How do the over/unders work in football betting?

How do the over/unders work in football betting?

What are the over/ unders in foot ball betting? How do they work?

Question posted by: David L

Totals betting

Over/under betting, also known as totals betting, is a type of wager in football (and other sports) where you bet on whether the combined total score of both teams will be over or under a certain number set by the sportsbook.

Here’s how over/under betting works in football:

  1. The sportsbook sets a total number of points for a football game. This number represents the expected combined score of both teams.
  2. Bettors can choose to bet on the “over” if they think the total score will be higher than the set number, or the “under” if they believe it will be lower.
  3. If the combined score of both teams is exactly equal to the set number, the bet is considered a push, and the bettor’s wager is refunded.

For example, let’s say the sportsbook sets the over/under for an NFL game at 47.5 points. If you believe the combined score of both teams will be more than 47.5 points, you would bet the over. If you think the combined score will be less than 47.5 points, you would bet the under.

If the final score of the game is 28-21, the combined score would be 49 points, so the over bet would win. If the final score is 24-20, the combined score would be 44 points, and the under bet would win. If the final score is 27-20, with a combined score of 47 points, neither the over nor the under bet would win, and the wagers would be refunded.

The odds for over/under bets are typically close to even, but they can vary depending on the sportsbook and the specific game. It is essential to understand the odds before placing a bet, as they will determine the potential payout.

4 comments

  • David S

    When betting over/unders, you’re betting whether or not the final total combined score will be higher (over), or lower (under) than the points.

  • TheDoverPro

    Here is a good explanation on how the Points Bet, or the Over/Under bet works.

    Good luck!

  • Jacques Strappe

    An Over/Under is a bet on whether the total score will be over or under a predetermined figure from oddsmakers. Say the over/under for Team A vs Team B is 20.5. If the total score was 25 and you had the Over, you’d win. For more info on this kind of stuff check

  • Potsie

    Sportsbooks offer pointspread and over/under betting on American Football . On a pointspread wager, the team wagered must win by the pointspread. On an over/under wager, the total points of the contest by both teams, overtime included, must fall over or under the side selected.

    Example

    The posted line is San Francisco -5 at St. Louis +5 and the over/under total is 41.

    For the player who wagers on San Francisco -5, San Fran must win by more than 5 points for this to be a winning wager. For the player who wagers on St. Louis +5, they must either win the game, or lose by less than 5 points for this to be a winning wager. If the outcome falls on the number, either way, the bet is declared a “Push”, and your original stake is refunded.

    The payout odds are $1.10 risked to win $1.00 profit and is displayed as (-110) unless otherwise indicated. Example: The odds that are listed as +150 or -210 are ‘american’ style. This simply means that they are based on $100. When you see the number displayed as a (+) positive number it signifies how much you will win if you RISK $100. For your example you have the odds listed as +150 so if you risk $100 then you will win $150 for a total return of $250. If the number is listed as a (-) negative number it signifies how much you must RISK in order to WIN $100. So if you see -210, then you must RISK $210 in order to win $100 for a total return of $310.

    For the player who wagers on the total points of this contest by both teams to be “Over” 41, the combined final score of both teams must exceed 41. For the player who wagers on the total points of this contest by both teams to be “Under” 41, the combined final score of both teams must be less than 41. If the outcome falls on the number, the bet is declared a “Push”, and the original stake is refunded.