VEGAS ODDS

How “Vegas Odds” Work

Sportsbooks in the United States often use the term “Vegas Odds” to collectively refer to their betting odds and lines.

Vegas odds (sometimes also known as ‘American odds’) are named after the US gambling capital and are trusted by odds-makers around the world to determine sports betting markets. All bets use Vegas odds, although the moneyline, point spread, and Totals (over/under) are the most popular markets.

Vegas lines / betting odds indicate the likelihood of various outcomes in sports events and how much can be won by betting on those outcomes. The term “Vegas” refers to Las Vegas, a hub for sports betting, though these types of odds are used worldwide.

Moneyline Betting

Moneyline betting is simply betting on which team or player will win a match.

• Example: Team A (-150) vs. Team B (+130).
• Explanation: The minus sign indicates the favorite (Team A). A bet of $150 on Team A would yield a total return of $250 ($150 bet + $100 winnings). The plus sign indicates the underdog (Team B). A bet of $100 on Team B would yield a total return of $230 ($100 bet + $130 winnings).

Spread Betting

Spread betting involves betting on the point difference by which a team wins or loses a game.

• Example: Team A -5.5 vs. Team B +5.5.
• Explanation: If you bet on Team A, they must win by more than 5.5 points for you to win the bet. If you bet on Team B, they must lose by less than 5.5 points or win the game outright for you to win the bet.

Totals Betting (Over/Under)

• Example: The Over/Under is 48.5 in a college football game.
• Explanation: If you bet on ‘Over’, the total combined score of both teams must be 49 or more for you to win. If you bet on ‘Under’, the combined score must be 48 or less for you to win.

Live & Mobile Betting: In-play betting is possible with a majority of online sports betting sites and mobile betting apps (for iOS and Android users).
Bonuses For New customers: Many US online sports betting sites offer new customer bonuses which when combined come to thousands of dollars of added value.

If in doubt as to how betting odds work, refer to our odds calculator page which will convert odds and calculate payouts and the implied probability of your bets.