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Understanding Super Bowl Betting Lines

by ReadyBetGo Editor

The Super Bowl has arrived and it is arguably the biggest day on the entire sports calendar. Not only will it be watched by tens of millions of people, but it also happens to be one of the most popularReadyBetGo EditorThere are occasions when we here at ReadyBetGo want to bring you interesting facts about the gambling industry  When something catches our eye, we will publish it for your enjoyment. 
  events to wager on as well.

Whether you are new to the world of sports betting or have a bit of experience, a little tutorial could go a long way. If you are from Colorado, for example, it has been a while since you have see the Broncos in playoffs (2015). So, since we won’t see Broncos kickers in the Super Bowl any time soon, you might have forgotten how the big game works. We are kidding Broncos fans!

Betting looks different for the Super Bowl than it does for the rest of the NFL schedule, so check out the guide to Super Bowl betting lines below.

The Rise of Sports Betting

First, let’s take a quick look at how sports betting has progressed over the years. There has always been betting of some kind, typically restricted to local bookies or the major Las Vegas sportsbooks. In recent years, however, online sports betting has exploded.

More and more states are passing legislation as it relates to online sports betting. With greater accessibility, there are more people betting now than ever before. With that in mind, a brief guide can be infinitely useful.

A Quick Caveat About Super Bowl Betting

It is important to make one thing clear right from the jump. Super Bowl betting is not like betting on any other football game. Though there are plenty of wagers to be made on the average NFL game, the Super Bowl takes it to another level.

For instance, there are wagers on things like the length of the National Anthem, the color of Gatorade that will be poured on the winning coach, and even the coin toss. Once you have a base idea of how betting lines work, it will help you get into more niche bets like those.

Odds

The first thing to understand is the odds. You might see a line like this: Kansas City Chiefs (+140) vs. San Francisco 49ers (-125). But what does that mean? The numbers with the plus or minus symbol in front of them are key.

Those symbols indicate who the favorite is and how likely it is that either event will wind up winning. The Chiefs are the underdog in this situation, but it is thought to be a relatively tight game. The odds also tell you how much you can win. For instance, if you bet $10 on the Chiefs, you would win $14 (plus your wager for $24 total). But if you were to bet that same $10 on the 49ers, you would only get $7.50 back ($17.50 total).

Money Line

The money line is the simplest means of placing a bet. You are choosing which team will win outright. As mentioned above, the 49ers are the favorites, indicated by the minus symbol. This tells the bettor who the sportsbook thinks has a better shot of winning.

In any sport, the odds play a factor. When there is a heavy favorite, the odds might become too steep to get any value out of. That can lead to a change of approach, including selecting one of the other betting markets.

Points Spread

Because of the lack of value the money line can provide, the spread is one of the most popular ways to bet on a game. Let’s say that the 49ers are 2.5-point favorites. In order for them to cover the spread, they would need to win by three points or more. For an underdog (the Chiefs +2.5), they would need to lose by less than three points or win outright.

Betting on the spread is even money because it is a 50/50 wager. The spread is there to even the field between the two teams no matter how uneven the matchup may be. It also provides better value when wagering on big favorites or underdogs.

Over/Under

If you don’t want to pick a team, the over/under is the next best option. With this bet type, you can wager on whether the total for both teams will be over or under the number set by the sportsbook. The over/under is typically even money (-110) which means it is a 50/50 proposition.

Prop Bets

Prop bets are similar in many ways with one difference: they are on a specific player or event rather than the entire game. You can bet on player yardage, who will score a touchdown, and even how many points a team will score. Props can get a bit comprehensive but can narrow down your rooting interests exponentially.

Conclusion

It can feel quite overwhelming to jump right into sports betting but it is easier than it looks. The Super Bowl is a great place to have some extra fun betting on goofy props in addition to the game itself. With this helpful guide, you can have a better idea of what you’re wagering on and why.

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