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Back when I first walked into a sportsbook, I felt completely lost. All those numbers, odds, and betting types might as well have been written in hieroglyphics. One term kept popping up everywhere – “moneyline.” My friend noticed my confused expression and explained it was actually the simplest bet you could make. If you’re feeling as lost as I was and wondering what is moneyline in betting, you’ve come to the right place.
Strip away all the betting jargon and a moneyline bet is refreshingly straightforward: you’re simply betting on which team or player will win. No point differences, no complicated calculations – just pick the winner.
That’s it. If your team or player wins, so do you.
The beauty of moneyline betting lies in this simplicity. The Yankees beat the Red Sox? Your Yankees moneyline bet pays out. The UFC fighter you backed won by knockout in the first round? Your bet wins just the same as if they’d scraped by with a split decision in the fifth.
The numbers next to each team might look like a math problem, but they’re actually telling you two important things: who’s expected to win, and what your potential payout looks like.
Let’s break it down:
The team with the minus sign (-) is the favorite. The number tells you how much you need to bet to win $100.
The team with the plus sign (+) is the underdog. The number shows how much profit you’d make on a $100 bet.
For example:
I remember finally having this “click” for me while watching a basketball game with friends. Once you get it, you’ll never forget it.
Let’s say the Green Bay Packers are playing the Detroit Lions, and the odds look like this:
Green Bay is clearly favored to win this matchup. If you want to back the Packers, you’d need to risk $200 to win $100 (plus getting your $200 stake returned).
If you think Detroit might pull off an upset, a $100 bet on the Lions would return $170 in profit (plus your original $100 back).
I learned this lesson the hard way after betting $300 on a heavy favorite only to win about $75. The victory felt hollow despite my team winning by a landslide.
There’s something psychologically satisfying about betting on a favorite. It feels safer, more certain. But that safety comes at a price – literally. You’ll often risk significant amounts for relatively modest returns.
Underdogs offer the opposite experience. There’s nothing quite like the thrill of watching a +250 underdog pull off an unexpected victory while your friends who bet the favorite sink into their seats. But these moments are rare for a reason.
Your personality as a bettor will likely push you toward one or the other. I tend to look for value underdogs that I think have a better chance than the odds suggest. My more conservative friend almost exclusively bets favorites, accepting smaller payouts for more frequent wins.
Through years of both wins and losses, I’ve found moneyline bets work particularly well in these situations:
While moneyline betting is my go-to for simplicity, it helps to understand how it compares to other common bet types:
Point Spreads: The favorite needs to win by more than a specified margin. Great when teams are unevenly matched.
Over/Under (Totals): You’re betting on the combined score, not who wins. Perfect for when you have a feel for the pace of a game but not the winner.
Parlays: Combining multiple moneyline bets for bigger payouts. High risk, high reward.
The beauty of moneyline betting is that you’re aligned with the team’s primary goal – winning. No awkward situations where your team wins but you lose your bet because they didn’t win by enough points.
Seven years into my betting journey, moneyline wagers still make up about half my bets. They’re straightforward, easy to understand, and connect directly to the fundamental purpose of sports – winning.
If you’re just getting started, I’d recommend focusing exclusively on moneyline bets until they become second nature. Track your bets in a spreadsheet. Note which types of games and odds ranges tend to work well for you.
Most importantly, remember that no bet is ever a “sure thing.” Even heavy favorites at -300 or more lose surprisingly often. Set yourself a budget, stick to it, and never chase losses.
Betting should enhance your enjoyment of sports, not diminish it. With moneyline betting as your foundation, you’re well on your way to becoming a more knowledgeable and hopefully more successful sports bettor.
Now go find those value bets – they’re out there waiting for you!
