Learn the ins & outs of sports betting
Betting Education
Let’s set some
ground rules
Learn how to bet on sports for fun with Insider Bettors. Place wagers against the spread, on the moneyline and over/unders without risking any money.
With the free Insider Bettors mobile app, you can practice betting on sports by placing wagers on the 3 most popular betting types:
Against the spread
Choosing the favorite or the underdog
A point spread bet is a type of sports wager where the bettor bets on the margin of victory in a game, rather than just picking a winner. The point spread is a handicap set by the sportsbook to make the game more even from a betting perspective. The favorite must win by a certain number of points (the spread), while the underdog can either win outright or lose by fewer than the spread number.
How it works
Favorite
The team that is expected to win will have a negative point spread (e.g., -7). This means they must win by more than 7 points for the bet to be successful.
Underdog
The team that is expected to lose will have a positive point spread (e.g., +7). This means they can either win the game outright or lose by fewer than 7 points for the bet to be successful.
Example
Wagering Screen
Team A +3.5 (underdog)
Team B -3.5 (the favorite)
If you bet on the 76'ers, they need to win the game by 4 points or more for your bet to win. If you bet on the Suns, they can either win the game outright or lose by 3 points or less for your bet to win.
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Money Line
Choosing the winner straight up
A moneyline bet is a type of wager commonly used in sports betting where you simply pick which team or individual will win a particular game or event. Unlike point spread betting, which involves a margin of victory, moneyline betting focuses solely on the outcome of the contest.
How it works
Odds Representation
Moneyline odds are presented as either a positive or negative number. The favorite typically has negative moneyline odds, while the underdog has positive moneyline odds:
Positive moneyline odds (e.g., +150) indicate how much profit you'd make on a $100 bet. For example, if you bet $100 on a team with +150 odds and they win, you’d win $150 (plus your original bet).
Negative moneyline odds (e.g., -200) show how much you need to bet to win $100. For example, if you bet $200 on a team with -200 odds and they win, you’d win $100 (plus your original bet).
In this case, Phoenix is the underdog and is getting plus odds on the Moneyline bet. If you bet $100 on Phoenix with moneyline of +136, if Phoenix wins the game outright, then your bet wins and you get your $100 wager back plus $136.
If you bet on the 76er moneyline of -162, that means you you need to bet $162 to win $100. The 76ers are the favorite in the matchup and if you bet $162 and they win the game outright, then your bet wins and you get your $162 wager back plus $100.
Wagering screen
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Totals
Choosing either the under total points scored
or over total points scored
A totals bet, also known as an over/under bet, is a type of wager in sports betting where you bet on whether the total combined score of both teams in a game will be over or under a specified number set by the sportsbook. This bet is not concerned with who wins or loses, but rather the total amount of points, goals, runs, or other scoring units in the game.
How it works
Over
You bet that the total combined score of both teams will be greater than the number set by the sportsbook.
Under
You bet that the total combined score of both teams will be less than the number set by the sportsbook.
Example
In this matchup between Denver and Buffalo, the total is 47. The final score is Denver 21 to Buffalo 24, 21 + 24 = 45. So the total scored is under the 47. If you bet on the under, then you won your bet. If you bet on the over (over 47), you lost your bet.
If the final combined score was exactly 47, the bet is considered a push (or tie), meaning you get your bet money back. Neither the over or the under is a winning bet.
Wagering Screen
Looking for more?
This short video from ESPN also covers the 3 main bet types:
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Leaderboards
Track your progress
See how you skills measure up against others in the Insider Bettor community by moving up the leaderboards
Follow others and view their wagers
Following other users allows you to view their open wagers. Then you can if they are betting on the same bets as you or you can choose to ‘follow’ and make the same bets.
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