I do not bet on sporting events much but on my next trip to vegas I want to dabble. but to help me understand a bit if on tonight's ncaa game I would have bet on NDSU to win over Oklahoma what would I have won? I know they were a 3.5 pt underdog. not sure what I would have bet since I am a newbie to the sporting events.
That big board can be intimidating but its simple after you learn just like everything else...Betting the point spread as you mentioned had NDSU at +3.5 and next to that number would have been the odds for that bet (-110 for example). If the odds are -110 that basically means youd have to bet $110 to win $100. You can also bet the ML (moneyline- pick the team to win straight up with no added points...great odds if youre thinking the underdog will win the game outright). The ML odds for the game was +150 for NDSU to win straight up...paying you 1.50 for every dollar you had bet. And the Total which is where you can bet if you think the game will go Over or Under the posted combined point total for the game. Even though your NDSU pick would have been lucky as my sooners should have put them away i thought id help gl!
TMescan nailed it in the simplest terms. In general, if you think a dog is good enough to pull the upset, then you are better off betting the money line for the additional payoff instead of the spread Check out the sticky on betting football 101 for a few additional pointers.
My .02 Tmescan is right on..... As a newbie sports bettor it seemed to me to be overwhelming but once you get the hang of it the rewards can be positive. The hard part for me was approaching the window, what I found, and actually still find to be the least stressful is to bet during slow times well ahead of your chosen event. The ticket writers are very patient if you let them know as you approach the window that you are new to sports betting. There will be a number on the big electronic board corresponding to the team you want to wager on. Let the writer know your bet dollar amount, team number and team name. I am a dork so I always write down my betting info on a slip of paper so I don't stand there overthinking the transaction. Drink tickets are actually for me a a spendy comp to chase, but if you tip five bucks, thank them for their help and ask for a drink ticket it seems to work out for me. From what I have observed over the years sports bettors don't tip too much. I don't know diddly about the horse racing side of things, but they sure seem to have fun on that side of the book ! Have fun and positive wagering !
