pluses and minuses next to a Moneyline bet help indicate how much a team is favored or how big an underdog a team is for any given game. The larger the number next to a plus sign, the more of an underdog that team is, and vice-versa.
Every sportsbook should let you bet on the Moneyline of a game, assuming that it is within the range of covered sports for that sportsbook. It’s easier to find a sportsbook that covers basketball than one that covers darts, so keep that in mind if you like various sports.
