Those changes affect only new bets, not ones already placed. More likely, though, is that it will change the point spread. You’d get your money back in the case of a tie, which is why sports books usually set point spreads on half points - + or - 6.5 points instead of 7, for example.Īs with moneyline bets, a sports book could adjust the payouts if the bets come in too heavily on one side of a line bet. Similarly, if you bet on the other team at +7, it merely needs to lose by fewer than 7 points (or win outright) for you to collect. If a team is favored by 7 points, its line will be -7, meaning that if you bet on this squad, it will need to score at least 8 more points than its opponent for you to win. This is where the point spread comes in - the + or - number after a team’s name in the betting line. Line bet: Here, bettors are wagering on whether the favorite will win by at least as many points as the sports book predicts. If you’re befuddled by the avalanche of gambling ads, we’re here to help. Wagering on the Super Bowl is illegal in Californiaīetting on football may be legal across much of the country now, but not in California.
