Page 12 - Jackpot Magazine Tunica ~ September, 2024

PLAY TO WIN
Huddle up! A quick primer on sports betting
“Winners never quit and quitters a team or participant
watch sports programs and read sports publications. Learning a few of the terms being thrown around by the
“Sharps” will help one better understand how the game is played. And you will go from being a Square to a Sharp in no time.
• Cover — The betting result on a point-spread wager. For a favorite to cover, it must win by more than the spread; an underdog covers by winning outright or losing by less than the spread.
• Handle — The total amount of money wagered by all customers on a game or event.
• Limit — The maximum amount accepted on a single wager.
• Line — The odds posted for a game or event. Odds may change from the opening line to account for more money being bet on one side of the bet compared to the other.
• Longshot — A team or individual generally thought to be unlikely to win.
• Underdog — The team least likely to win.
• Favorite — The expected straight- up winner in a game or event.
• Pick ’em — A game or event with no favorite or underdog. The point spread does not come into play.
• Point Spread — The number of points oddsmakers will post on a game in order to attract betting action on both teams. Generally, the objective is to split the betting action.
• Push — When the result of a game or event ends exactly on the listed point spread or finishes in a draw. All wagers are then refunded.
• Sharp — A professional, sophisticated sports bettor.
• Square — A casual gambler who doesn’t use sophisticated reasoning or extensive knowledge to make a wager.
Play To Win Again
The Best of... Series
never win.”
Picture this: You and a group of friends are at your favorite casino on a Sunday afternoon. Everyone is enjoying wings, loaded fries, beer and popcorn. Large screens are showing the week’s big games, while smaller TVs have a variety of other sporting events. Someone shares that they placed a bet on the game and hope their team beats the spread. Everyone agrees and starts talking about their own parlay bets.
You nod your head, but reality hits: You have no idea what it is going on nor do you know half the words your friends are saying.
OK, don’t worry; you’re not alone. When it comes to sports betting there is a lot to unravel. There are straight
bets (betting on one game
only), but there are also
parlay bets, future bets,
and the fun proposition
bets. You may not learn it
all by the end of the game,
but we’ve compiled a few definitions
to help you get off to a good start.
We’ll begin with some of the types of bets available:
• Straight Bets — An individual wager on a game (football, baseball, basketball, etc.) or event (auto race, boxing, MMA) will be determined by a point spread, a money line or a point total.
• Money Line Bet — A wager where odds are expressed in terms of money. When a team is listed with a minus (-) the player lays that amount to win $100; when listed with a plus (+) the player wins that amount for every $100 wagered.
• Point Spread Bet — A wager where 12 JACKPOT! MAGAZINE • September 2024
must win by a certain
number of points
determined by the
oddsmaker to create
a wager that will attract betting action on both sides. The point margin is the number of points by which the favored team must win to “cover the spread.” Most point spread bets carry odds of -110.
• Total Bet (over/under) — A wager based on the combined number of points scored by both teams at the end of the game or event, including any overtime. Most total bets carry odds of -110.
• Parlay Bets — A wager that combines more than one single bet, often across multiple games. All selections must win to collect. The more teams bet in a parlay, the higher the payout odds.
• Future Bets — A wager made on a game or event that is taking place in the future. For example, a bettor might place a future bet during pre-season for a team to win a
championship event.
• In-Game Wagers — Wagers placed
on a game after the game has started. Odds will often be adjusted to reflect play or conditions.
• Proposition Bet — Also referred to as a prop, novelty or side bet, a proposition bet may involve something that does not necessarily affect the outcome of the game or event. For example, a book might post a prop bet for which team will score the first touchdown in a football game. Another might be whether the first score will be a touchdown or a field goal.
And, there are also common sports wagering terms. Some of these may be familiar to sports fans who follow teams,
— Coach Vince Lombardi
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