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What Is An Over/Under Bet?
Over/unders, also called totals, focus on the total number of times a particular occurrence will happen during a game. This could be the combined score of both teams' points, but there are plenty of other variations to be found.
Such wagers are fairly uncomplicated - the sportsbook sets a proposed total and you simply decide if the final number in question will be higher or fewer, then bet accordingly.
In most instances, you should be free to use risk-free bets and other opportunities generated by welcome offers to play on over/under markets. Prominent US sports wagering operators such as FanDuel Sportsbook New York, PointsBet New York, and BetMGM Sportsbook New York, impose no restrictions specifically ruling out the use of such wagers on totals betting.
What Does Over/Under Mean?
Numbers are at the heart of sport. The total of points scored in a game determines which side wins - and there are a host of other ways in which the result of an event could depend on simple numbers.
Over/under betting is a method of wagering purely on the number of times a particular outcome will occur during a sports event. Most commonly, a total bet can be placed on the final combined score of both teams.
The betting operator will calculate what it believes that total will be, and you then have to decide if the actual final number is more or fewer points than predicted. If you think the event in question will be a high-scoring affair, you put your money on the "over" side of the total; if you believe, however, that the final total will be fewer than that, you wager on the "under" outcome.
How Are Totals Bets Used In New York?
All leading sports betting operators should offer a variety of ways in which you can enjoy over/under betting on your favorite sports league or teams. Similarly, there are a range of reasons why you might opt to get involved in the action by playing on this particular market.
Maybe you feel a game is too close to call - but you are sure it will be a high-scoring clash, with the total points higher than the quoted over/under figure. Perhaps you feel the moneyline odds on your chosen winner are too short, or the points spread available is very close to your prediction.
Over/under betting gives you the opportunity to come at a sports event from a different direction, in a way that still ensures you will have an enjoyable experience watching, and wagering on, the action.
As with all sports betting, if you are not enjoying yourself and are worried that you may be developing a gambling problem, it is time to consult one of the many agencies that offer advice and practical support.
Reading Over/Under Betting Odds
Over/unders can be used in just about any sport. The most common market is in total points scored, which makes over/unders applicable to fans of the Big Four in NY, which includes Caesars Sportsbook NY and DraftKings Sportsbook NY, and to bettors who want to get involved in a variety of other sports around the world. Let's look at some examples of possible over/under total bets in different sports.
But before you sign-up with a sports betting site and start betting in any league, be sure to compare the best betting promo codes in New York.
NFL Betting
Football, either college football or NFL sports betting in New York, lends itself perfectly to an over/under bet, especially on the total points in a game.
For example, if the New York Jets are facing the Tennessee Titans, the total number set could be 50 points. But if the New York Giants are traveling to Arrowhead Stadium to meet the Kansas City Chiefs in an NFL game, the sports wagering operator might foresee a total amount of points of 40. You then bet according to how high or low you think the scoring will be.
The Super Bowl is just about the biggest annual betting event in the world. As well as betting on the football game itself, you can even wager on the length of time taken to sing the national anthem. At the 2021 Super Bowl, the over/under set total was 1 minute 59 seconds; sports bettors who went over collected a payout because the anthem lasted 2 minutes 17 seconds.
NBA Betting
Basketball over/under markets are always popular because of the relatively high number of points that can be scored in an NBA game, compared to other low-scoring sports. When the New York Knicks meet the Chicago Bulls at Madison Square Garden, for instance, the over/under game total for points scored could be set at 225.
You should also be able to bet over/under on particular NBA players who are known for scoring a high total of points in each match. In basketball, over/under bets are the second most popular form of betting on the NBA after the points spread.
MLB Betting
A baseball match tends to be a low-scoring sporting event compared to baseball and basketball, but over/unders are still popular with fans of America's game. When the New York Yankees meet the Boston Red Sox, the predicted total set for the combined scored of both sides could be as low as eight runs.
In such low-scoring sports, online betting sites or mobile sports betting apps in New York will usually add a half point to ensure a payout and eliminate the possibility of a "push" (see below). So if the total set is 8.5 and you take the over price, you win if nine runs or more have scored. If you bet on the "under", a total of up to eight will be a win bet.
NHL Betting
Unlike many outdoor sports, hockey matches tend to be relatively low-scoring affairs, but that does not stop numerous bettors trying to win a totals bet on the game result.
When the New York Rangers meet the New York Islanders, for example, a sports wagering site might set an over/under total number of 7.5 goals. If the final score sees a total of eight goals or more, sports bettors who have wagered on the over have had a winning bet.
Over/Under Payouts
How do you calculate your potential payout if you call an over/under bet right and win? A totals bet will usually be priced up in the same way as the points spread and other props on a game, using American moneyline odds, but how do you work out how much money you could win?
Minus Odds (-)
In the overwhelming majority of over/under bets on games in a league such as the NBA, NFL and other sports, the sportsbook will quote the same pre-match odds for both eventualities.
Using its expertise to forecast the combined score for two teams, the operator will come up with a number with plenty of science behind it. The price about each team should be -110, meaning it is almost even money about both the over and the under. You will have to stake $110 to win a $100 profit.
Plus Odds (+)
Occasionally, you will see plus odds about an over/under wager. This may be because the sports betting website has moved from its usual -110/-110 position in the face of sustained support for one option or the other. It also happens in the case of live betting, when an unusually high- or low-scoring first half or period forces a change in the likely number of total points scored.
In the case of the New York Giants facing the Kansas City Chiefs in a cagey, low-scoring clash, if the over price goes to +110, that means you win $110 for every $100 you stake.
Push
Many over/under betting markets include half points to preclude the possibility of the sportsbook's prediction being exactly right. No team has ever scored half a point or goal!
On the rare occasions when the total scored equals exactly the betting total set by the betting site, this is known as a "push". All over/under wagers on this market are void and each bettor has their stake returned.
Totals In Prop Bets
An over/under bet is most often a wager on the number of points or goals scored in a match. But there are proposition bets that relate to a total within that game. For instance, the total scored by a particular player, or in a period or quarter, can be the subject of an over/under prop bet.
Over/Under Parlays
Parlays are an enduringly popular way in which bettors win big in return for comparatively small stakes. There is absolutely nothing to stop you combining over/under wagers on a collection of games, or as part of a parlay of different forms of bet, in an attempt to win serious money.
Over/Under Betting Strategy
Over/under wagers can appear simple, but there are many factors to be taken into consideration before you determine whether you reckon there will be more or fewer points or goals scored in a match.
Sports gambling sites are aware that a bettor might subconsciously want to watch an exciting, high-scoring game and back the over figure accordingly. However, if you think this gives the under an inbuilt advantage, consider that you must take into account the possibility of overtime - most operators include scores in overtime for over/under markets.
You should also consider the teams involved and their defensive and offensive records. And every bettor should be aware of game pace, the speed at which teams create scoring opportunities. This is particularly important when weighing up an NBA match.
Overtimes And The Final Score
It is always worth checking your betting site and its terms and conditions relating to over/under wagers. In most cases, if a match goes into overtime the over/under total is taken from the final score after the extra period. Your healthy under wager could suddenly be turned around in, for example, a high-scoring NBA game and you could lose from a winning position.
Defensive And Offensive Trends
When considering an over/under total bet, it is worth taking into account the offensive and defensive records of each team involved. If, for example, a team has a record of scoring a particularly high number of times, it will obviously affect the betting total put up by the sportsbook; similarly, if one side has a very strong defense, you could be in for a low scoring event.
Game Pace
The total score in any game can be affected by the regularity with which teams create scoring opportunities. This is known as game pace; if a team plays at a high tempo and has numerous chances to rack up a score, it may tempt you towards betting on the over.
Line Movement
Live betting is a great way to stay closely involved with a sports game. Over/under prices can change after the action is under way if it becomes clear that the total score will be much higher or lower than the original total set by sports betting site in question. If you spot the trend and bet quickly enough, you could score a good in-play win.
How The Over/Under Is Determined
At the heart of every over/under bet is the projected total set by each sports betting operators expert odds setters. They will take into account a huge number of factors before they determine where the over/under price should be set.
These will include the recent form of each side involved, the previous meetings between the teams, their offensive and defensive records, and their game pace. If the two sides involved are evenly matched, overtime has to be factored in too.
A considerable amount of work goes into formulating the over/under lines for games - which makes it all the more satisfying if you call it right and your bet wins.
Get Started Over/Under Betting
Now that you have a fuller understanding of how over/under betting works, you are ready to start betting on your favorite league, sports, teams or individual players using totals wagers - either as your main form of betting or simply for entertainment purposes.
Whichever site you choose to bet with should offer you a rich selection of over/under markets on sports taking place every day - and on large one-off events like the Stanley Cup finals, the World Series, the NBA play-offs, New York March Madness betting, and Super Bowl betting in New York.
Over/under wagers are a great way to stay involved with a game right to the last minute, and many experienced and shrewd bettors win regularly when they make the right choice between the high and low result offered by such a wager.
It is also worth mentioning that one interesting variation for over/unders betting is offered by Pointsbet Sportsbook New York and its PointsBetting markets. In this unique system, the extent of your win - or loss - is governed by the margin of victory.
We also have articles on moneyline bets in New York as well as parlays and point spread betting - check them out to get the benefit of our insight into these different methods of wagering on sports.
