What is Moneyline Betting: How it Works Explained

Moneyline Betting is the simplest form of other types of wagering in sports betting events that simply consists of teams winning bet, or the individual is likely to win a game or bonus bet amounts. To understand a Bonus bet, simply think of it as a token of dollar value that you are allowed to use to place bets. The Bonus Bet is not similar to the account balance; rather, it is a completely separate balance. In most simple types of bet, you pick who will be winning bet, and when your chosen team or individual bet wins, so does your bet. Bonus bets are best described as deposits and referred to as bonuses. The majority of bonus bets are available on a first deposit at the specific sportsbook. Unlike point spread bets or parlay bets, where money and multiple wager outcomes depend on the margin of victory, moneyline betting is only concerned with who wins on the betting markets. 

 

The odds listed that accompany a moneyline wager represent the probability of a certain event. Moneyline betting is applicable for many games, such as college football, college basketball, and even political events, and it is a relatively simple means by which beginners, as well as professional gamblers, can find their way into their favorite games or events. Within this article, we will discuss the mechanism of moneyline betting – how it works, and calculate the potential payout.

Moneyline Betting Guide

Table of Contents

What Is a Moneyline Bet?

A moneyline bet is one of the straightforward calls about which team will win a sporting event—the only in question is which team will be victorious. It does not consider how they will win or by how much, so its presentation differs slightly from other types of bets, such as a point spread bet or over/under totals. When a sportsbook lists options for betting on a game, it usually puts the moneyline in the middle, between the point spread and the total.

 

The vig or juice forms the cost of a moneyline bet, simply the commission the sportsbook takes on a wager. This ensures that the sportsbook always profits, no matter the outcome of the event on which the wager was made. On average, it is about 10% of the wager amount, though it differs among multiple sportsbooks. It tends to fall between 4.5% and 5% of the stake. This is what keeps sportsbooks in business. In a moneyline bet, the vig is already incorporated into the odds that you would see presented on your platform when you place wagers.

 

With this bet type, you pick the team that you believe will win the game straight-up. The money line also gives you an idea of the profit a winner might see from a successful bet, as well as the likelihood of an even rematch.  Odds are expressed as either a positive or negative number – a negative number indicates the favorite, and you have to bet that amount to win $100, while a positive number indicates the underdog and gives a sense of how much you will win with a $100 bet. 

 

This is helpful for gamblers to know your potential payout, as well as the chance that one team will beat the other. Moneyline betting appeals especially to the gambler, for it is simple and from this attitude of focusing attention on predicting the outright winner of an event.

How Do Moneyline Odds Work?

A moneyline wager is a bet on the outcome of a sporting event. There are two primary options: two-way and three-way money lines.

 

The most common form is a two-way moneyline in sports betting that is clearly decided between two outcomes. In sports like college basketball or MMA, only one side can win outright. The LA Lakers play the Golden State Warriors and the results are either a Lakers win or a Warriors win. The kind of moneyline in sports betting like this is clear – the person betting has to predict which team will win. Moneyline odds reflect the probability of winning and indicate the payout if the bettor’s wager wins.

 

A three-way moneyline, on the other hand, provides for a possibility of a third outcome – the possibility of a draw or tie. The system is common in sports betting, such as soccer betting and some hockey bets, which can end as ties after regulation time. For example, in a regular season soccer game, there are three possible results, which are the home team wins, ties, and the away team wins bet. With three-way money lines, one has to pick which of the results will occur to earn a profit. It is more complicated to determine a tie; usually, it is easier to get good moneyline odds.

 

Alternatively, in three-way moneyline outcomes, sports betting often provides a “tie no bet” option whereby your stake will be returned should the match end in a draw, giving at least some security but usually with lower payout odds. In hockey, people bet on a team to win the game outright, including overtime, or bet on a team to win within regulation time, the latter having the potential of higher returns because of increased risk.

How to Read Moneyline Odds?

A moneyline wager is a simple bet on which team will win the game, regardless of the score. Moneyline odds displayed by American sports books are expressed with a plus (+) or minus (-) sign in front of a number.

 

Negative odds – The minus sign denotes the favorite. The number indicates how much money you need to risk in order to win a hundred dollars. For instance, if you are paid -150, then the moneyline price will cost you one hundred fifty dollars to win one hundred dollars in profit.

 

Positive odds – A plus sign means you are a favorite to win a bet. It merely informs you of how much profit you will gain if you bet $100. A $100 bet will make you a profit of $200.

 

Examples

 

Assuming the odds for an MLS game are –

 

Charlotte FC: -120

Inter Miami CF: +160

Tie: +300

Which means

 

To win $100 on Charlotte, you have to place your $120.

A $100 bet on Inter Miami would yield $160.

A $100 bet on a tie would yield $300.

The more negative, the closer to -1 it is the favorite. The higher the positive number equates to a bigger underdog and the bigger your payout potential. Favorites win most often, but underdog teams do win; that is where you have potentially significant returns.

Moneyline Bets Calculation Explained

Sportsbooks carry out the calculations, but you can calculate it, too.  There are two ways to do this, and they fall into two categories-favorites and underdogs –

Favorites (Negative Odds)

To determine how much you need to wager to win a particular profit, use the following formula:

 

Wager = Desired Profit * ( Moneyline / 100)

 

Example: You want to win $35 on a fighter with a -290 moneyline odds –

 

Wager = ($35 * (290 / 100)) = $101.50 

 

You need to bet $101.50 to win $35.

Underdogs (Positive Odds)

To calculate profit from one of these wagers, use this formula –

 

Profit = (Wager * (Moneyline / 100))

 

Example

 

Suppose you bet $100 on a fighter at +230 moneyline –

 

Profit = ($100 * (230 / 100)) = $230

 

You can win $230.

Even Odds

For near-even odds, like +102, your win is a straightforward bet because you just multiply your bet by the decimal version of the odds (in this case, 1.02).  So a $50 bet would give you a win of $51 ($50 * 1.02).  For odds like -120, you are going to do similarly, but with a negative.

Moneyline Betting: Selections in Parlays

how to place moneyline bets

Parlay bets combine multiple selections into a single wager.  Each selection is a “leg,” and the payout increases exponentially with each added leg.  Moneylines are commonly used in parlays.

For example, you might create a three-leg parlay bet that includes three moneyline Odds on three various baseball games. The entire parlay is only a winner if all of the legs win.

Placing a smaller stake on a favored team has a higher probability of making some profit since the second-risk portion contributes more to the prize amount. Combining them into a parlay moneyline odds increases the prize amount exponentially if all selections are correct. 

The same applies to the risk, though; losing one leg means that the entire parlay loses. The compounding feature of parlays is quite attractive; however, the substantially reduced chances of winning have to be taken into account.

How Do I Place Moneyline Bets?

Here is an easy step-by-step guide on placing Moneyline bets –

  • Create an Account

Choose one of the reliable online sportsbooks.  Navigate to the website, then click on “Join” or “Register,” and fill in the registration form, providing them with your e-mail address, password, and other personal data.

  • Make a Deposit

Once your account is confirmed, go to the cashier section, specify your deposit method- credit card, cryptocurrency, etc.- and fund your account.

  • Find a Game to Bet On

Check out the sportsbook offerings. Decide what sport, league, and game you would like to bet on. Find the moneyline odds for each team with a respective number to the left of each name (e.g., +150, -200).

  • Place Your Moneyline Bet

Read the moneyline odds on the favored team you are looking to bet on and click on it. This places your selection into your bet slip. Enter the cash wager amount you wish to stake in the bet slip. Review the potential payout and confirm your online real money wager.

Live Betting on Moneyline

Live or in-game betting allows you to bet on a game after it has started.  This means dynamic opportunities arise as the game shifts from its normal momentum and creates potentially more favorable lines.


Live wagering opportunities are found during natural breaks in the action. This could include between innings in baseball, between quarters in basketball, between periods in hockey, and even between possessions in some sports. Its availability depends on the sport and sportsbook technology.


Most top sports apply to live moneyline betting, such as –


Basketball – The game is constantly in a state of momentum flow where one can always make moneyline wagers on a side that is on a streak.


Football game (American & Soccer) – This game comes with dramatic scoring changes, particularly in soccer.


Baseball – The flow of the game presents constant and frequent opportunities to place moneyline wagers in between innings.


Hockey – Similar to basketball, hockey also produces scores of scoring changes; hence, it is a game of many opportunities.

Best Sports and Events for Moneyline Bets

The money line bet, simply which team will win, is best suited to sports that often have fewer opportunities to score or to individual events in which a clear winner invariably results. Here are the best sports and events for Moneyline betting –

Major League Baseball (MLB)

The moneyline is highly used in MLB games as it tends low-scoring games. Even though upsets happen, it remains a very popular bet among sports bettors. In addition, the listed pitcher’s money lines are also offered, depending on particular bet starting pitchers.

National Basketball Association (NBA)

Money lines are available, but point- spread bets and totals are used more often in the higher-scoring game. But most of the best NBA betting sites tend to offer all three types of bets.

National Hockey League (NHL)

Hockey, like baseball, often features low-scoring games and the potential for upsets, making the moneyline a very popular bet. Three-way money lines are also available for hockey; there is also the possibility of a tie in addition to winning and losing propositions.

Football

A three-way money line is standard. Two-way betting, or “draw no bet,” excludes the draw and pays only on a win. In knockout competitions, settlements are usually done after 90 minutes unless a “to qualify” bet is placed.

National Football League (NFL)

Money lines are not as common as in low-scoring sports, but an even-money NFL game can be very attention-grabbing. An underdog with a good chance of winning bet pays very high.

Sports Involving One Participant

Tennis

Moneylines are very popular, especially if the match is even at all. If one player is significantly favoured, handicap bets may be more to their liking. Most online tennis sportsbooks suggest bettors for Moneylines betting.

Boxing

A moneyline wager simply requires the winner. There are only three possible outcomes, and draws are not very common. “Method of victory” wagers (knockout or decision, etc) offer other alternatives.

UFC/Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)

In addition to the moneylines being similar to those of boxing, the moneyline odds can be more extensive due to the fact that the potential outcomes may include decision, knockout, or submission.

Golf

A moneyline bet is always made available by the top golf betting sites in head-to-head matchups (2-ball) within a tournament. You bet one golfer will have a lower score than his opponent.

Other Sports with Moneyline Options

In addition to the sports listed above, the following offer moneyline betting options: Australian Rules football, cricket, darts, college football, handball, lacrosse, rugby league, rugby union, snooker, table tennis, and volleyball.

Political Betting

Elections and referendums have, in recent times, become open doors to moneyline bets. Betting on politics is very simple, which, in this case, is determining who will win the election. It could just be that simple, with a lot of money making the outcome worthwhile for some.

Tips and Strategies for Moneyline Bets

  • Moneylines are simple: you bet on which team will win. The payouts vary greatly; underdogs bring a higher return, while the favorites are smaller. In point spreads, it is not only about winning but winning by how much. The spread adjusts the score to give a more balanced match-up on paper.
  • Moneyline payouts are often more uneven than those of a point spread bet, regardless of whether the chosen team was favored. Two very similar bets have underpinnings based on the strength analysis of the two teams, but the risk/reward profiles differ.
  • Moneyline payouts are a reflection of win probability and will reward an upset significantly, but point spread payouts tend to be much more even and usually based on covering the point spread rather than winning outright. The choice depends on your risk tolerance and confidence in predicting the outcome.

Best Sports and Events for Moneyline Bets

  • Mastery in moneyline betting is all about strategy. Here are five key tips to improve your winning side’s chances –

Maximize Your Winnings Through Better Odds Comparison

  • Do not accept the first line you come across. Sign up with several sportsbooks and read moneyline odds for each game on one sportsbook. This is a simple step that guarantees you get the best payout for the team winning or players you place your first bet money on every time.

Strategic Bet Selection

  • While money lines are a good fit for sports like hockey, soccer, and baseball, do not forget that there are other forms of bets known as spreads, double chance, and same-game parlays that would benefit some other game scenarios. In the context of each match, be wise with your choice.

Value Underdog

  • Keep an eye out for two teams whose early lines are unappealing; sometimes, not everyone is on board with a particular matchup yet. If the public bettors continue to drive the line even further in your favor, the +120 underdog may increase to a +150 game. Such line movement can be all you need to create a huge payout if your research claims a much better shot than what the moneyline odds suggest that the underdog has.

In-depth Research is Essential

  • Before any moneyline wager, there is such a thing as thorough research to undertake. You must analyze certain key statistics. Note both strengths and weaknesses in both offensive and defensive matters of concern for each team before your first bet.  But statistical research is complemented by actual observation from viewing the teams play; your expertise will really improve your bet-establishing decisions.

Use Expert Opinions Wisely

  • Picks by seasoned professional handicappers are often very insightful, but always verify the source’s credibility and conduct an independent study on your own. You can find regular moneyline picks from experts covering baseball, hockey, and soccer, but be sure to see how they trend before you believe them. No expert is 100% accurate.

Possible Outcomes in a Moneyline Bet

  • Money line bets have three possible outcomes: a win, a loss, or a draw (or equivalent).
  •  
  • A win is confirmed when the chosen team or player wins.  This is the odds-based payout at the time you accepted the wager.  Good money-line betting depends on predicting who will win the game outright.  To win the game steadily involves considerable knowledge about the sport, teams, and persons involved.
  •  
  • A loss happens if your wager loses. This will mean that you will lose the same amount of money you were willing to risk.  Losses come with the game of betting and will be encountered; therefore, optimizing one’s money management is necessary to dissipate the potential loss.  Studying past performances and searching for possible drawbacks is another critical element in reducing losses.
  •  
  • A draw (or push) is not as common in most sports betting but does occur rather frequently in soccer and some combat sports. If the draw is not one of the options available for a wager and the game ends in a draw, then in most cases, your wager would usually be rendered void, and your stake is usually returned.  It is often called the “draw no bet” situation.  In other cases, if the draw is one of the available options for a wager, you will win outright only based on your own choice of the draw; otherwise, you lose. 
  •  
  • Rules for each moneyline bet must be understood, as the handling of draws may differ.  The availability of a draw option greatly determines the risk analysis and betting strategy of the game.

Possible Outcomes in a Moneyline Bet

  • <Table>

Conclusion

  • Moneyline betting is one of the simplest yet most exciting ways to interact with your favorite sports.  Even in its basic nature, betting on who will win proves accessible both for the novice and seasoned player.  While payouts are much larger or worse depending upon the betting odds, it is a great way for beginners to get into major sports betting; nonetheless, due to the simplicity involved in knowing the outcome, it might turn into an online gambling problem. Another appeal is the chance of an underdog getting a possible high payoff. If you are interested in a straightforward and entertaining way to place your bet, you will find the moneyline wager thrilling in making an outright prediction regarding its outcome.

FAQs

Explain a 3-way moneyline?

A 3-way moneyline means, in a sporting event, there are 3 potential outcomes.

Yes, moneyline bets cannot be changed once they are set. However, the moneyline odds change based on certain factors such as betting volume, team news, etc.

The moneyline bet is connected to point spread bets regarding the potential payout.

Players can combine multiple wager bet types against point spread bets, moneyline bets, and over/under betting into a single stake.

There are 2 possibilities -either the team you choose to win or your team chooses to lose.

 

Yes, there are Juice with Moneyline bets.

The moneyline bet is among the most popular bets, especially preferred by professional bettors who like to get great returns on their wagers.

A negative moneyline bet means that if players place a successful wager, they will earn less than their double bet amount.

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