There are hundreds of sporting events that take place every day, and many bookmakers offer a wide range of bets on every little detail of these matches. Odds Scanner US is your one-stop shop for online sports betting.
Get first-hand insights into the most popular types of bets you can place on sports. Learn how to read odds, how to shop for the best lines, and tips and tricks to give your bets an edge.
Our comprehensive guides span many different types of sports bets, such as moneylines, point spreads, over/under (totals), parlay bets, teasers, prop bets, and more. We aim to help you get the most value out of your wagers.
Moneyline
A moneyline is a wager on who will win the game. The favorite is given a minus (-) sign with a number. The underdog is denoted with a plus (+) sign followed by a number.
The number reflects the possible winnings on a $100 stake. For example, if a favorite is -400, it means you have to risk $400 to win $100. Meanwhile, if the underdog is +400, it means a $100 wager would return $400.
Browse through our detailed guides and learn how to bet moneyline on all sports.
Point Spread
Point spread betting is a great option if you’re skeptical about a moneyline wager. A point spread bet is a bet on a team’s margin of victory.
For example, if a favorite is priced at -7, they have to win the game by more than 7 points for you to cash the bet. If they win by exactly 7 points, the bookie applies a “push” and refunds your stake.
Check out our guide with real-life examples of point spread lines from leading US bookies. Learn how to bet on spreads and punt like a pro.
Over/Under (Totals)
A point total bet is a wager on whether the combined number of points will be over or under a number set by the bookie. For example, in an NBA game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors, the point total can be set at 145.5 points.
If you bet the Over 145.5 and the final score is 146 or higher, you win your bet. But if the total points are 145 or fewer, you lose.
Curious to know how to bet over/under in sports? Our guide covers it in detail to help you get started.
Parlays
A parlay bet is a bet on whether a list of bets will all be winners. You can only win a parlay bet if all of the bets (called “legs”) are also winners.
Need to get into the action but don’t know how to parlay bet? Make the most of our guide. You could win significantly more money by placing a parlay bet.
Live Betting
Also known as an in-play bet, a live bet is a bet on an ongoing game. Live odds typically change after every few seconds based on the state of the match.
You can place a live bet on traditional wagers like moneylines, point spreads, and totals. Additionally, you can place some specific wagers, such as the next player to score, the result of the next possession, and so on.
Futures
A futures bet is a wager placed on an event with an outcome in the distant future. You can bet on who will win an MVP award, who will emerge a league championship winner, how many wins will a team have, and so on.
Futures bets also include player props, such as a quarterback’s total number of passing yards in the regular season, the number of points a player averages per game, and more.
