If you’re new to online sports betting, a straight bet is a logical place to start. Essentially, it is a blanket term that covers all single selection wagers, including moneylines, spreads, and totals.
Not familiar with some of the terminology that I’ve used above? Not to worry, as I’ve explained straight betting fully and comprehensively in my guide below. By the end of this article, you’ll have a full understanding of straight bets, including how to read the odds, and how to place them.
A straight bet is simply a single wager on any match or sports event. The moneyline (win or loss) is the most common type of straight bet, but all single selection wagers fall under the “straight bet” umbrella.
This includes over/under markets and the points spread, as well as more niche bet types, such as handicaps, half-time full-time, and player props.
The most common alternative to a straight bet would be a parlay, which is multiple bets combined into one wager at longer odds. Once you’re done with this guide, you can also find parlay betting explained in full here at DunkorThree.com.
Before I take you through all of the ins and outs of straight betting, here is a quick look at the main pros and cons:
As I’ve told you already, “straight bet” is an umbrella term that covers all single-game wagers. However, there are three that are more common than all others.
If you go to any sportsbook and select an NBA game, the basic betting line will look like this:
Teams | Moneyline | Over/Under | Spread |
---|---|---|---|
Boston Celtics | -375 | O 229.5 | (-8.5) -110 |
Brooklyn Nets | +295 | U 229.5 | (+8.5) -110 |
This shows the three basic types of straight bets, which are:
Let’s take a closer look at each of these, shall we?
The moneyline is your bread-and-butter wager that shows you the odds and probability for each team to win. In the example above, you can see that the Celtics are -375 favorites and the Nets are +295 underdogs. For more detailed information, you can check out my moneyline betting explained guide, which also contains more examples.
The spread evens up the contest by handicapping the favorite and giving an advantage to the underdog. In the example of basketball spread betting I’ve used above, the Celtics have a -8.5 handicap as favorites while the Nets are +8.5 underdogs.
If you were to bet on the Celtics in this case, they would need to win by a margin of nine points or more. Meanwhile the Nets just need to stay within eight points of the Celtics to “beat the spread”, as we say.
The third and final straight bet used in the example above is the over/under, sometimes referred to as a totals bet. With this type of wager, it doesn’t matter who wins or loses the game, as you are betting on the total number of points scored by both teams combined.
Using the example above, if you were to bet the (O 229.5) line, your bet would pay out if both teams scored a combined total of 230 points or more. For the (U 229.5) line, you would need 229 points or less. If that type of wager appeals to you, then you’ll want to check out my basketball predictions for under-over today as well.
Here in the US, all sportsbooks display their odds in American format, which you should find pretty easy to read and understand. There are two different types of numbers that you need to be aware of:
The more keen-eyed among you will have noticed that the odds for both outcomes on the spread and over/under is -110. This is because these markets are even contests where every outcome has the same chance of winning.
In reality, this means that both outcomes should be -/+100. However, the sportsbook adds that extra -10 to protect their profits regardless of the outcome. This is known as the “vig”.
In theory, winning a straight bet is easy as you just have to pick a single outcome, and if it happens, you get a payout. Of course, in reality, there is more to it than that, as you have to take the odds, implied probability, and other factors into account.
If we look at the three examples above, you will often find the most value and largest potential payout by betting the underdog on the moneyline. However, this also comes with the most risk and lowest chance of winning.
At +295 moneyline for the underdogs, $395 total returns for a $100 bet look pretty sweet, but the probability of them winning is only 25.32%. Therefore a moneyline underdog bet is only worth it if you have some good information that makes you think you can beat the bookies – which is rare.
Over/under and spreads are less risky, albeit less rewarding, straight bet options. As I explained before, the odds always start at -110 for these markets, and they rarely move beyond -105/+105. Average points and stats, plus NBA team records against the spread, can all give you a good indication and a better chance at calling the right outcome.
Well, there you have it – just about everything you need to know about straight bets and how they work. In summary, straight bets can be literally any single selection wager, from the three basic bets mentioned above to game and player props and beyond. If you’re looking to get started today, you can check out my reviews of the best online sportsbooks in your state right here at Dunkorthree.com.
Straight bets are single selection wagers that rely on just one outcome. The most popular straight bets are moneylines, over/under, and spreads, but props and handicap bets also fall into the straight bet category.
A straight bet is a single bet on a single outcome – e.g. Boston Celtics to win at odds of -150. A parlay bet combines multiple bets into a single wager with increased risk, but also longer odds, as you need all outcomes to win for a parlay to pay out.
If you place a straight moneyline bet on a sport like soccer, and the game ends in a tie, the bet is pushed. This means that you get your stake back, and neither win nor lose.
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