Hi I just joined a new Sportsbook today and I realized as I bet the UNDER for the Bulls/Celtics game the risk for the OVER is $115 while at $105 for the UNDER. Can someone please explain why it's like this instead of both sides being at $110? Your explanation would be greatly appreciate. Thanks.
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more action on the over so instead of moving it half a pt they hung the extra juice on it.Comment -
betting 101...
The casino Sports books make their money on sports bets by collecting a commission on losing bets. This is called the Vigorish or Vig for short. The most common odds are 11 to 10. This means that if you want to win $100 you are risking $110. For example you place a bet on the Giants at the casino sports book and pay $110. If the Giants win you collect $210 when you cash your winning ticket. If you lose your bet you lose the $110.
Ideally the Sports book would like to have the same amount of money wagered on the two teams playing. If the Giants are playing the Colts and they have one player betting on the Giants and one player betting on the Colts they would pay the winner $100 but collect $110 for the loser. This gives them a $10 profit so they really don’t care who wins as long as they have an equal amount bet on each team. To accomplish this they assign a line or spread to make the contest equally attractive for both sides.
The Point Spread
Many people believe that the point spread is the predicted margin of victory by which one team will beat another team. This is not true. The line is the handicapper’s prediction of what number will be required to split the wagering evenly on both teams. For this reason the line may change from the opening line to the line at game time. The Sports books goal is to have the betting as evenly as possible.
If the public is swayed by sentiment to bet on a certain team then the odds makers need to adjust the line to get some action on the other team. Otherwise the betting would be heavily lopsided. The general betting public reacts from the opinions of others. This is why you see so many people “Jumping on the band wagon” of a winning team.
For the sports books the line is flawed if it does not attract the same amount of action on both sides however from a smart handicapper’s point of view, the line is flawed when it does not compute to his predicted outcome of the game. A weaker team can actually become the favorite if public sentiment is with that team. When this happens the underdog presents a huge overlay for the seasoned handicapper meaning that the odds are in his favor. For example: Team A should be a 3 point underdog to Team B however The public loves Team A and are betting on them and the line moves to make Team A a one point favorite, then Team B becomes an excellent bet. This is the contrarian principle and why many smart handicappers go against the general betting public.Comment -
Reducing the Vig is a good way to entice you to buy without changing the line. Increasing the Vig is a way to make you consider whether or not to place the bet without changing the line.
I've seen some books take the same line and charge -160 instead of just adjusting the line. It's like there forcing you not to make the bet???Comment -
Thanks guys. So usually the line with the Vig being raised has a better chance of winning?Comment -
Monkeyfocker, please educate this young lad.המוסד
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