An Ultimate Guide - Betting Over Under fully explained

Evelyn Balyton

Evelyn Balyton

In sports betting, there are a lot of types of bets you can place for sure with moneylines and points spreads being the most popular ones among players. In those cases, you’ll wager on what team or player will win the match or how many points were gained during the game. Besides those two, you can also go for Asian handicap betting, prop bets, futures bets, and many others. But this article will tell you about over under sports betting - you’ll get its definition as well as find out how over and under betting rules work and get some examples to learn from. There are actually lots of sports you can place such wagers on. Although we can’t help but mention how popular NBA over under betting is. Anyway, we hope you enjoy our detailed article - let’s go on.

Meaning of over and under in betting

Meaning of over and under in betting

So, basically, it’s time for us to start with the meaning of over under sports betting. Let’s begin with the basics - over under bets are also commonly known as totals bets. We want to be precise at this point. In any sporting event that you watch or want to wager on, there’s such a thing as the total which is a combined score of both players or teams.

The total for a match is a number set by oddsmakers based on how they think a game will go from a scoring perspective. Basically, all you need to do is to decide whether you think the total point number of both players/teams will be over or under the set total given by the oddsmakers.

Over under betting explained

If you want to get over under betting explained, you have come to the right place for sure. As we’ve already pointed out, under over wagers require having to guess the combined score of both players/teams correctly - you’ll have to do your best to predict the outcome in order to benefit from your bet.

You will need to choose whether the total score of the match will be higher or lower than the set total that was given by oddsmakers. For your information, oddsmakers are well-informed and professionally-working people at betting sites who set the odds value and lines.

Even though basketball is not the only sport suitable for such type of betting, NBA betting over under is a classic. Over under wagers are typical for those matches and are extremely popular among basketball fans who want to bet on their favorite sport. Let’s just say that there’s no difference if a particular team wins or loses.

All you should care about is if the combined results of both sides score less or more than a point value assigned by oddsmakers for the game. Regardless of the outcome for any side, focus on the combined point total.

Since we already mentioned NBA betting over under, we need to come up with an example. Let’s just say there’s a contest between Philadelphia and Cleveland. If oddsmakers set a total point value of 216 points, you’ll have to decide whether the actual outcome is going to be lower or higher than this. In order to benefit from an over bet, both teams together have to score 217+ points. But if you want to benefit from an under bet, both teams together need to score 215 points or even less.

Over/Under Wagers: What is Juice?

Over/Under Wagers: What is Juice?

Over and under betting rules are simple enough, as you can see. But there’s one thing we also want to mention. When you place wagers, you’ll also notice there’s the juice value. In betting, juice is the cut or a certain amount that a sportsbook charges for accepting over under bets. In other words, this is a commission sportsbooks effectively receive if they take your wager.

Don’t worry if you’re wondering where to look for juice or how to deal with it. First of all, it is indicated underneath the totals in the table. And second of all, since we promised to get over under betting explained to you, we are going to help you with this one too. Here’s a simple example.

For example, let’s imagine each side’s juice is -110. So, if you want to profit $100, you’ll have to wager $110 first. If you want to get $1,000, then $1,100 is a deposit you need to make in order to benefit from a successful play. This may not seem too attractive to players but it’s the good news for the sportsbooks. This is how bookmakers are sure that they are favored to come out on top more often.

Another example? Okay, let’s imagine that the game is given the total set of 48.5 points. As a punter, if you believe that the final score of both teams is 49 or more, you’ll have to select the over wager. If you think that the final result of both teams goes to 48 points or less, the under bet is your choice. So, the odds are going to be laid out the following way on a sportsbook’s website:

  • 48.5 OVER -110
  • 48.5 UNDER +105

In case you place a bet of $50 on OVER while the assumed combined score was 56, you can receive a payout of $95.45. This way, your initial $50 is back + you’ll get to enjoy the $45.45 win. If the score goes to 47 points, it means the under bet worked out. In this case, you would receive $102.50 which is your initial $50 + extra $52.50 for a win.

What If The Set Total Is A Whole Number in Over Under Sports Betting?

It is a more common practice when totals betting lines come as numbers that end with a half-point. For example, 48.5 or 53.5. But there are also cases when oddsmakers show up setting the total value as a whole number for over and under betting - for example, 48 or 53. So, what happens in this case?

Basically, whole numbers increase chances of getting an over and under betting push. In NBA over under betting, a push is a situation where a total comes as a whole number and the game’s results are that exact number. For example, if the final outcome of the game is 28-20 and the set total is 48, this will be a push. What happens to your deposited money though? In case the game gives a push, all punters will get their stakes’ money back regardless of whether they chose over bets or under bets.

How you feel about whole-number totals in over under betting is up to you. On one hand, they may seem to provide some extra safety in order to avoid losing the bet money completely. But on the other hand, some players are concentrated on winning more than simply not losing bets. In this case, it’s best to go for half-point set totals. But one more time: we’re simply stating the facts - you have to place an under over bet responsibly and do what works and feels best for you.

What If The Game Goes To Overtime in NBA Over Under Betting?

We’ve already dealt with the meaning of over and under in betting but we have some other questions left. For example, what happens if a match goes to overtime? What happens to your wager then? So, if a match goes to overtime, it doesn’t affect or change your bet but there’s something we think is important to mention.

Over under betting is pretty similar to other types of bets where you simply pay attention to the final score, no matter if the contest ends in multiple overtimes or regulation. Although, if the game goes to overtime, it may be good news for over bettors since it’s more time during which players can score more points. As for under bettors, it’s best if the under over match does not go to overtime.

OVER/UNDER: How To Handicap Your Totals Bet

We’re done with the meaning of over and under in betting and some of its main aspects. But you may also have questions about how to handicap your over under bet. Here are some useful tips we can give you:

  • Consider the history and offensive/defensive trends for teams. For example, check out how the games between particular teams went in the past and look up information about injuries, team reports, standings, and so on.
  • If you place an over under bet on basketball, the weather is not so important since everything is happening in the building. But if you place wagers on competitions that are held outside, check the forecast because rain or snow can make the difference and impact the outcome.
  • The betting line for over under bets is typically at -110 or -105. Sure, they can be shifted to a little smaller or bigger odds on betting sites depending on specific factors. But make sure you always check this information and decide if they affect the betting.

To conclude, over under betting is a fun way to gamble and in some ways it’s also more pleasant compared to some other types of bets. At least you don’t have to guess the exact number of points scored - it’s all about deciding if it’s higher or smaller than the given statistic. We hope this guide was helpful and now you have all the answers in order to place over under wagers and try your betting strategies.