Sports Betting FAQs  

When you're laying down cash on games, you need to know everything you can. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we get at Covers.com. This kind of information is the first thing you need to know when heading to the booth.

What does the over/under ('total', 'O/U') mean?
What does ATS mean?
What does BB mean?
Why do sportsbooks change their lines?
Which odds does Covers.com use for lines and articles?
How can I find old lines from games that have already happened?
What's the newest information on the 'Internet Gambling Bill'? Will I still be able to make my daily plays?
What does SU stand for in stats?
What exactly is the 'moneyline'?
What does 'juice' mean?
How do you read the Live Odds page?
I understand that, for example in the Lakers-Nets game, the Lakers are -240 and the Nets are +180. I know this means the Lakers are the favorite but exactly what is the line?
What is the runline in baseball, such as -1.5 or +1.5?
What is a 'teaser'?
What is your take on placing teaser bets? How many teams should I pick and how many points should I tease?
Can you explain how hedging a bet works? What are the pros and cons?
What is a 'parlay'?
What is a 'round robin'?
How can you find out which NBA refs are doing what games before they start?

What does the over/under ('total') mean?

Sportsbooks set a 'total', which is the predicted number of points the teams will score combined. You can bet on whether you think the actual outcome of the game will fall 'under' the predicted 'total', or 'over' it. If the 'total' for the Lakers vs. Suns matchup closed at 188 and the Suns won 107-93, the combined 200 points would give 'over' bettors a win.

What does ATS mean?

ATS stands for 'against the spread'.

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BB stands for back-to-back – when teams are playing games on consecutive days.

Why do sportsbooks change their lines?

A line moves because the book is trying to balance out the money being laid on either side. If the public favors one team too much, the line moves to attract support to the other team.

If you see a line move significantly, the public may be responding to a situation you are not aware of, like a suspension. Or it might simply be one team is overly popular.

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Which odds does Covers.com use for our lines and articles?

We cite the lines that are appearing most in about a dozen sportsbooks.

How can I find old lines from games that have already happened?

To take a look at the specifics of games gone by, click on the squad you're looking for in 'Teams', then scroll through to see old lines and scores.

What's the newest information on the 'Internet Gambling Bill'? Will I still be able to make my daily plays?

Yes, as of now, you will still be able to make your daily sports wagers. Most sportsbooks have already banned credit card transactions from American customers anyway, so the most recent developments shouldn't be a major concern. But as far as making your daily plays goes, nothing has changed. Check out our 'Industry News' department to stay up to date.

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What does SU stand for in stats?

SU in our stats page stands for straight-up win. 

What exactly is the 'moneyline'?

Betting lines are based on money value. Imagine using a unit wager of $100 for our example.

If Boston is listed as -165 over Tampa Bay and you wanted to bet on Boston - you would then risk $165 to win $100 - since you are betting the favorite.

If you wanted to bet on Tampa you would risk $100 to win $155 - since they are the dog. The $10 difference is called the juice.

What does 'juice' mean?

Juice, also known as the 'vigorish' or simply 'vig', is the amount you pay to the sportsbook when you win your bet. The norm is 10 percent with most sides and 'totals'.

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How do you read the Live Odds page?

On our Live Odds page you'll see the matchups listed across the top and our list of sportsbooks down the lefthand side. It works like a grid. Look under the matchup and across from the books and you'll find the home team's odds in the left column and the 'total' in the right column under each matchup. Each grid has five matchups, ordered according to start time. Then you have to scroll down to get the next five matchups.

I understand that, for example in the Lakers-Nets game, the Lakers are -240 and the Nets are +180. I know this means the Lakers are the favorite but exactly what is the line?

All odds are based on $100, which is the standard unit. So if the Lakers are -240, it means you would have to bet $240 to win $100. This isn't very good value and you would have to wager a lot to win a little.

With the Nets at +180, you would have to bet $100 to win $180. This wager is much better value, but the chances of the Nets winning are much less. Your No. 1 priority is, of course, to pick a winner. But always try to find the best value.

What is the runline in baseball, such as -1.5 or +1.5?

The runline in baseball is simply the spread, just like in other sports, only the spread is always 1 1/2 runs. If a team is -1.5, it must win by two runs to cover the spread, or runline.

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What is a 'teaser'?

A teaser is a type of bet where you get to adjust the point spread in your favor.

What is your take on placing teaser bets? How many teams should I pick and how many points should I tease?

Teaser bets provide a unique betting option and can be fun when you are winning. As to whether or not you should play teasers, that is entirely up to you. Every bettor has his own style of betting and if you like the idea of teasers, go for it. Every book has its own stipulations for teaser bets so it's difficult to say how many teams or points you should take. Also, every game is different so if you have the option, you shouldn't necessarily play the same number of games and points every night. Do your research on each game and try to figure out how many points each team needs to cover the spread.

Can you explain how hedging a bet works? What are the pros and cons?

Our glossary, located in our 'Learn to Bet Wisely' section defines hedging as this: "To reduce the amount of action by wagering on the opposite side of a previous bet."

Basically it's a way of reducing your losses and you usually do it when the spread is low. For example, you might bet $100 on Miami to beat the Pistons at +135 on the moneyline. This would give you a payout of $135. You would then hedge this bet by taking the Pistons for $100 to cover the three-point spread at -110. Even if you lose the moneyline bet, you still cover almost all of your losses. But if you win the moneyline bet, you win $35.

Of course, there is the potential Detroit could win by less than three points and then you lose both bets. That is the downside of hedging. The upside is you dramatically increase your chances of winning, but you generally have to risk a lot to win a little.

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What is a 'parlay'?

A parlay is a one bet ticket with at least two separate wagers on it. All bets on the ticket must win for you to cash in. If you lose any of the games on the ticket, the ticket is a loss.

What is a 'round robin'?

A Round Robin wager allows a player to pick between 3 - 5 outcomes and create all the possible 2 or 3 team parlays from the selected outcomes.

So, for example, if you pick a five-team, three-play Round Robin, 10 three-team parlays will be created.

How can you find out which NBA refs are doing what games before they start?

The NBA has strict regulations on this matter, and they do not release the officials before the game, due to security and gambling reasons. Every once in a while on a pre-game show or on our posting forum, it will be mentioned who is reffing, but that's about it. Periodically we check with the NBA to see if they have changed this policy.

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