Lowcountry
Sportsbook
Sports Betting 101
What Is A Unit or Units For Sports Gambling
What's a Unit? Most people think a unit is $100, and quite honestly most handicappers use the 1 Unit = $100 philosophy, but a unit can also be $10, or $50.
People will say whether they are up +/- points. Example: +8.0 units this season. If they're a $100 better they're up $800. If they post that they're 4-2, you've got to subtract their lost units to arrive at how much they're up for the season. Example: 1 Unit could equal $100 or even more... or could 1 unit could equal $10.
Games will be ranked by how much you should put on them, for example a small play may be just 1 Unit, where a larger play could be ranked at 3 or 5 Units. Just give the unit whatever value you feel comfortable with, and ride it out for the season.
Pointspread
The pointspread - also called "the line" - is used as a margin to handicap the favorite team. The oddsmaker - "gives" points (or goals) to the underdog for betting purposes only. The bettor must take either the favorite or the underdog.
The favorite is always indicated by a minus sign (e.g. -5.5) and the underdog by a plus sign (e.g.+5.5). For betting purposes, the outcome of the game is determined by taking the actual game score and finding the difference between the scores of the two teams playing (called the pointspread or just the "spread").
Straight Bet
A straight bet is a bet on the outcome of a single event or game that, for betting purposes only, is determined by a Pointspread, a Moneyline or a Game Total.
Over/Under
The Over/Under, sometimes called the "Total", quite simply is the combined scores of both teams competing in the game being wagered on. You can bet whether the game will go over or under this figure. A bet on a matchup between two teams may be set by a money line instead of a pointspread. If a matchup is determined by a money line, like American baseball, then it will cost the customer more to wager on the favorite.
Parlay or Combo
This bet applies to Football, Basketball, Ice Hockey and Baseball. A parlay bet happens when you bet on two or more teams in the same wager in any order. All teams bet on must win in order for you to win. Also, there is no "juice" or commision on this style of bet.
Teasers
This bet applies to Football, Basketball, Ice Hockey and Baseball. A teaser is a selection of two or more teams in one wager in which either the pointspread and/or total is adjusted in the bettor's favor. Each sport has its own range of points for teaser selections. An adjustment to the favorite team will decrease the disadvantage. An adjustment to the underdog will increase the advantage. The adjustment makes pointspreads less for the favorite and more for the underdog, depending on the selections you make. If you select a total, the adjustment makes totals higher-to-go-under or lower-to-go-over.
Pleasers
A pleaser is a group of NFL side straight bets combined into one bet. The difference between a pleaser and a teaser is that with a pleaser the line you bet against for each individual wager is moved against your favor by 6 points. Pleasers are currently only available on NFL regular season side plays. Pleasers will not be taken on NFL totals, NFL preseason, or NCAA football at the current time. If the regular line is –10 and you play a pleaser then your line would be –16.
Buy Points
Buy Points means that you can move the pointspread so that you give away less points with the favorite or get more points with the underdog, for both football and basketball. To do this you must pay more "juice" for every 1Ö2 point you buy in your favor. Most sportsbooks charge 10% for every 1/2 point you buy. For the NFL and NCAA football, you will pay an additional amount of "juice" to buy on or off of 3 or 7 points - also know as Key Points. And if you buy through either 3 or 7 points, you will pay an additional amount of "juice." Most sportsbooks charge another 10% for key points. There are NO Key Points for basketball.
