How Do Over Under Bets Work? - Over Under Betting Explained - YouTube

Totals betting, also called Over Under betting,  

is the second most popular option  to point spread wagering. For some,  

betting on totals is an afterthought to  point-spread wagering and moneyline markets.

Totals bets have always been a favorite of  sharp sports gamblers. Understanding totals  

and focusing your attention on them, even  more so than moneylines and point spreads,  

can lead to higher profits. The total or over/under is  

the oddsmaker's number on the total amount of  points scored in a given game. Bettors simply  

need to choose whether the number of points  scored in that game will be higher or lower  

than the oddsmaker's proposed total. It's traditionally made with the combined  

scores of the two teams or participants.  Considering total markets have increased since  

online gambling exploded in popularity,  there are now first-half, second-half,  

quarter totals, 5-inning totals, period totals  and individual team totals in many sports.  

Betting on totals is incredibly simple.  It's far easier to understand than point  

spread or Moneyline wagering. Bettors have two  options: wagering on the "Over" or "Under."  

It doesn't matter what team wins or loses  with this kind of bet; what really matters  

is predicting the number of points scored. In this example, we have a contest between New  

England Patriots and Buffalo Bills, once the  game ends, the total number of points scored  

by both teams is added together to determine  the total points scored. For this contest,  

the total is 43 points. A bettor can place a  wager on the total of both teams to go over  

the 43 points, or he can place a wager  that the total goes under the 43 points.

If you bet $110 on the Over at (-110),  

and the total score is 44 points,  you would win $100 profit.

If you bet $110 on the Under,  and the total score is 44 points,  

you would lose the wager. You would have  needed a score of 42 or fewer points to win.

If the total number of points lands precisely  on 43 points, the bet would be graded a push.  

Wagers from both sides would be refunded. If the total was 43.5 instead of 43,  

that eliminates the possibility of a push.  A total or over-under with a half-point,  

known in betting jargon as a "hook", will always  end with either an 'over' or 'under' victory. 

Since there are no half-points awarded in sports,  there is no possibility of a push. If a contest  

with a 43.5 total ends with 43 points, 'under'  backers would win their wager. If the game ends  

with 44 points, 'over' backers would win. It's important to remember when betting on  

American sports at USA friendly sportsbooks, that  the total includes any overtime or extra periods.

This is contrary to 1X2 wagering on soccer  in European betting markets. Where totals  

are only scores counted in regulation, not  in any extra time period. For all US sports,  

the overtime or extra period is taken into  account when calculating the total points;  

unless stated otherwise. It's also important to  

remember that the attached moneyline odds may  change depending on the sportsbook. In our  

example above, the juice is -110. However,  often bettors will see these odds change  

but may not see a change in the actual number.  Instead of -110 on both sides of the 43 total,  

the market may look like this: · Over 43: -115 

· Under 43: -105 Notice the difference  

in juice when betting on the over versus the  under. Bettors will now have to wager $115 to  

win $100 on the over. The underdog odds are at  -105, meaning our $105 wager would return $205,  

including $100 in profits. Adjusting the juice  on totals markets is extremely common. You will  

almost certainly see it at every online sportsbook  these days. It's a way for the oddsmakers to  

move odds while sticking to a particular number. At just about every online sportsbook, the limits  

for totals are less than sides and moneylines.  For some sports, the difference is huge.

In most other sports, particularly  basketball, both college and pro,  

the betting limits are similar. There are few  sportsbooks that will accept as much on totals  

as they do on point spreads and many seem to  forget that totals markets exist. We're being  

a bit tongue in cheek, but the reality is  that gamblers often are too focused on sides  

to recognize the value in betting totals. Each sport is going to have its intricacies  

when it comes to betting totals. One thing  to consider is that the public does bet the  

favorite and the over more often than the  underdog and the under. The squares lose at  

sports betting, so suffice to say, it's  not going to be advantageous following  

their betting patterns. We don’t recommend  “fading the public” as a betting strategy,  

but you will typically find more value  wagering on unders rather than overs.

At safestbettingsites.com we have advanced  strategies for betting on totals for both  

NFL and NCAA football. We also touch on totals  for the most popular sports like basketball,  

hockey, and baseball that you can use to  make wise decisions when betting on sports.  

Start learning from our sports betting  wiseguys, and avoid being called a square!