How To Read A Sports Betting Line

For those new to sports betting, learning how to read the lines is a critical first step. Once you have the basics down, there are even more takeaways that you can glean by having a full understanding of the numbers and what they’re telling you. Read on for a complete look at sportsbook lines.

How do you read a sports betting line?

An online sportsbook will display betting odds for upcoming games and events. You can change the display in the betting lobby by clicking on the name of the sport that you’re looking for. Let’s run through some examples, starting with the NFL:

The main NFL odds are spreads, totals, and moneylines. For the first two, you’ll see two numbers on each side: the line and the odds for placing the bet.

On the spread, the team with the negative line is the favorite, and the positive line indicates the underdog. In this case, the San Francisco 49ers are 6.5-point favorites. For the total in this example, you could bet for the game to have over or under 42.5 points.

You can also identify favorites and underdogs by looking at the moneyline. Once again, it’s negative numbers for the former and positive for the latter. Note that while the above example is from DraftKings Sportsbook, the bets may be in a different order at other online books. The numbers all mean the same thing, though.

While this is an example of how to bet on the NBA, the lines work the same as they do for the NFL. For this contest, the Golden State Warriors are 5.5-point favorites on the spread in a game with the over/under at 214.5 points. The Warriors are the moneyline favorite, as well. By reading the three boxes, you gain some perspective on how the sportsbook expects the game to play out.

For betting on MLB odds, the same basic concepts apply, but the run line replaces the spread. It works in the same fashion: you can choose the favorite to win by more than the line or the underdog to lose by less than the line or win by any score. Unlike the point spread, where the line varies, the standard run line is always 1.5 and the odds adjust to indicate the disparity between the teams. In this matchup, the Tampa Bay Rays are run line and moneyline favorites, with the total at 6.5.

NHL odds are similar to MLB in that the spread goes by the wayside in favor of the puck line, which also uses a standard 1.5. For the above example, the Carolina Hurricanes are puck-line favorites. Carolina is also the moneyline favorite in a game with a projected total of 6.

Betting on golf runs a little differently than the traditional sports leagues. Everything is based around specific player outcomes as there are no teams in the PGA Tour. The default way to bet is to pick the outright tournament winner. This can also be said for betting on NASCAR races.

How to read lines for other types of bets 

Beyond the standard bets we just covered, there are also odds for all of the other wagers that you can place. For example, a player prop bet might look like this example from FanDuel Sportsbook:

The over/under for Mika Zibanejad’s goals in this game is 0.5. If you bet on the over, you win if he scores a goal. If he doesn’t, bettors who picked the under will win. There are also odds for the two choices that follow the same standard premise: negative for the more likely of the two outcomes and positive on the other side. A bet with more than two potential outcomes, meanwhile, might look like this:

For this bet, you’re trying to pinpoint the first player to score a goal in the game. In this case, there are no negative odds numbers. The book lists the positive odds in ascending order, with more likely options having lower numbers. This is similar to what you’ll find in futures betting:

The Colorado Avalanche have the lowest odds to win the Stanley Cup, which makes them the favorite. The numbers increase from there for all of the other available options.

In summary, when reading the odds for a pair of choices, the negative value is the favored side. If both numbers are negative, then it’s the greater negative number of the two values. When it comes to bets with multiple options, the one with the lowest positive odds is the favorite, but the differences in some of the numbers can be very slight.

Are the lines the same at all sportsbooks?

Not always. While there is a lot of uniformity in betting odds at first glance, sportsbooks set their own lines. There will be some variances at the initial release as a result, and you can continue finding differences right up until game time. To demonstrate, let’s take a look at the odds for an NFL game at two top sportsbooks: DraftKings and the FanDuel sports app.

At DraftKings, the LA Rams are one-point favorites over the Buffalo Bills, with the over/under at 52 points. The moneyline odds are even. At FanDuel, it’s Buffalo that is the one-point favorite, and the total line is at 51.5 points. The Rams are slight moneyline favorites. With either situation, you will pay slightly more (-115) to bet the underdog and take the point.

While the differences are only slight in this case, the variance can be a bit more dramatic in others. For bettors, this is actually a good thing as you can shop around to find the best odds and lines for any bets you want to place.

Why do sports betting lines move?

After the initial release of betting odds, the lines won’t necessarily stand still. There are two main reasons for this: betting action and new information.

Once the lines come out, bettors begin wagering. Generally, wagers from well-known “sharp” professional bettors and groups will have the greatest effect on a line. Spreads and totals can shift by a half-point or more, and the odds may move up and down.

Additionally, sports betting lines are based on the information at hand. After the lines come out, news can break that can impact the perception of a game. Examples include an injury to a key player or a shift in the weather forecast.

Often, the lines won’t move in exactly the same way from book to book. For line shopping purposes, you can pick and choose the numbers that you like best or align the closest with what you’re thinking.

Calculating payouts from sports betting odds 

The odds also have a direct relationship to the payouts that you can expect back in winning bets. There are a few ways to calculate the profit potential.

• Betting slip: When you add a bet to your slip at an online sportsbook and plug in your stake, the potential return will appear right there.
• Betting calculator: A simple online search for a betting calculator will bring up a number of solid options where you can see the potential return based on the odds and how much you plan to bet.
• Ballpark it: You can get a quick (but not exact) estimate by using the following two rules of thumb.
  • When the odds are negative, the number equals how much you have to bet to win a profit of $100. At odds of -110, a bet of $110 would win $100.
  • When the odds are positive, the number shows how much you would profit on a winning $100 bet. At odds of +120, that would be $120.

• Use a formula: If you want an exact answer, you can use the following two formulas to quickly calculate American odds.

• Negative (change the odds number to positive for the purposes of the equation): 100/Odds * Stake = Profit

For example: Odds of -140 and a $50 bet

100/140 * 50 = $35.71

• Positive: Odds/100 * Stake = Profit

For example: Odds of +120 and a $75 bet

120/100 * 75 = $90

What should you look for with sports betting odds?  

After you understand the basics of reading the odds, it’s time to learn what to watch out for. You can use the following quick checklist as a general guideline while you scan the lines at online sportsbooks:

• What are the numbers telling you in terms of the matchup? Spreads and moneylines can tell us how close of a matchup the sportsbook expects, while totals give us a clue about what the book anticipates for overall scoring. Reviewing these numbers may give you an idea of the games you want to focus on.
• Is there enough value to justify the risk in the current odds? If you’re putting money at risk, then the goal should be to have enough value heading back your way to justify it. The odds dictate expected payouts, so you can quickly gauge whether a bet is worth it, at least as far as you’re concerned. If it’s not, you can just pass on that particular wager.
• How do the lines look for the same bet at other sportsbooks? The lines may be similar across the industry, but they won’t always be exactly the same. Line shopping is a key step to take, as it helps to place you in the best possible position for potential returns.

As you move forward, it helps to gain an even better understanding of what the numbers are telling you. Beyond favorites and underdogs, you can determine the payouts on winning bets and the implied probability of outcomes, for example.

Betting lines FAQ