Did you know that when you bet on a game some sportsbooks let you move the point spread? Yes, it’s true but there is indeed a cost in doing so. That cost is usually ten cents per half point and even more expensive if your moving on or off the “3” in a football game.
While most online sportsbooks allow you to move the line up to 2-3 points, there are more aggressive books out there that allow you to create situations in which you can move the point spread up to 15 points on a single game! The cost is outrageous but often times allows you to bag a hefty 4% return on investment in one day if you know what your doing. (Not recommended for novice sports bettors.)
Let’s take a look using a current NBA game (at time of print) as an example:
On 5/2/07, the Denver Nuggets are playing in the NBA playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs at -8 on the spread. 5Dimes Sportsbook will allow you to move the spread to the following numbers:
-7.5 -120
-7 -130
-6.5 -140
-6 -150
-5.5 -165
-5 -185
-4.5 -215
-4 -245
-3.5 -275
-3 -305
-2.5 -335
-2 -365
-1.5 -400
-1 -440
-0.5 -480
pickem -525
+0.5 -575
+1 -625
+1.5 -675
+2 -725
+2.5 -800
+3 -950
+3.5 -1100
+4 -1250
+4.5 -1400
+5 -1600
+5.5 -1800
+6 -2000
+6.5 -2250
+7 -2500
In case your not good at reading odds, the (-) with the number means that’s how much you have to RISK to profit $100. You our course get your risked amount back on a winning bet as well.
Keep in mind that no game in sports is a lock. That’s why they play the game. We’ve even seen massive favorites not only not cover but lose straight up so nothing is for sure in sports betting.
Conversely, a sharp/astute bettor has a good feel for what can happen vs. what should happen and can really make a killing picking his spots and laying the wood to one of these plays.
Keep things relative. What we mean is that many people put their hard earned money into a money market account or CD for a period of 12 months with a guaranteed return of 5%. You can get 4% in one day buying 15 points on a basketball game! You have to be very careful in doing so though. Not recommended for the novice. or those that don’t handicap games well.
Don’t forget that you can buy points on underdogs too. To reverse this situation, one could take the underdog Nuggets at +8 and buy them up to +22 using the same cost index listed above.
Sportsbooks offering point buys:
5Dimes Sportsbook – Allows their clients to buy up to 15 points on NBA basketball sides and 20 points on totals! (-3000.)
Sportsbetting.com – Buy up to 3 points on football and basketball games.
As you can see, most books aren’t comfortable allowing players to move the line more than three points. 5Dimes is an exception to the rule. For non American/Canadian bettors, Pinnacle Sportsbook is a great place for point buying as well as they let you sell points and make your potential winning ticket price more attractive.
