Sports betting guides
Short guides to the bets on our odds pages. Each one uses live prices from MyBookie, Bovada, BetOnline and BetUS or a calculator you can try. New to betting? Read the first five in order.
Start here
Five short guides, in order. Together they cover what every price on our odds pages means.
- American oddsWhat -150 and +130 mean, and how to turn any price into a win chance.3 min read
- Point spreadsHow the favorite gives points, why 3 and 7 matter, and what a push is.3 min read
- Over/undersBetting the combined score, and how far the books' totals differ.3 min read
- Vig and juiceThe margin in every price, worked out, with a vig calculator.3 min read
- Line shoppingWhat the same bet pays at four sportsbooks, and why the gap adds up.3 min read
Read the odds
- American oddsWhat -150 and +130 mean, and how to turn any price into a win chance.3 min read
- Point spreadsHow the favorite gives points, why 3 and 7 matter, and what a push is.3 min read
- Over/undersBetting the combined score, and how far the books' totals differ.3 min read
- ParlaysHow legs multiply the payout and the margin, with a parlay calculator.2 min read
- Prop betsPlayer yards, receptions and touchdowns: how prop lines are set and priced.3 min read
Get a better price
Bet types and timing
- Live bettingBetting after kickoff: how in-game prices move and what to watch.3 min read
- FuturesSeason-long bets on champions and awards, and the margin they carry.2 min read
- HedgingWhen locking in a result makes sense, with a hedge calculator.2 min read
- Bankroll managementStake sizes that survive a losing streak, with a stake calculator.2 min read
By sport
- NFL bettingSpreads, totals and key numbers, with this week's NFL lines.3 min read
- College football bettingBig spreads, many games and early lines on Saturdays.3 min read
- NBA bettingSpreads, totals and rest days, from the opening schedule on.2 min read
- NHL bettingMoneylines, the puck line and three-way regulation prices.3 min read
- MLB bettingMoneylines, the run line and why starting pitchers move prices.3 min read
- Boxing bettingMoneylines, rounds and method of victory, fight by fight.3 min read
Calculators
- Odds converterAmerican odds to decimal odds, win chance and payout.
- Vig calculatorTwo prices in, the margin and the no-vig prices out.
- Parlay calculatorUp to six legs: the combined price and payout.
- Hedge calculatorHow much to bet on the other side to lock in a result.
- Payout calculatorThe same bet at two prices: what each wins and the difference.
- CLV calculatorYour price against the closing price, as closing line value.
- Stake calculatorBankroll and unit size in: the stake and the losing run that costs 20%.
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