Moneyline, Spread and Totals: US Sports Betting Markets Explained

American sports betting is built on three markets: the moneyline, the point spread and the total. Once you understand them, and how American odds work, you can read any NFL, NBA, NHL or MLB price. This guide covers each one.

American odds in one minute

American odds use a positive or negative number.

• Negative (-150): the amount you must stake to win 100. Staking 150 wins 100. It is the favourite.
• Positive (+130): the amount you win on a 100 stake. It is the underdog.

To convert to implied probability:

• Negative odds: probability = odds / (odds + 100), ignoring the minus. -150 gives 150 / 250 = 60%.
• Positive odds: probability = 100 / (odds + 100). +130 gives 100 / 230 = 43.5%.

Our odds converter switches between formats, and how betting odds work explains decimal and fractional prices too.

Moneyline

A moneyline bet is on who wins the game. No handicap, no line. In basketball, baseball and hockey, overtime counts, so there are only two outcomes. The favourite carries the negative number and the underdog the positive one.

Example: Team A -150, Team B +130. Team A implies 60% and Team B 43.5%, which adds up to 103.5%. The extra 3.5 points is the bookmaker's margin. See implied probability and the margin.

Point spread

The spread levels the game by giving the underdog a head start. If Team A is -6.5, it must win by seven or more for a bet on Team A to win. A bet on Team B at +6.5 wins if Team B wins or loses by six or fewer.

Most spread bets are priced at -110 on both sides. At -110 you stake 110 to win 100, and the implied probability is 110 / 210 = 52.4%. Both sides at 52.4% add to 104.8%. That 4.8% is the margin, called the vig or juice. It also means you need to win 52.4% of your spread bets just to break even. See why win rate alone is misleading.

Whole-number spreads can push. If Team A is -7 and wins by exactly seven, the stake is refunded. In the NFL, 3 and 7 are the key numbers because so many games end by those margins, so a line moving from -2.5 to -3.5 matters more than most moves.

Totals (over/under)

A total is a bet on the combined score of both teams. If the total is 47.5 and the teams score 51, the over wins. As with the spread, the usual price is -110 each way, with a push when the combined score lands exactly on a whole-number line. Totals are also used in hockey and baseball, where the numbers are much smaller, such as 5.5 goals or 8.5 runs.

Other things to know

• Overtime: in the NFL, NBA and NHL, standard moneyline, spread and totals bets include overtime. Baseball moneylines usually include extra innings.
• Starting pitchers and goalies: in baseball and hockey, many bookmakers will void or reprice a bet if the listed pitcher or goalie does not start, so check the terms.
• Player props: points, yards and strikeouts have a higher margin than main markets.
• Parlays (accumulators): combining bets multiplies the margin as well as the odds. See betting markets explained.

Comparing with Asian handicap

A spread works like an Asian handicap, with the difference that football rarely has enough scoring for large spreads. See Asian handicap explained.

Practical tips

• Convert every price to a probability before you decide.
• Shop for the best price. A line of -108 instead of -110 lowers the margin you pay.
• Know the key numbers in the NFL.
• Never stake more than your plan allows. See bankroll basics.

Where this appears on Vantip

Our American sports tips use these markets, and each tip card names the market, the pick and the odds. Our methodology explains confidence, value and edge. Sports betting is regulated differently in each country and US state, so make sure it is legal where you are.

Vantip Team. Information only, not betting advice. 18+. Betting carries risk; see our Responsible Gambling page.