Sports Betting 101
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Prefer that we explain it to you? Check out this episode of the Last Night’s Game podcast.
These examples apply to most sports, but we used football as an example.
One way to bet is on the spread. The spread is the number sportsbooks think a team will win/lose by.
For example, if the Seattle Seahawks are listed -4 (favored by four points) vs. the New England Patriots, it means they’re the favorite. Favored teams always have a minus in front, and the underdogs have a plus. This means the Seahawks would have to win by four or more points for you to win. Conversely, the Patriots can lose by 3 points and you would still win, if they lose by 4 it would be a “push”, so you receive money back.
Another way to bet is to go with the money line bet, meaning you bet on a team to win straight up, without a spread. This is beneficial if you think the underdog will win, as the payouts are bigger. (The favorites are more likely to win, so payouts are less).
For example, the Patriots are +190 money line bet, meaning they would have to win the game for you to win the bet. If you put $10 on them and they won, you would win $19. The total payout would be $29.
Seahawks are -230 favorites therefore the odds in a money line bet are not as good. If you put $10 on them, you would only win $4.23, with the total payout being $14.23.
Then there’s the under/over bet, which means you are not betting on any specific team but the final score of the game.
Let’s say the Super Bowl over/under is 46. If you take the over, you’re betting that the two teams will score at least 46 points. The under means you bet that they will score fewer than 46 points total.
Another betting option is a parlay, which is placing two or more bets on a single ticket. Parlays have higher payouts because the likelihood of winning decreases with more bets put on a parlay card. Each bet must win for you to win your bet.
An example, according to the William Hill mobile betting app, if you put $10 on a parlay with 2 selections, the payout would be $26.44. It would look like this:
Patriots +4 (spread – can lose by three points to win, and if they lose by four, you get money back)
Seahawks/Patriots Over 46 (over/under – total score will consist of 46 points or more)
Last but certainly the most fun is a proposition (prop) bet. Prop bets are wagers on individual outcomes that may occur during the game. They are very popular during the Super Bowl. Here are some popular prop bets in the Super Bowl:
Over/under of the length of the national anthem
Who will win the opening coin toss?
What color Gatorade will be dumped on the winning coach?
A few last-minute pointers
A push means you tie your bet and get the money you bet back. Say you bet over 44 for Patriots/Broncos and they score exactly 44. You will get your money back because they met the over points, but didn’t actually go over.
Backdoor means the team scores a meaningless point at the end of the game to cover a spread.
If there is a .5 in the number, like over/under 46.5, the teams must score 47 for you to win.
A sportsbook makes money by taking a cut of each bet, which typically is 10 cents on spreads and over/under. Therefore, if you wanted to bet $10 on the Broncos at +3 odds (win by three or more), it would be -110. Which means you would need to put down $11 to make it even money.
Lastly, the people who set the points on each game are smart, and there’s a reason it's their job. They’re good at making the casino money. Enjoy it, but gamble responsibly.
Want more? Here’s a guide to sports betting for newbies.
How To Talk (And Bet) Hockey Like A Pro This Stanley Cup Final
Join the conversation.
The Stanley Cup Final is here: Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers. Whether you’re watching for the hits, the goals, or because someone in your life roped you in, you’ll hear a lot of betting talk during the broadcast. Here's how to follow along and sound like you know what you're doing (even if it’s your first time).
Puck Line = Hockey’s Version of “The Spread”
In football or basketball, you’ll hear about “the spread”—how many points a team is expected to win or lose by.
In hockey? We refer to that as the puck line, and it’s always set at 1.5 goals.
Example:
👉 Oilers -1.5 puck line → They need to win by 2 or more goals for you to win this bet.
👉 Panthers +1.5 puck line → They can lose by 1 goal or win the game for your bet to cash.
You’ll often see -110 odds on these bets. That means you’d bet $11 to win $10.
Moneyline = Pick the Winner
The simplest bet of all: Who do you think will win?
That’s a moneyline bet.
👉 Favorites have a minus (-) in front of the number (example: Oilers -150).
👉 Underdogs have a plus (+) in front of the number (example: Panthers +130).
The bigger the number after the +, the bigger the payout if they win.
The bigger the number after the -, the more you have to bet to win a smaller return.
Over/Under (aka Totals)
This one’s about total goals scored by both teams combined, including overtime and shootouts.
Example: Over/Under 5.5 goals
👉 Bet the Over if you think there will be 6 or more goals.
👉 Bet the Under if you think it’ll be 5 or fewer goals.
Most Over/Under bets will also be -110 odds.
Tip: If the game ends tied 3-3 at the end of regulation, the Over has already hit—because a winning goal in OT is guaranteed.
Parlay = Combine Bets for Bigger Payouts
Feeling bold? You can combine multiple bets into one parlay ticket.
More bets = bigger potential payout—but you have to win all of them to cash in.
Example:
Oilers moneyline (-110)
Over 5.5 goals (-110)
A $10 parlay on this combo could pay out about $26.45.
Same Game Parlay = Mix Team + Player Bets
This newer option allows you to stack bets from the same game, including prop bets (also known as player-specific bets).
Example:
Oilers to win
Over 6 goals
Connor McDavid to score a goal
These parlays offer juicy payouts, but they’re riskier because you’re counting on specific player performances as well.
Prop Bets: Shots vs. Shots on Goal
Prop bets are where things get fun—and very specific.
Shots and shots on goal are two different things:
👉 Shot on goal: A shot that would go into the net if the goalie didn’t stop it (includes actual goals).
👉 Shot: Any attempt, even if it’s blocked, misses the net, or gets deflected.
You can bet on individual player totals or team totals for either stat.
Now You’re Ready
That’s your crash course in hockey betting!
Even if you never place a bet, now you can follow the lingo and impress your friends when someone says, “I need one more shot on goal from McDavid to hit my parlay!”
Horse Betting 101
Want to bet on the Kentucky Derby but not sure where to start? 🐎
Want to bet on the Kentucky Derby but not sure where to start? 🐎
We break down the basics of horse racing bets — win, place, show, exacta, trifecta — without making it feel like you're cramming for a math test.
Whether you pick based on odds or the funniest horse name (no shame), you’ll sound like a seasoned pro by race time. 🎩🥃
Hit play and let’s make Derby Day a little more exciting (and a lot less confusing).
Want more? Check out our podcast episode all about the Kentucky Derby.