Legal sports betting is expanding quickly in the US, and bettors are eager to put a couple sawbucks on that first NFL game … or tonight’s Yankees games … or on the Red Wings to win the Stanley Cup … or whatever. But maybe this whole sports betting thing is new to you. TheLines has got you covered.
- Puck Line Betting Explained For Dummies
- Puck Line Betting Explained Worksheet
- How Does Puck Line Betting Work
- Puck Line Betting Explained
- Puck Line Betting Explained Diagram
Money line bets can seem a little confusing at first, especially for the bettor who has traditionally wagered their money on the point spread. The money line is actually the most straightforward bet you can have on any sport. Whilst the spread bet is on a team to win and by how many, the money line is a bet on simply a team to win. The Puck Line is your handy guide to the world of sports betting and gaming. Fans of sports like hockey, basketball, baseball, soccer and more: we promise to always give you honest and up-to-date advice on bookmakers, betting strategies and fantasy leagues.
Puck Line (Canadian Line): The puck line combines the moneyline with a point spread where a team has to win by two or more goals to win the wager. The negative value -1.5 indicates that team is. A puckline bet is a form of spread wagering explicitly for hockey. As with point spread or simply spread bets, there is a range set by the sportsbook which is the expected range or spread by which a team is expected to win or lose. So, then what is the difference between a puck line and spread betting?
Puck Line Betting Explained For Dummies
Here’s a look at some common sports betting terms someone new to the game might need to place those bets – and hopefully cash a few tickets.
Accumulator – This is similar to a parlay in that it involves a series of bets in one wager. Each of the bets must win in order for the wager to win. If one leg of an accumulator loses the wager loses.
Alternate Lines – All sportsbooks offer lines (point spreads) on sporting events. Some sportsbooks may offer different (or alternate) point spreads that pay different odds for the same game. These provide bettors more options to wager on certain games.
American Odds – American odds are displayed differently than the rest of the world. Moneyline odds are shown as + or – a number in the US. Outside of the US, the same odds might be presented with a decimal point or by a fraction. Example: Yankees +400 American odds would be 5.0 or 4/1. The bettor takes home the same amount of money if the wager wins.
Arbitrage – This betting strategy involves placing a wager on all possible outcomes of an event so that that there’s a guaranteed profit regardless of the winner. This is best done with moneyline or futures wagers in the US and will usually take place across multiple sportsbooks.
Asian Handicap – An alternative way to bet soccer where the better team is “handicapped” to be the favorite. This form of betting was started in Asia.
Backdoor Cover – This is a popular term for a team that covers a point spread late in a game. The team with the late cover may or may not affect the actual result of the game, just the wager.
Banker – A banker is a European wager similar to a round robin bet in the US. Different teams are placed in a “system bet” to make different “accumulator” (parlay) bets.
Bankroll – Total amount of money a bettor has to place wagers.
Beard – This is a person who places a wager for another person who wishes to remain unknown.
Betting Exchange – A betting platform where people wager against one another instead of betting against a sportsbook. The exchange operator takes a small percentage of winning wagers. This is often seen as the most efficient market for sports betting.
Betting Unit – A betting unit is the amount of a typical wager. Bettors may have different sized bankrolls and a unit is a way to share how much was bet without giving away a specific dollar amount. For example, a high roller might have a unit size of $10,000 per wager while a low roller has a unit size of $20 wager per wager.
Bonus – Sportsbooks offer a financial bonus to customers for a variety of reasons. A signup bonus is the most popular way to incentivize bettors to use a certain sportsbook.
Chalk – A term for the team that is the favorite in an event. This team or player is usually a big favorite. The chalk is the expected winner by a large margin.
Circle Game – A game is circled by a sportsbook because betting limits are lower than usual. This most often happens when there’s a questionable injury before a game. It can also happen if there’s potentially bad weather, a trade rumor, or the possibility of “load management” which might give a player a night off.
Opening Line – This is the first point spread available for a game.
Closing Line – This is simply where the point spread is when the game begins.
Closing Line Value – This term is used by bettors to measure the value of the line they wagered before the line that was the last available before a game begins.
Consensus – The general agreement about something. In sports betting consensus could be the most popular teams bet or line available for a game.
Contrarian – Betting against the trends of the mainstream popular opinions. Bettors usually place contrarian wagers when there is value on the opposite opinion.
Dead Heat – Another way to say that there is a tie in a finishing position. Sportsbooks have different rules on how to pay in the event of a tie or dead heat in an event.
Decimal Odds – This is a different way to present odds than Americans are used to. They’re sometimes called “European odds” since this is how odds are listed with European sportsbooks. The math is easier to figure out for most bettors than US moneyline odds. Decimal odds are derived from a simple calculation of the amount bet x odds.
Dime Line – This is a “10 cent” difference between the moneyline odds payout between the money laid on the favorite and the money paid by the underdog. For example, Vegas Golden Knights -125 vs. San Jose Sharks +115. The difference of 10 (dime line) is the traditional profit margin for sportsbooks.
Dog – Short for underdog. This is the team that is not expected to win.
Double Chance – This is a European sports betting term mostly used for soccer betting. A double chance wager allows the bettor two opportunities to win a bet. For example, a result in soccer can be a win, loss, or tie. A double chance bettor may combine two of the three results instead of just one. This gives the bettor twice the chance to win the wager.
Double Pop – A European way of saying that a bettor will bet twice the normal amount. In the US this is known more often as doubling up.
Early Cash Out – A way for bettors to settle a wager for a certain dollar amount before the event is over. This is a way to lock in a profit at a smaller value than the wager would ultimately pay.
Edge – The advantage a bettor has against the sportsbook (or vice versa).
Even Money – A wager that pays the same as was risked. An even-money sports bet is listed as +100 or -100 in a sportsbook. Unlike traditional -110 wager, there’s no vigorish paid to the sportsbook. A bettor risks $100 to win $100 instead of wagering $110 to win $100.
Exacta – Choosing horses to finish first and second in a race. This is sometimes, but rarely, offered for other competitive sports.
Exotic Wager – These are non-traditional sports bets. Exotic wagers aren’t point spread, moneyline, or futures bets on a certain event. This kind of wager is often listed as a prop bet in a sportsbook.
Puck Line Betting Explained Worksheet
Expected Value – This is a calculation used by a bettor to determine whether a wager should win or lose over time. Positive expected value (EV) bets over time is a good way to become a winning sports bettor.
Exposure – The amount of money a sportsbook potentially could lose for a specific event. For example, sportsbooks might have a lot of exposure (money at risk) on one team winning a championship versus another.
First Half – A derivative bet that can be placed on a sport that has two halves. Football and basketball are the most popular sports to place a first half wager. In soccer, this might be called a “half time result.”
Fixed Odds – These are the odds that most sports bettors will experience. Once a wager is placed, the odds are set and don’t change. Horse bettors might experience a change in odds from parimutuel betting.
Flat Betting – Simply put, this is a betting system where all wagers are the same. A bettor doesn’t change the wager amount based on wins, losses, or any other outside opinion. The wager is usually a percentage of bankroll but could also be a fixed dollar amount.
Fractional Odds – Another kind of odds used mainly in Britain and Ireland. Odds are listed in fraction form (1/5) instead of as a moneyline (-500) that US sportsbooks use.
Grand Salami – A popular hockey bet which the wager is for the over/under on total number of goals scored by all teams in a day. Some sportsbooks may offer derivative versions for home, away, or periods of games during the day. Some sportsbooks may offer a similar bet for runs in Major League Baseball.
Handicapper – A person who analyzes sports events to predict the winning team or player.
Handle – The amount of money a sportsbook or sportsbooks take from wagers. This could be broken down by sport, region, casinos, and more.
Hedge – Hedging is a strategy used by sports bettors to either reduce the risk of or to guarantee a profit from a wager.
Home Field – This the field (court, rink, etc.) where one team plays its games.
Hook – Another way to say half of a point. For example, a team may be a 3.5 point underdog. That could be called “three and a hook.”
Joint Favorite – When there are two favorites for an event. This is mostly used in England.
Kelly Criterion – A popular bankroll management strategy for a bettor who seeks to limit losses while maximizing the amount won.
Layoff – When a bookmaker reduces the risk of losing wagers by placing a bet with a different sportsbook(s). This typically happens when there is lopsided wagering on one side of a game and the sportsbook or a bookie want to alleviate potential losses.
Listed Pitcher – This is a baseball bet that is active only if the pitcher listed as the starter throws the first pitch of a game. If the pitcher doesn’t matter a bettor can place a wager on “action.” The latter wager will happen regardless of who starts the game to the team bet on.
Live Betting – Placing a wager on a game or event while it’s taking place. This is also known as In Play wagering.
Lock – Another way of saying that a team or player will be an easy winner. (Note: This isn’t always the case, no matter what a sports prognosticator or tout says.)
Margin – This is a wager where a bettor selects a team to win or lose by a specific number of points regardless of the point spread. For example, the Oakland Raiders will defeat the Los Angeles Chargers by 10-14 points. The Raiders must win by 11, 12, or 13 points for a win. A victory by 10 or 14 points is a push.
Martingale System – A gambling system where bettors doubles the amount of a wager after losses. This system can be used for sports and other forms of gambling (i.e. blackjack).
Middle/Middling – Middling a sports bet is playing different sides of the same game. This gives a bettor multiple chances to win wagers on the same game.
Matched Bet – When a bettor uses free wagers from a sportsbook operator to increase potential profit. This is a popular technique employed in new legal US sports betting markets as promotional offers are available.
Nickel – Placing a $500 wager. A “Dime” is a $1,000 wager.
Novelty Bet – Placing a wager on a non-sports event with a sportsbook. For example, placing a wager on the Oscars in New Jersey. These kinds of wagers are more popular overseas.
Odds-on Favorite – When a team or person is heavily favored to win a game or event. They often have very low odds paying much less than the amount wagered.
Off the Board – When a sportsbook stops taking wagers on an event or participant they remove the game odds from the betting board. This often happens when a player is uncertain to participate because of an injury.
Public Betting Percentage – This is the percentage of wagers placed by the general betting public.
Puck Line – This is a point spread of sorts based on goals scored during a hockey game. The base puck line for a game is often plus or minus 1.5 since there are so few goals scored. Sportsbooks might offer an alternative puck line with more or fewer goals scored.
Puppy – Another way to say a team is an underdog in a game.
Push – When a point spread wager lands exactly on the line offered by the sportsbook. The bettor receives their money back if they push. For example, New England Patriots are favored by 14 points against the New York Jets. If they win by exactly 14 points, the wager pushes and the bettor gets their original wager back.
Player Props – A player prop bet is a wager on an individual player to do something during a game. For example, which player will score first in a football game?
Power Ranking – (AKA Power Rating) – Creating a ranking score for each team so that a bettor, handicapper, or sportsbook can create a point spread. Experienced handicappers use their point spreads to compare with a sportsbook in order to find the best bets available.
Reduced Juice – When a sportsbook lowers the vig on a game. For example, a sportsbook might offer -105 for a game instead of -110. This reduced juice will allow the potential for a bettor to take home more money if the wager wins.
Reverse Line Movement – When a line (or point spread) moves differently than the money wagered on the game or event.
ROI – ROI is an acronym for Return On Investment. The ROI of a sports wager can simply be calculated this way: (Gain from Investment – Cost of Investment) / Cost of Investment.
Round Robin – A wager that involves making multiple parlay bets at the same time.
Run Line – This is a point spread of sorts for baseball games based on the number of runs scored. The run line is typically plus or minus 1.5 since there are so few runs scored in baseball. Sportsbooks might offer an alternative run line with more or fewer runs scored.
Runner – A person who places wagers at a sportsbook for someone else. This person may also be known as a beard.
Sharp Money – Money wagered by sports bettors that a sportsbook operator respects. Sharp money often comes from large wagers placed by professional bettors. It should be noted that not all large wagers are considered Sharp.
Square – A casual and recreational sports bettor. This is someone betting on sports as a hobby. They’re not as respected by sportsbook operators as sharp or professional bettors.
Steam – This is when odds change because of the money wagered on a game or participant. Some bettors will “follow the money” or “chase steam” thinking the bettors know something they may not.
Straight Up – When a team wins or loses an event. The point spread isn’t involved with the winner or loser.
Take the Points – When a bettor places a wager on an underdog they are taking the points offered by the sportsbook.
Take the Price – Similar to taking the points. This is when a bettor takes the price on a game offered by the sportsbook. The bet is typically wagering a moneyline on the underdog.
Tissue Price – The initial odds offered by a sportsbook. This price is usually considered to be the fairest price on a wager.
TKO – Abbreviation for a Technical Knockout in boxing.
Totals – Totals are the numbers that bettors will choose the over or under on points (or runs, goals, etc,) scored.
Tout – A person who sells or gives away sports betting picks.
True Odds – True odds are the actual odds of an event happening. In sports betting this is the most accurate point spread or moneyline.
Wire-to-Wire – This is a wager that a team will lead at every quarter or for a specific number of quarters. Wire-to-wire bets are the most popular in basketball.
Ever want to bet on an event and find yourself questioning what it means to bet the point spread? Here’s what you need to know about point spread betting.
The large majority of wagers involve bettors are picking a side in a game between two teams or individuals. Not all sides are created equal, though. A point spread is used by oddsmakers to even out a matchup from a betting perspective, assigning more or fewer points to a team’s final score. In order to win a point spread wager, a bettor must “beat the spread.” As a result of a more even matchup, point spread betting offers flatter payouts that are often even on both sides.
- Use Promo Code: SHARPSIDE
- Available In 31 States!
- Fun, Fast Prop Picks
What is a point spread?
This is one of the most common questions in sports betting, especially to new sports bettors. The point spread is how teams or sides of varying skill levels are handicapped against one another. It’s the number of points one side is giving or receiving as compared to the other.
Although each team may roster the same number of players, play by the same rules, or even run some of the same plays, the two sides are almost never equal in skill. To account for that inequality between the two teams, a point spread is used to handicap the two sides of a matchup.
If you look at the odds board and see a team’s or individual’s name followed by a minus sign and a number, that reflects that side is favored by that number of points. In the case that you see a plus sign and a number, that side is the underdog in the matchup. The minus sign means that the final score will have the spread number subtracted from it. The plus sign means that the team’s final score will have the spread number added to it.
In summary, the point spread is a calculated prediction of how much a team will win or lose by.
Why do sportsbooks use point spreads?
As we said before, not all teams are created equal. Sportsbooks use point spreads to handicap a matchup in an attempt to attract equal betting on both sides and even out the competition. Without a point spread, it would be too easy for bettors to simply take the favorite in every matchup. That’s similar as to why you see moneyline betting odds priced accordingly.
In a perfect world, sportsbooks and oddsmakers would draw perfectly balanced 50-50 betting action on both sides of a point spread. This alleviates a sportsbook’s or oddsmaker’s need for one side to win. The large majority of point spread bets come with a juice applied to the payout odds. The juice is another term for the “vig” or “rake,” and it is the money a sportsbook or sports betting operator takes on a wager.
Perfectly balanced betting on both sides would allow sportsbooks and oddsmakers to collect the juice free of liability.
How to know if a point spread bet won or lost?
How Does Puck Line Betting Work
In order for a point spread bet to be declared a winner, the side wagered on must “cover” the point spread. The favorite, which is the side with the minus number as the point spread, must win by more than the point spread dictates. The underdog, which is the plus number as the point spread, cannot lose by more than the point spread dictates.
Are ties allowed?
Yes, ties can happen when point spread betting. If the point spread is an even number and the difference in the competition’s result falls directly on that number such that the teams are then evenly scored, it is a tie. In point spread betting, a tie is called a “push.”
In the case of a push, all bets are returned to the bettor. If you wagered $100, you would receive your $100 back.
In many cases, point spreads will not be an even number. Rather, point spreads will display a half of a number, .5, and that is called the “hook.” When there is a hook involved, the bet cannot be a push because there are no half points in sports scoring. More information regarding the hook can be found below, in the section about key numbers.
Example of point spread betting
Point spreads are most commonly used and referred to in football betting. Using an example, let’s say the Buffalo Bills are facing off against the New England Patriots and that the game is in New England. When reviewing the oddsboard with the list of games, you see a number of -8 next to the Patriots team name and a number of +8 next to the Bills team name. This means that New England is favored by 8 points and that Buffalo is the underdog by 8 points.
What you’re seeing might be displayed something like the following:
- Buffalo Bills +8 (-110)
- New England Patriots -8 (-110)
Using another example of the Pittsburgh Steelers as -3 favorites over the Dallas Cowboys, let’s say the game results in a score of Pittsburgh 20 and Dallas 17. This final score would result in a push, as it fell on the exact 3-point spread that was being applied.
Do note that when it comes to point spreads, the underdog number isn’t always shown. Rather, a sportsbook will most likely only display the favorite’s spread and it’s assumed the underdog’s spread is simply the opposite.
Whatever the final score of the game turns out to be, New England will have 8 points subtracted from its total if that’s the side you bet on. If you bet on Buffalo’s side, the final score for the Bills will have 8 points added. If the final score results as 30-20 in favor of New England, bettors holding a Patriots -8 ticket would win the bet because the Patriots won by 10. Bettors who wagered on the Bills +8 would lose because the Bills lost by 10.
How much can I win on a point spread wager?
It’s most common in point spread betting to have odds of -110 on both sides. This means that if you bet $110, you’d win $100. There is where the juice comes into play. If sportsbooks were able to attract perfectly even betting action on both sides, they’d be keeping $10 of every $110 wager placed.
Sometimes, you may see a point spread bet listed with odds of -105, -115, or even -120. In those cases, you would need to bet $105, $115, or $120, respectively, to win $100. Then there are also times in point spread betting when a wager has even odds, listed as Even or +100, so whatever you bet you’ll get back.
Because oddsmakers will adjust point spreads as they see fit, another way to alter the handicap is by changing the odds slightly.
- Use Promo Code: SHARPSIDE
- Available In 31 States!
- Fun, Fast Prop Picks
Wait, point spreads can change?
Yes. Sportsbooks and oddsmakers may very well change a point spread to keep the handicap even. Injuries, starting lineups, weather, and volume of bets on one side or the other are a handful of the reasons for a point spread to change. Don’t let the thought of a changing point spread scare you, because these changes can work to your advantage. Of course, they can also work to your disadvantage.
Sticking with the previous example, here’s how the betting line for the Bills and Patriots looked to start.
- Buffalo Bills +8 (-110)
- New England Patriots -8 (-110)
That’s where the line opened, but then later in the week, much closer to game time, the line changed to the following.
- Buffalo Bills +7 (-110)
- New England Patriots -7 (-110)
This shift signifies that New England moved to become less of a favorite than at the opening line. If you’re a bettor who placed a wager on the Bills at +8, this is good news for you, as you’re now getting an extra point that isn’t available anymore. If you placed a wager on the Patriots -8, you now need to overcome an additional point to win.
Many sharp bettors make a practice of watching and predicting line movements. This is done in an attempt to get the best number possible.
Just as points spreads move, they aren’t uniform from venue to venue, so be sure to shop around at various sportsbooks to get the best line that you can.
Understanding key numbers
When it comes to a point spread, it’s important to understand the key numbers. This is especially true for bettors wagering on football, because football point spreads are where the key numbers tend to have the most significance.
Due to how the scoring is structured in football, with field goals being worth 3 points and touchdowns being worth 7 points when you include the 1-point extra point, the most common margins of victory are 3 and 7 points. Knowing and understanding the importance of these key numbers can allow a bettor to make better wagers.
In point spread betting, you’ll often hear bettors reference the “hook.” The hook is the extra half point attached to the spread, very commonly seen in football betting. When betting on a favorite and understanding the importance of key numbers and the hook, it’s beneficial for a bettor to lay fewer than 7 points or fewer than 3 points. Similarly, it’s better to lay 7 points with a favorite than have to cover 7.5 points. The same can be said for 3.5, 3, and 2.5 – having to lay 3 points is much better than having to lay 3.5, and having to lay 2.5 is far greater than having to lay 3.
This also works for the other side of a point spread, the underdog. Any time a bettor can, he or she will want the benefit of having the hook in his or her favor. It’s much better to have an underdog if you’re getting 3 points than just 2.5, or 3.5 points instead of 3. Understanding the importance of key numbers and the hook can be the differences between winning a bet or not.
Although more attention is given to key numbers in football, they are worth paying attention to in basketball, too. Key numbers in basketball come into play less often than in football, but they’re still worth knowing what they are. In basketball, the most common margins of victory are between 5 points and 8 points, followed by 3 points and 4 points.
Puck Line Betting Explained
Puck line and run line
Point spreads are used mainly in football and basketball. In hockey, the point spread is referred to as the “puck line.” In baseball, a point spread is called the “run line.” In hockey and baseball, the puck line or run line are commonly -1.5 or +1.5 and the lines themselves don’t change but the odds might.
Puck Line Betting Explained Diagram
For more definitions of common sports betting terms, check out SharpSide’s dedicated glossary page.