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A Beginner’s Guide to the Basics of Sports Betting

This article is presented by ALL-STAR Magazine in collaboration with SportsPlusPH. Sports betting can be a thrilling way to enhance your sports-watching experience, but it’s essential to approach it responsibly. Always equip yourself with the proper knowledge before placing any bets. Know your limits, and bet wisely.

Sports betting offers hundreds of markets to explore, ranging from moneylines and point spreads to totals, team totals, player totals, and more. In this article, we’ll focus on the most basic markets and how to use each effectively.

Moneyline Betting

Moneyline betting is the simplest and most straightforward market. Here, you’re simply picking which team will win the match outright. This includes overtime or extra time, focusing solely on the final outcome or winner.

At sportsbooks like Sportsplus, odds are typically displayed in decimal form. For example, if the Lakers faced the Warriors on Christmas Day, the odds might have looked like this:

Warriors: 1.50

Lakers: 2.70

These odds indicate that the Warriors were favored to win. If you bet PHP 1,000 on the Warriors and they won, your return would be PHP 1,500 (a PHP 500 profit). Conversely, betting PHP 1,000 on the underdog Lakers would yield PHP 2,700 (a PHP 1,700 profit) if they won.

Point Spread Betting

Point spread betting introduces a handicap to level the playing field while offering different odds and payouts. The spread is added to or subtracted from a team’s final score to determine the betting outcome.

Using the same Lakers vs. Warriors matchup as an example, the Warriors might be favored by -4.5 points. This means they need to win by at least 5 points for your bet to succeed. Point spread payouts typically range from 1.80 to 1.90—better than the 1.50 return from the moneyline. However, if you bet on Warriors -4.5 and they win by only 1–4 points, your wager would lose.

A popular strategy is to bet the moneyline for short favorites (teams favored by 1–4 points) and take the points with the underdog. This approach minimizes risk while maximizing potential returns.

Over/Under (Total)

Betting Over/Under betting focuses on the combined total score of both teams at the end of the match. Sportsbooks set a total based on factors like team scoring averages and defensive rankings. For instance, in an NBA game between Boston and Denver, the total might be set at 235.5. Betting the “Over” means you’re wagering that the final score will be 236 or higher. Betting the “Under” means you need the teams to score 235 or fewer points for your wager to win.

Finding Your Niche

These three markets—moneyline, point spread, and totals—are the most popular among bettors. Success in sports betting often comes from identifying which market aligns with your strengths and focusing on that. Some bettors specialize in totals, while others excel in moneylines. The key is to find where you feel most comfortable and capitalize on your expertise.