The money line is another go-to bet for many fervent football fans – and it has no point spread. What does it have? It has a rating that is based on money. Loot. Gravy. Pesos.
Let’s go back to our Super Team X and our Not So Super Team Y. A money line wager could be written like this: Super Team X-150; Not So Super Team Y +130. How would you place a money line wager in this example?
In a money line wager, a negative sign (-) in front of the dollar value indicates the favorite in the match-up. A positive sign (+) indicates the underdog. Yes, it is an upside down kind of thing.
The number “-150” means that if you risk $150, you will win $100 – if Super Team X comes through with the win. There are unknowns in every football game. An injury could derail the Super Team X quarterback early in the first quarter. Or maybe Not So Super Team Y has been getting their act together. Secretly. You get the idea. The money line wager is a binary wager, a black-and-white system.
You don’t have to bet $100. The +150 shows you a ratio. So, if you are a betting man but a very conservative one, you may place $10 on Super Team X. If they pull through, you’ll win $15. And so on.
A word about Not So Super Team Y, or the underdog. They have been given a money line value of +130. What does this mean? Your risk would be $100 for a return of $130 - if Not So Super Team Y holds on for the win. Again, the amount of cash you lay down is up to you, you are working with a ratio again.
Why do you have to pay more to win a bet on the favorite than on the underdog? Well, the favorite is more likely to win. You can think of the money line as a price setting system; the better your chances, the higher price you pay for them.
The money line wager is said to be gaining in popularity in Los Vegas – where betting systems go to live or die.