Facebook Twitter Blue Sky
Contact Us

Moneyline vs Spread vs Totals | Odds, Examples, When

Moneyline vs spread vs totals is the first fork in the road for every sports bet. This guide explains what each market means, how payouts work, and when each option makes sense—plus examples, pros/cons, and common mistakes. For a neutral primer on betting odds formats, see Wikipedia: Odds. For step-by-step odds reading, see our How to Read Betting Odds guide.

What Is a Moneyline Bet?

A moneyline is betting a team to win the game outright. Favorites have negative prices (e.g., -150); underdogs have positive prices (e.g., +130). Payouts scale with price: the bigger the favorite, the lower the return; the bigger the dog, the higher the return.

Moneyline Example

Price -150: Risk $150 to win $100 (return $250). Price +130: Risk $100 to win $130 (return $230). Use the moneyline when you care only about the winner.

What Is a Point Spread?

The spread handicaps the favorite by points and gives the underdog the same head start. You’re betting the margin of victory. Common prices are near -110 on each side, though they can vary.

Spread Example

If Team A is -3.5, they must win by 4+ to cover. If Team B is +3.5, they cash if they win or lose by 3 or fewer. Around key numbers (e.g., NFL 3 and 7), half-points matter.

What Is a Total (Over/Under)?

The total is the combined points/runs/goals scored. You bet Over or Under a number set by the book. Totals are sensitive to pace, efficiency, injuries, weather, and goalie/pitcher news.

Total Example

Over/Under 44.5 in football: Over wins at 45+ points; Under wins at 44 or fewer. In baseball, a half-run (e.g., 8.5 vs 8) is often the difference between a win and a push.

Moneyline vs Spread vs Totals: When to Use Each

  • Choose Moneyline when you like a dog to win outright, or the spread is near zero and juice is reasonable.
  • Choose Spread when you have an edge on margin (mismatch, matchup, pace) or want points with a live underdog.
  • Choose Totals when your edge is game environment (tempo, weather, pitchers/goalies, injuries)—not a specific side.

How Payouts & Break-Even Work

  • -110 ≈ 52.38% break-even.
  • -105 ≈ 51.22% break-even.
  • +100 = 50.00% break-even.

Lower juice helps long-term ROI. See Vig and Juice Explained and How to Shop Betting Lines.

Practical Examples (Across Sports)

NFL

Spread vs Moneyline: +3.5 (-115) may be better than +3 (-105) due to the key number 3. If you think the dog can win outright and price is juicy, consider ML instead.

NBA

Totals: News and pace move numbers fast. A 1-point upgrade (Under 233.5 vs 232.5) can be worth more than five cents of juice depending on projections.

MLB

Moneyline vs Total: Wind out and a tired bullpen might push you to Over instead of a side. In MLB, small price differences (e.g., -112 vs -118) compound over a season.

Pros & Cons

Moneyline

  • Pros: Simple; no concern for margin; great for live dogs.
  • Cons: Big favorites = poor price; variance can sting dogs late.

Spread

  • Pros: Capture margin edges; key numbers can be leveraged.
  • Cons: Hook pain (e.g., lose at -3.5 when team wins by 3); price can drift to -115/-120.

Totals

  • Pros: Profit from game environment; less tied to picking winners.
  • Cons: Highly news/weather sensitive; half-points matter.

Common Mistakes

  • Ignoring number vs price: +3.5 (-115) can be better than +3 (-105); Under 44.5 (-110) vs 45 (-118) depends on sport and keys.
  • Betting the first line you see: Always shop 3–5 books.
  • Confusing tickets with dollars: Use public splits as context, not a system. See Public Betting Percentages.

FAQs: Moneyline vs Spread vs Totals

Which is best for beginners? Moneyline is simplest. Spreads and totals require more sensitivity to numbers and news.

Do half-points really matter? Yes—especially near key numbers in football or with lower totals in hoops/baseball.

Should I parlay these markets? Parlays raise variance and hold. Keep stakes small if used for entertainment.

Related Guides

Responsible Gaming

Bet responsibly. Set limits, track results, and seek help if betting stops being fun.