What does the over mean in betting

Long after a game’s outcome is decided, even after the point spread has been covered, you’ll find bettors in the sportsbook sweating every meaningless basket or run scored.

They probably have action on the over/under.

The over/under, or “total,” is the second most popular bet on the board for sports events behind the point spread. Usually the over/under refers to the total points, runs or goals scored in a game. The concept is pretty simple: Will the game’s total points go over the posted total, or stay under?

For example, if the Pittsburgh Steelers are playing the New York Giants, the over/under could be set by the sportsbook at 43.5. If you bet the over and both teams score 44 points or more — a 24-20 Steelers victory, let’s say — you win the bet.

If you want a way to root for both teams to score — or root against both teams scoring — betting the total is the way to go.

Why bet the over/under?

Betting the over/under is a strange experience if all you’re used to is rooting for one team.

If you take the over, you’re rooting for both teams to score. When the Los Angeles Lakers have the ball you’re hoping they hit it a basket, and then when the New York Knicks take possession, you immediately switch allegiances and hope they score. It’s easy to see why this can be a fun bet.

Most recreational bettors take the over. If you think rooting for each team to score every time they have possession is weird, try taking the under and rooting against teams to score for an entire game. There’s something inherently strange about rooting for nothing but missed baskets or turnovers in the red zone.

Still, the under is usually a worthwhile bet because oddsmakers know the public is way more likely to take the over and shade the line that way. It’s just that betting the under is a peculiar way to follow a game.

Many prop bets are over/unders

There’s more to over/under action than just point totals. Many prop bets use over/unders.

A very popular bet is on whether a team will go over or under a posted win total. If you bet the Dallas Cowboys to go over 9.5 wins and they go 10-6, cash that ticket.

Many single-game prop bets are over/under bets too. For example, a big football game will often have bets available on whether a quarterback or receiver will have over or under a posted yardage total. And then you can spend three hours tracking a wide receiver who has 60 yards when you’re holding a ticket for over 62.5. There are also season-long prop bets for things like Patrick Mahomes’ passing yards.

The over/under is a staple in sports betting. So when you’re sitting in a sportsbook and see someone praying for one more garbage-time touchdown in the final minutes of a 40-10 game, you’ll nod and know what he or she is going through.

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Sports betting, especially when it comes to the NFL, often relies on moneylines and point spreads where you’re wagering on who will win the game outright or against the spread (ATS). Although these are exciting bets to make, sportsbooks also offer OVER/UNDER odds.

Here at Odds Shark, we want you to have options when it comes to betting on sports. Whether you’re looking to bet on the Super Bowl, a regular-season NFL game, college football, the NBA or college basketball, a game total bet provides an interesting wager that involves minimal math that you can do in your head or on your smartphone’s calculator.

What Does OVER/UNDER Mean In Betting?

OVER/UNDER betting is also called a totals bet. The total in any given sporting event is a combined score of both teams. The total for these games is a number that is set by oddsmakers based on how they envision a game will unfold from a scoring perspective. As a bettor, you would need to select if the total number of points scored by both teams will be OVER or UNDER the set total.

OVER/UNDER Explained

A sports betting OVER/UNDER is a bet where you have to correctly predict the combined score of both teams. You have to pick if the total score will be lower or higher than the number set by oddsmakers – the people at betting sites who set the lines and odds.

For example, let’s take a Philadelphia Eagles vs Dallas Cowboys game with the total set at 48.5 points. As a bettor, you would select the OVER if you believe the game’s final combined score will be 49 points or more. You would select the UNDER if you believe it will be 48 points or less.

At the sportsbook, the odds would be laid out like this:

• 48.5 OVER -110
• 48.5 UNDER +105

If you bet $50 on the OVER and the combined score was 56, you would get a payout of $95.45 – your original $50 comes back along with your $45.45 win. Conversely, if the game ended 27-20, that would be a pooled score of 47 points, meaning the game went UNDER. That same $50 bet on the winning UNDER would get you $102.50 – your first $50 plus your winnings of $52.50. Our Odds Calculator will give you an idea of how much you’d win based on the amount wagered.

What If The Set Total Is A Whole Number?

Generally, totals betting lines are numbers ending with a half-point (.5), but in rare cases oddsmakers set the total as a whole number. A PUSH in sports betting is when a total is a whole number like 48 points and the combined score hits it exactly.

For instance, let’s pretend the Patriots are playing the Saints and the total is set at 48. If the final score is 28-20, that would be considered a PUSH since all points scored equal 48. The sportsbook you wagered with would refund your bet no matter if you selected UNDER or OVER in this matchup.

Some bettors may feel there is a greater advantage betting on totals with a solid number instead of with a .5 as it provides an extra safety net to avoid losing your wager entirely.

What If The Game Goes To Overtime?

If a game goes to OT, it doesn’t change your bet. OVER/UNDER betting is just like any other bet where you are looking at the final score, whether the game ends in regulation or multiple overtimes. Although it’s often said that NFL overtime is an UNDER bettor’s worst enemy but an OVER bettor’s best friend, it’s important to remember that both teams get the chance to touch the ball. So, if the Rams get the ball first and score, the Chargers will get their chance too.

OVER/UNDER Sports Betting: How To Handicap Your Totals Bet

Typically, when a bettor plans to wager on the number of points scored, there are many variables to consider, especially with OVER/UNDER football bets.

Offensive and defensive trends for a given team need to be considered along with injuries, the history of games between the teams, consensus, standings, team reports and the environment. Rain, snow and heat will impact the number of points scored in an outdoor football stadium, whereas it makes no difference what the temperature is outside when you’re betting on basketball. The sky could fall on the Staples Center and it wouldn’t affect the game. But if the sky fell on the Superdome, it’s safe to say that the game would stop.

The betting line for both the OVER and UNDER is typically at -110 or -105 but can be shifted by betting sites to smaller or greater odds depending on certain factors. It’s up to you to weigh those elements and decide if they can impact the game.

You don’t have to be a Las Vegas sharp to make a smart game totals bet. If you keep it locked to Odds Shark, you’ll be such a pro at football betting and basketball wagering thanks to our NBA News, that you’ll be making game totals bets in your sleep.

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