• Over And Under Betting What Does Mean
• Over And Under Betting Rules
• How To Read Over Under Odds
• Over And Under Betting Explained
• Over And Under Betting Strategy
• Under Over Betting Rules
• Over And Under Betting For The Nfl

If you bet on sports for any length of time you will without a doubt come across the Over/Under market, after all, it is one of the most bet markets in all of sports. The Over Under market is simple in its mechanism but supremely difficult to master. Its a staple of the betting public and getting to know its intricacies is the first step in adding it to your betting repertoire.

What is Over and Under Betting? Over Under Betting is a market that usually relates to the total points scored in a game. Sportsbooks set a number, called the line, and bettors wager on whether the total game points will finish over or under that figure.The Over Under market can also be offered on other measurable in-game statistics such as passing yards or assist and rebounds.

“Over Under betting”, in the US also popular as “Totals” betting, is one of the three basic markets in the sports betting industry. Backing the event winner is still the most popular market, but the “Totals” and “Spreads (Handicap Betting. Over Under Betting is a market that usually relates to the total points scored in a game. Sportsbooks set a number, called the line, and bettors wager on whether the total game points will finish over or under. When betting totals, you aren’t betting on just one team. You are wagering on the combined points scored in the game. For example, if the over/under in the Green Bay-Chicago game is 42.5 and you bet on the over, you need at least 43 points scored in the game to win. Conversely, if you bet the under. Betting On The Over/Under Totals For An Individual Team Another type of over/under total bet is for the two teams involved in the game. This is considered to be a prop bet though and at most online.

What Do the Over and Under Odds Mean?

Typically the odds are listed at -110 American (1.91 decimal). This means a bettor would need to invest $110 to win a profit of $100. Over Under odds can vary depending on the sportsbook offering the market and the volume of money that has been bet on either side of that market.

Sportsbooks will either vary the odds or vary the actual over under line being offered if a disproportionate amount of money has been bet on one side of the market. Preferably they will adjust the over under total, but in the case of the odds being adjusted (juiced by the betting public) it’s not unusual to see them move out to -112 or -115 or move in to -105 and on rare occasions even +100 (double your money).

If the odds vary too far from -110, then it is most likely that the sportsbook will adjust the over under total allowing the odds to return back to parity.

For more on how to read sport odds check out our article.

How Much Do You Win On Over Under Bets?

The Over Under market is a 50/50 market meaning there are only two possible outcomes. It would seem logical that if a bettor was to win a 50/50 bet then they would return double their money. This is not the case when betting Over Under markets due to the need of the sportsbook to take a cut of the money wagered (the handle). This cut is called the ‘vig’ or vigorish.

Assuming the sportsbook has attracted a close to even amount of money on both sides of the market, their vig on a -110 market is about 5%. To overcome the bookmakers margin a bettor who bets long term on the Over Under market needs to win 52.38% of the time to breakeven (assuming a consistent bet size). A win rate above 55% will return the bettor very healthy profit over time.

Of course when betting on 50/50 markets bettors will over time endure winning and losing streaks. An effective staking strategy is needed to prevent a prolonged run of losses sending your bankroll to the wall.

Statistically speaking on 100 Over Under bets, a run of 6 consecutive losses at some point is normal. A longer losing run is of course possible. An effective staking strategy is essential for any bettor looking to survive betting long term on this market.

The Take Home: The best way of improving your chances of winning more often when betting on the Over Under total is to have accounts at multiple sportsbooks. This allows you to find the most favorable points total (they do vary a lot and often) as well as a decent price. Odds of -110 are about as far as you should go into the minus money realm. If you look around, you may sometimes be able to grab something slightly better than -110. With long term profitability an ongoing grind, getting the best of what is on offer is critical.

How Do Sportsbook Decide on an Over Under Number?

They use a lot of math, experience and intuition. The benefit of the over under total is that is heavily statistically based. Long term scoring averages and patterns are well established. Extra filters can be applied to these such as scoring at a particular venue, in certain weather conditions, against particular opponent or the inclusion or exclusion of key players. There is some serious number crunching to do.

Sportsbooks will set an ‘opening number’ and then if needed vary this as game time approaches. Many factors influence the variation of the number post its initial setting. One of the biggest is the intent of the betting public. If the public vote with their dollars and bet heavily to one side of the market then the books will adjust to suit the bettors intent.

Long term Over Under bettors have usually established their own theories and systems to calculate a possible over under line. When their perceived number does not match the sportsbooks they will pounce. Many sharp bettors are ready for totals to be posted so they can access ‘weak’ numbers before the books have time to adjust.

Often times sportsbook will pay close attention to who is placing the bet. If they perceive the bettor to be very successful at betting the over under market, they may adjust their line in reaction. I guess you could say it’s a roundabout way of paying for information.

The Take Home: The Over Under market is big business and consistently getting the best of a sportsbooks number is not easy. Respect their decisions and be selective about which numbers you attack. Over time the weakness becomes easier to spot and your win rate will improve.

What is Does .5 mean in an Over Under Bet?

Many times on Over Under markets sportsbooks will list a total with an included half point. For example on an NFL game the over under line may be 48.5 points. Clearly it is impossible for a team to score 0.5 points and therefore hitting the 48.5 points exactly is impossible. So why is the total listed like this?

The half point, or the ‘hook’ as it is commonly known, is used by bookmakers to prevent the possibility of a tied result. Let’s imagine for a minute that the half point in the above example was not offered and the total was a neat 48 points instead. In this case a final score like 27 – 21 would land the game total smack on 48 points. At that point neither the over or the under would have hit and the sportsbook would be required to refund all bets.

The Take Home:With the sport betting industry becoming increasingly sophisticated and odds makers becoming very efficient, it is incredible the amount of times a bet is decided by that measly half point. It’s a fine line between winning and losing when you bet the Over Under Totals and at times it can feel like the cruelest bet type in the business. Hang tough. Those bad beats will even out with back door wins. Keep your emotions in check and you will make better decisions.

What Happens If The Over Under is Exact?

If a market is offered without the hook or half point it becomes possible for the final scoreline to land on that exact total. When this occurs bettors will receive a refund. In the betting game it is known as a push, much the way it is in blackjack when a player ties with the dealer. A push simply means your money is returned.

Over And Under Betting What Does Mean

While there are times that a bettor may feel like they dodged a bullet when their team scores late points to force a push much of the time it’s a bit of an empty feeling. A push is clearly better than a loss, but it’s not a win. The sports betting game is all about getting wins.

Interestingly sportsbooks try to avoid the scenario where a push occurs as it effectively means they have made no money. As already discussed the mechanism for making money on this bet type is to include a vig on the payouts to the winning bettors. If no one wins and all money is returned then there is no vig taken either. For that reason sportsbooks prefer to use the half point to ensure a winner is decided.

Why would a sportsbook ever bother putting up a total without the half point? The main reason for this is if the over under game total lands on a key number (ie a common multiple of the games scoring plays) then adding (or subtracting) a half point to the total may skew the betting handle too far in one direction. At that point the book may decide to remain on the flat score without the half point and take the risk of a push.

The Take Home:Look out for a half point that works to your advantage. For example if you are betting unders ideally you want the half point to push the line above a key number (eg 48.5 as opposed to 48). This subtle change could be the difference between a push and a win. Turning pushes into wins is how longterm bettors hit above the magic 52.38% win rate.

Does Over Under Include Overtime?

Over and Under points totals include overtime. Being aware of this is of utmost importance. Depending on the sport you are betting on, scoring in overtime can be quite heavy and more often than not it guarantees the over total being a winner.

Imagine for a minute you have placed a bet on the Over Game Total market in a regular season NBA game. The game total line is installed at 227.5.

Now let’s imagine that very late in the fourth quarter, with only seconds remaining, scores are locked up at 108. The game total to this point is 216 points. The over bet looks beaten but isn’t quite done yet. It desperately needs the game to go to overtime because at that point its easy to imagine another 12 points being scored in the extra added minutes. If the game goes to overtime the Overs bettors probably cash.

The Take Home:It is for this reason that the Over Under game totals in games that are expected to be close are sometimes marginally inflated. The risk of overtime is increased and that favors the overs. In my opinion fade overtime and take the unders because the game total may be slightly higher due to the expected close result.

What is an Alternate Over Under?

Alternate Over Under betting markets are offered on all major sports where the traditional market sees plenty of action. The purpose of alternate markets is to attract bettors to longer odds (more risk) or the perceived safer option which will have more generous number but a much smaller return.

Essentially the alternate Over Under Totals allow bettor to choose their level of risk.

Below is an example of some alternate Over Under markets:

As can be seen here four alternate line options are given to the bettor. In this case the Alternate Total A and C favor the Over, with B and D favoring the Under result. Options A and B utilise the half point, with C and D using whole numbers and bringing in the possibility of a push.

Interestingly the ‘spread’ between the highest alternate total (219 points) and the lowest alternate total (214.5 Points) is only 5 points or about 2% of the total game scoring. Not much variation considering the accompanying change in odds. For a point of reference the actual Over Under Total offered on the above game was 216 points.

The Take Home: If you are confident about your analysis of a number, maybe look to the alternate lines to grab some extra juice. Likewise if you are a bit wary of a number maybe seek out insurance by taking an alternate number at lower odds. As they say a winner at any price is better than a loser.

Should I Be PointsBetting on Over Under Markets?

Taking the longer odds on alternate lines markets is a bet to beat the books by more than just a point of half point. If you become skilled at betting the Over Under market and you should consider PointsBetting as an option.

The Take Home: PointsBetting is an exciting form of betting brought to the market by the Pointsbet Sportsbook. It rewards the bettors for being ‘more right’ on markets like the over under. It is well worth a look. A complete guide on what PointsBetting is and how you can profit from this style of betting can be found right here!

The Game Starts Now!

Over and Under betting is a market style that all bettors should get to know. While it may not be a staple for all bettors it’s worth adding to the repertoire as it favors opportunistic bettors who see value and pounce. Not to mention its a white knuckled ride that is high on entertainment value for any bettor!

Good Luck and as always gamble responsibly!

Betting on the over/under point total of a game is quite popular when making a sports wager. Bettors tend to really like betting on over/under because they don't really have a rooting issue for one team or the other, but rather offense or defense. It is one of the main ways to make a wager for any given match up and the over/under point's total can be found along with other game lines including the points spread + the moneyline (payout for a straight up win).

Below we talk about the different sports and explain how how to read sports betting odds when it comes to dealing with the over/under total wager option.

How Does The Over/Under Betting Line Work?

When two teams are set to match up, oddsmakers will research both teams, their history, trends, previous meetings and a variety of other factors. After doing all their work an over/under point total will be released for the combined score of the game in questions. From that point, it is on the bettor to decide whether he/she thinks that score (total) will be 'over' or 'under' the oddsmakers' prediction. Simply pick the right side to get paid!

Now, this can be points in football games, goals in hockey and soccer, runs in baseball... Ok you, get the idea, but you should know the concept of betting over or under comes into play when making team based prop wagers and individual player props. Instead of using points or score as the deciding number, prop-based over/unders will use all sorts of stats from the total number of turnovers in a given period of time, to the total number of rushing yards for a player.

When Can The Over/Under Be Wagered On?

The over/under total for a game is one of the staples over the game lines installed for every matchup. Bettors will have numerous chances to bet on the game total before the game, but even after game gets underway there will be other chances as well.

Game totals are installed with the point spread and moneyline, and typically there is plenty of time to check them out and get a bet in prior to the start of the game. But after the game starts, there can be different over/under totals installed for the game in increments. For example a football game with four quarters can have an over/under point total for each. Bettors could conceivably wagers on a total for every quarter or half in a matchup. That presents plenty of bets that can be made.

Live betting also comes into play. At different points in the game a live wager could reform a game total either higher or lower, with an adjusted payout. This is similar to an in-play betting line as well, with adjusted totals for in-progress matchups.

Betting On The Over/Under Totals For An Individual Team

Another type of over/under total bet is for the two teams involved in the game. This is considered to be a prop bet though and at most online sportsbooks will be in the team props, and not a part of the game lines. Those are reserved for the combined game total. Still, teams will be set with different over/under totals, which will closely relate to the game total on the game line plus the point spread. There are several variables that come into the formation of this betting line.

Understanding Payouts When Betting On The Over / Under

The payouts for an over/under total wager fluctuate but generally stay around even payouts for both sides of the bet. The times when the payout for an over/under will not be equal are usually when:

1. One side of the wager is being bet on more than the other, however sportsbook operators will generally adjust the actual total to balance the wager instead of changing the payouts.
2. The payouts typically tend to swing more when the total score cannot be changed because the wager is based on a low-scoring sport like NHL, MLB, soccer, etc... When this occurs there can be sizable differences in payout

Example: Over/Under Total Points For Game - Over # Points (-105) / Under # Points (-125)

The numbers inside the parentheses indicate the payout. -105 shows this side of the wager pays $.95 for every $1 wagered versus -125 which pays $.80 for every $1 wagered. This basically shows the percentage paid to the house when the bet is won which is also known as 'juice'. If there are no numbers shown in parentheses both sides pay equally; usually -110.

Examples Of Total Wagers

NFL Over/Under

• Dallas Cowboys vs. NY Giants: 44.5 o/u

Here in this example we have the Cowboys taking on the Giants. Oddsmakers have set the over/under point total for the two teams combined at 44.5 points. There are two options to take on this line. The over total, and the under total. For the over total to win this line, both teams would need to combine for at least 45 points. For the under total, 44 points or less scored and that side of the line wins. Get an explanation of NFL betting odds here.

College Football Over/Under + Total Wagers

• Georgia Bulldogs vs. Tennessee Volunteers : 46.5 o/u

This Southeastern Conference showdown between Georgia and Tennessee has been installed with a game total of 46.5 points. This the total total number of points installed for the combined score in the game. The wager is made on the actual total going above or below this mark. For the over to win here, 47 points or more is needed between the Bulldogs and Volunteers. For the under to win, it's 46 points or fewer. Learn how to read college football betting odds here.

NBA Total Wagers + Over/Under Betting Lines

• Miami Heat vs. Atlanta Hawks : 202.5 o/u

Flipping the total to be accurate for betting on NBA lines, the mark for this over/under total example has been set at 202.5 points. This is the combined point total for both teams in the matchup. The wager is made on the actual total from the game going over or under the installed line. Here, 203 points or more is needed for the over to win. On the flip side, 202 points or fewer and the under wins. There is no chance for a push with the half point in play.

Over And Under Betting Rules

Bovada Sportsbook - Best Sports Betting Site For Betting On The Over / Under

How To Read Over Under Odds

This is where Bovada shows its cards as the best site for many players to choose from. The Over/Under here on this site are clearly the best ones out there for players to pick. The scores are so close that when players do a little research, it is very easy to pick either the over or the under to bet on Bovada.

With different games and high scoring games in different sports, the over/under on Bovada is based on the success of the teams earlier in the season. This means that this over/under can change often so placing over/under bets on Bovada can be the most profitable especially when it comes to parlaying bets!

SportsBetting's Sportsbook - Lots Of Betting Odds When Betting The Over / Under

Here is where betting odds on the over/under are just in favor of all players with an account with SportsBetting. This sportsbook is here for the players so that means that the odds that you will find are there for players to want to wager on. The better the over/under is, the more players will continue to sign up for Sportsbetting.ag accounts.

When you have an Over/Under set so high with two teams known for high scoring offenses, this means this that betting over could be very easy to do. In fact, when knowing that two teams like the Baltimore Ravens and The Kansas City Chiefs who are known for their high-powered offenses play each other, there is no doubt that the game will explode with points and SportsBetting has the Over/Under set up for players to win.

Over And Under Betting Explained

BetOnline Sportsbook - Best Sportsbook Bonuses And Promotions

BetOnline is just the site that has the best over/under totals and there is no doubt about it. These totals are favored for players to profit when picking these bets at the right time. Picking the Over/Under on a lot of games can be challenging if players don’t do any extra research on these teams. Here on BetOnline from past results, there are plenty players that cash big betting on the Over/Under total.

Over And Under Betting Strategy

When it comes to creating the over/under total, these points are based on how a team has recently played and also the availability of the the best players on their team. The reason that you will get the best Over/Under total from Betonline is because as soon as any news comes out regarding a team, the Over/Under total is updated. Accuracy of the total is very much to winning huge and BetOnline makes sure to be as accurate as possible.

MyBookie Sportsbook - Players Often Play Over/Under Bets On MyBookie

Under Over Betting Rules

There is no reason for players to not want to bet on the Over/Under totals here on MyBookie. The totals are always set up based on the teams that are playing no matter if one team is a lot better than the other. This means that even if a team is very good at scoring and the other one isn’t, there is a good chance this Over/Under will be based on the high scoring team.

Over And Under Betting For The Nfl

The way that this is great for MyBookie player is very simple. This Over/Under total could really be affected when teams are going back and forth. The points scored can really increase if Team A , who is not known for scoring a lot, is trying to stick around and possibly pull off the upset. Paying close attention to both teams is important when placing Over/Under bets and once you have done your research, cashing on MyBookie shouldn’t be an issue at all!