Beginners and underdog hunters
Moneyline
A moneyline bet is a wager on which team or player wins the game outright, regardless of margin. Odds are expressed in American format: a minus number (-150) is the favorite (you risk $150 to win $100), and a plus number (+130) is the underdog (you risk $100 to win $130).
Example
Raiders -180 vs Chiefs +160
A $100 bet on the Raiders moneyline at -180 returns $55.56 in profit if the Raiders win (any margin). A $100 bet on the Chiefs at +160 returns $160 in profit if the Chiefs win.
Pros
- Simplest bet to understand
- Single outcome — team wins or loses
- No spread to worry about
Cons
- Heavy favorites pay very little
- Big underdogs win infrequently