A moneyline bet is one of the simplest and most straightforward forms of sports betting, as it involves betting on which team or individual will win a specific game or event.
In a moneyline bet, odds are assigned to each team or participant in an event, and bettors must choose which side they believe will win. The odds are presented in either a positive or negative format:
- Positive Moneyline Odds (+): When you see a positive moneyline odds value, it represents the potential profit you can make on a $100 bet if your chosen team or player wins. For example, if a team has +150 odds, a $100 bet on that team would potentially yield a profit of $150 if they win.
- Negative Moneyline Odds (-): When you see negative moneyline odds, it represents the amount you need to bet in order to potentially win $100. For example, if a team has -120 odds, you would need to bet $120 to potentially win $100 if that team wins.
Here are a couple of examples to illustrate:
- Positive Moneyline Odds Example: Let’s say you want to bet on an underdog team with +200 odds. If you bet $50 on that team and they win, you would profit $100 (2-to-1 odds), and your total payout would be $150 ($50 original bet + $100 profit).
- Negative Moneyline Odds Example: If you want to bet on a favorite team with -150 odds, you would need to bet $150 to potentially win $100. If the favorite wins, your total payout would be $250 ($150 original bet + $100 profit).
Moneyline bets are straightforward in that you are simply picking the team or player you believe will win, and your potential payout depends on the odds associated with your selection. Unlike point spreads and over/under bets, moneyline bets do not take into account the margin of victory or the total points scored; they are solely focused on the outcome of the game or event.
