Basic Bet Types

Updated: September 27, 2026

Before you jump into sports betting, it's important to understand the most common types of bets offered by oddsmakers. It's shocking how many people bet on sports without knowing or caring what they're betting on. Here's a basic rundown of each of the major bets offered by the oddsmakers.

Point Spread

Point spread betting, also known as handicap betting, is the most common form of betting for American sports bettors. Those who bet on football will be familiar with point spread betting, but it's also the go-to method for betting on basketball, in both NBA and NCAA contests.

Here’s a basic example of an NFL point spread wager:

NY Giants

(+7)

-110

Dallas Cowboys

(-7)

-110

Generally, in US sports, the home team is listed at the bottom and the road team is listed at the top. In this NFL contest, the Cowboys are favored by 7 points against the visiting Giants.

Betting on the Giants

Betting on the Cowboys

If the Cowboys win by exactly 7 points, the game would be considered a push. In this case, neither side would win or lose, and the stakes would be returned.

However, it is important to remember that pushes are not likely when the point spread is half a point. If this game was listed at 7.5, a push would not be possible and the bettors would either win or lose their bet.

Point spread betting is so popular because it's so simple. The best way for newer bettors to understand it is to add or subtract the point spread from their side's score. Add the point spread if you are betting on the underdog, and subtract the point spread if you are betting on the favorite. If you cover the point spread after doing your basic math - you win the bet.

Totals

The totals, also called "overs and unders", are generally the same in most betting markets, regardless of the sport. The concept is simple. Sportsbooks offer their estimate of the total number of points that will be scored in a particular contest, and bettors can wager over or under that number.

Using an NBA total, here’s an example:

The 195.5 total is the number of points scored by both teams combined. Bettors can choose to bet over or under this number. As with point spread betting, if the number hits exactly, the bet would be considered a push and all bets would be returned. In the example above, there can be no push due to the half point in the number.

It's also important to remember that the total includes all points scored in the game, not just regulation. If a game goes into overtime, those points are included in the total.

Moneylines

Moneylines are by far the easiest type of bet to understand. Known as "win bets" in other parts of the world, money line bets do not involve a point spread or handicap of any kind. In a Money Line bet, the bettor is simply betting on the winner of the contest. There is no point spread.

Moneyline betting is available for all major US sports and is used as the main type of betting for baseball and hockey. Although there is a bit of a combo of Point Spread and Money Line in today's betting market in the form of Pucklines and Runlines, these sports traditionally do not offer a Point Spread,

Using a Major League Baseball game, here’s an example of a moneyline wager:

New York Yankees

+130

St. Louis Cardinals

-140

As with other examples, there is a favorite and an underdog. The Yankees are on the road and are +130 underdogs, and the Cardinals are at home and are -140 favorites. As with all money line odds, the odds are based on the amount it would take to win $100.

There are no pushes in money line betting because there is no point spread. The one rare example of a possible push in US sports is an NFL game that ends in a tie. In this case, the bet would be considered a push. This is a rare occurrence, but it does happen once or twice every few seasons.

Futures

Futures, also known as "outrights," are bets placed on an event that typically occurs several weeks or months in the future. However, they can also be placed within a shorter time frame until the event is decided.

Unlike point spread or total wagering, future markets cannot push. Bettors will either win or lose their bet.

The most common future bets are on major sports championships. Betting on which team will win the NBA championship, the Super Bowl or the World Series are the most common types of future bets.

Here is another example, this time using NFL Super Bowl betting odds:

Team	Odds
New England Patriots	4/1
Green Bay Packers	9/2
Denver Broncos	19/4
Arizona Cardinals	10/1
San Francisco 49ers	12/1
Seattle Seahawks	16/1
Dallas Cowboys	18/1

If you were betting this in a sportsbook, the full list of teams would be available, but you get the idea. The above odds are listed in fractional format, but most US based rooms will have them available in American odds as well.

Propositions

Props, or "props" for short, are called "specials" by many online bookmakers. Props are markets that have nothing to do with the final outcome or score of the game. They're offshoots of the point spread and total, and are a sort of "game within a game" for bettors. Originally a novelty bet for the Super Bowl, props are now offered daily for a variety of sports.

Props fall into two categories, player props and team props. The most common team prop is "Which team will score first?

Pittsburgh Steelers

-140

Cleveland Browns

-110

This is a team-centered proposition on an NFL contest. Now, here is an example of a player prop:

Over 320.0

-110

Under 320.0

-110

These props only scratch the surface of this market. Proposition markets can be extremely large. Many sportsbooks offer hundreds of proposition bets on an NFL Sunday and dozens on a full NBA night. It's up to the imagination of the oddsmaker, but proposition markets have an unlimited number of possibilities.

The above bet types are still just a small part of the oddsmaker's arsenal of betting options, but it is recommended that newer players stick with them before moving on to other more complicated and advanced bet types. There is a lot of value to be found in the above markets. If you line shop correctly, you should have no problem making a lot of money with the above bet types.