A lot of people are astonished to learn that there are still 14 states in the United States that don’t allow sports betting. That’s a shame because it gives a monopoly to Nevada and robs millions of fans across the country of a fun and interactive way to watch their favorite sports.
The legal sportsbooks that do offer US players the chance to place bets are not only great places to enjoy a good game, but they can also be lucrative as well. But if you’re new to sports betting, all the different options and terminology can be a bit overwhelming. So, to help you out, we have compiled a list of basic terms that you should know before getting started.
Moneyline – a wager on the winner of a match. Spread – a wager on the margin of victory (e.g. a team winning by 1 point)
Over/Under – a bet on the total number of points scored in a match. These bets are usually broken down into 10 or 15 minute intervals and can be a bit of guesswork, especially on more complex props like exact score and goal-by-goal markets.
Futures – bets on competition or tournament outrights (e.g. Denver Broncos to win Super Bowl, Novak Djokovic to win Wimbledon, etc.). They can also refer to regular season win totals (e.g. Brooklyn Nets O/U 57.5 wins) or player prop futures (e.g. Aaron Rodgers O/U 42.5 passing TDs for the season).