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Betting questions, answered in plain English

Short answers to the questions people ask most, each with a dollar example. No jargon, no hype.

Reading the price

What does +150 mean in betting?

+150 means a $100 bet wins $150 if it comes in, so you get $250 back in total.

What does -110 mean in betting?

-110 means you bet $110 to win $100, so a winning $110 bet gives you $210 back.

Why are both sides -110?

Both sides are -110 because the bookie takes a cut; with no cut, an even game would pay +100 on each side.

What do odds of $1.90 mean?

Odds of $1.90 mean every $1 you bet comes back as $1.90 if you win, which is 90 cents profit.

What does even money mean in betting?

Even money means you win the same amount you bet: a $10 bet wins $10.

What does odds-on mean?

Odds-on means the price is under $2.00, so you win less than you bet because the bookie thinks it will happen more often than not.

Why do favourites lose money over time?

Favourites win often, but their prices are short and include the bookie's cut, so the small wins don't cover the losses.

Lines and spreads

What does a line of -3.5 mean in AFL?

A line of -3.5 means your team must win by 4 points or more for your bet to win.

Why do betting lines end in .5?

Lines end in .5 so the score can't land exactly on the number, which means every bet either wins or loses.

What does a push mean in betting?

A push is a tie with the bookie: the result lands exactly on the line, so you get your stake back.

What does pick'em mean in betting?

Pick'em means the bookie sees the game as even, so neither team gets a start and you just pick who wins.

What are the run line and the puck line?

The run line in baseball and the puck line in ice hockey are the spread for low-scoring games, almost always set at 1.5.

What is a winning margin bet?

A winning margin bet is on how much a team wins by, picked from bands like 1-39 or 40+ in AFL, or 1-12 and 13+ in NRL.

Multis and player bets

What is a same game multi?

A same game multi (a same game parlay in the US) joins two or more bets from one game into one bet, and every leg must win.

What is a player prop bet?

A player prop is a bet on one player's numbers in a game, like points, disposals or goals, not on who wins.

What does an anytime scorer bet mean?

An anytime scorer bet wins if your player scores at any point in the game: an anytime try in rugby league, touchdown in the NFL or goal in soccer.

What are disposals in AFL betting?

Disposals are a player's kicks plus handballs, and a disposals bet is on whether he gets more or fewer than a set number.

What happens to my bet if a player doesn't play?

Most bookies void a player bet if the player doesn't take the field and give your stake back, but the rules differ, so check yours.

What is a futures bet?

A futures bet is on something decided at the end of a season, like who wins the premiership or the Super Bowl.

Soccer and cricket

What is a handicap bet in soccer?

A handicap bet gives one team a head start in goals, so a strong team must win by more for your bet to win.

What does draw no bet mean?

Draw no bet means you pick a team to win, and if the game ends in a draw you get your stake back.

What is a both teams to score bet?

Both teams to score is a bet that each team gets at least one goal; who wins doesn't matter.

What is a correct score bet?

A correct score bet is on the exact final score, so it pays a lot but rarely wins.

What is a top batter bet in cricket?

A top batter bet picks which player makes the most runs for his team in an innings or match.

Our words

What does a 60% chance to win mean?

It means that out of 10 games like this one, the team wins about 6 and loses about 4.

What do HIGH, LEAN and LONG-SHOT mean on Bet Better?

They show in words how likely our model thinks a pick is: HIGH is about 6 in 10 or better, LEAN about 4 to 6 in 10, LONG-SHOT under 4 in 10.

What is a fair price in betting?

A fair price is what the odds would be if the bookie took no cut, so it matches the real chance of the result.

What is the difference between return and profit in betting?

Your return is everything you get back, including your stake; your profit is only the part you won on top.

Staying in control

Is there such a thing as a sure bet?

No. Every bet can lose, and anyone selling a lock or a sure thing is selling hope, not a promise.

How do I set a betting limit?

Every licensed Australian bookie must let you set a deposit limit in your account; pick a weekly amount you can afford to lose and set it before you bet.

What is BetStop?

BetStop is Australia's free national self-exclusion register: sign up once and every licensed online and phone bookie must block you for the time you choose.

Using our free tools

How do I get the best price on a bet?

Check more than one bookie. The same bet often pays more at one of them, and that extra is yours for free. Our line shopping page shows the best price for every upcoming game.Compare prices →

How do I know if a player is playing tonight?

Check the team news right before you bet, because it changes fast. Our availability page shows who is out or in doubt across MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL.Check who is playing →

How much should I bet?

Only bet money you can afford to lose, and keep each bet small, like 1 or 2 dollars in every 100 you set aside for betting. That way a losing run does not wipe you out.Try the stake calculator →

What does it mean when a price moves?

A price moves when bookies change it, usually because money or news came in. A shorter price means more people think it will happen. Our price movement page shows the biggest moves.See price moves →

Can you make money betting?

Most people don't, because the bookie takes a cut from every bet. If you bet, shop for the best price, keep bets small and treat it as fun, not income.See what your bookie keeps →
The tools behind these answers: Value Finder · Line Shopping · Line Movement · Live Scores · Is X Playing · Today's Picks · All calculators
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