Moneylines
by Predictem.com Staff
Betting on moneylines is a very exciting way to bet sports and can be very volitale depending on how you approach them. The moneyline was created to take the place of a point spread and deals with odds in lieu of a spread. It could be said that moneylines are easier to beat since there is no point spread, but there’s more to it than meets the eye!
Since there is no spread, the more of a favorite a team is, the higher the moneyline odds are on that team and the more you will have to risk. Conversely, the more of an underdog a team is, the more it pays out. Moneyline bets can be found in all sports but are mainly used for baseball and hockey betting.
Let’s take a look at some examples:
San Diego Padres +150
Seattle Mariners -160
Here’s how you read a moneyline… If the odds have a (+) in front of them, the number to the right of that plus sign is the amount you will WIN per $100 you risk.
If the odds have a (-) in front of them, this is the amount that you will have to lay or risk in order to WIN $100.
The line we posted above would denote that the Mariners are a pretty heavy favorite over the Padres. It also should be noted that the road team is always listed on the top and the home team is always listed on the bottom of the matchup.
A problem that many bettors fall into is taking too many moneyline favorites. Professional sports bettors and/or those that know better call this “eating the chalk.” You simply can’t win long term this way so don’t even go there.
Look at it this way. If Roger Clemens is pitching for the Yankees and is a -300 favorite, which means you are risking $300 to win $100, and he loses, you are in a 3 unit hole which means you have to win 3 games just to break even! Why put yourself at risk and take the chance of digging a hole for yourself like that? Oh, and big favorites do lose, so don’t think there’s such a thing as a shoe-in or lock in gambling. THAT’S WHY THEY PLAY THE GAME. Conversely, we dont recommend taking the underdog in this situation, because the odds on the comeback will likely be +250 and the dog isn’t likely to be able to cover those odds long term either. If your betting fat moneylines you really have to pick your spots. One in particular that we like is in MLB where Roy Oswalt is something sick like 19-1 vs. the Cincinnat Reds. It could be a fluke or ?, we don’t now. We just roll with it and have been getting paid nicely back from the days when he was 10-1 against them. In doing so, we’ve been laying -170 or so each time, not a recommended move, but heck, he owns them so we’re gonna ride that one till the wheels fall off. Not recommended in most cases though.
The info listed above applies to hockey as well. You’ll see many huge favorites. Avoid them like the plague because their bankroll killers should they lose and they do lose from time to time. Just enough to make it not worth doing.
Money lines do exist in football and basketball and are great plays if your taking a short (small) underdog. Often times a dog of 2-3 points wins straight up. Instead of laying -110 to win $100, why not consider playing the moneyline on the short dog and lay $100 to profit $130 or so. It’s definitely the way to go if your playing short underdogs. Especially if that short dog is a home team!
Good luck in your action!
