Guide to Straight Wagers

Wager A “line” is the set of rules used to calculate how much a player will risk or win on a bet, and how the results of the bet will be determined. Straight bets are the most popular and oldest kind of bets, and should be well understood by any prospective sports gamblers.

The four standard Straight wager line types are described below.

Point Spreads

A Point Spread bet is a wager placed on one team to win against another, by an amount of points/goals/etc as specified in the “Point Spread”.

When placing your bet, the favorite is indicated by the minus sign “-” and the underdog is indicated by the plus sign “+”. To determine the winner for betting purposes, the Point Spread is added to the final score of the team that you wager on. Point Spread rules are as follows:

To win your bet, the team you wager on must win by the Point Spread.
On certain events you can adjust the point spread by buying points.
Games that tie when taking the point spread into consideration are no action, which means your original wager amount will be refunded to your account.
The odds are $1.10 to win $1.00 (-110) unless otherwise indicated.

Money Lines

Money Lines are the simplest types of lines. You are simply betting that the team you’ve wager on will win the game outright. Your wager is not subject to a point spread, instead the money line shows you how much you will win for a given bet.

Money Lines are displayed with a plus “+” or a minus “-” sign, where the “-” team is the favorite.
Money Lines posted with a minus sign “-” require a bet equal to the amount shown after the minus sign to win $100. So for instance, a money line of -125 means you must risk $125 to win $100.
Money Lines posted with a plus sign “+” require a $100 bet to win the amount shown after the plus sign. So for instance, a money line of +125 means you must risk $100 to win $125.
To win your bet, the team you wager on must win the game.
Tie games are no action, which means your original bet amount will be refunded to your account.

Totals

Totals are also known as over / under bets. You bet that the actual combined total score of both teams will be over or under the number displayed in your wager. The winning team is irrelevant to this wager. Totals rules are as follows:

If the actual combined total score of both teams is equal to the number displayed in your Totals bet, the bet is no action; this means your original bet amount will be refunded to your account.
The odds are $1.10 to win $1.00 (-110) unless otherwise indicated.
On certain events you can adjust the odds by buying points.
If you bet “o44 -110”, then the total score of both teams must be greater than 44 in order for you to win $100 on your $110 bet.

In Game Intervals

Quarter

Quarter lines allow you to wager on the first, second, third and fourth quarter of basketball and football games. Quarter lines are generally posted at the end of the previous quarter. Quarter betting rules are as follows:

Quarter bets are calculated the same as a straight wager unless otherwise indicated.
Games must go the full quarter for quarter bets to have action.

Half-time

Half-time lines allow you to wager on the first or second half of basketball and football games. Half-time betting rules are as follows:

Half-time bets are calculated the same as a straight wager unless otherwise indicated.
Half-time bets must go the full half for action.
Overtime is included as part of the second half. Buying Points

Buying Points

Buying points allows you to improve the Point Spread or Totals odds of a football or basketball contest by actually buying points for the team you want to wager on.

You can buy points to your advantage for the sports of football and basketball. Points can be bought on the side or on the total. Each half point costs you an additional 10 cents to the dollar. Buying onto or off of the point spread of 3, in football only, costs 20 cents to the dollar (instead of 10 cents).