Understanding Lines in Sports Betting

The moneyline or line or American odds is an interesting device used in sports betting because it allows you to bet on a game without dealing with the point spread. That means, unlike in spread betting, whichever team wins is the team that pays off.  In this article, we will first describe how to interpret the basic moneyline. We’ll also discuss the runline and puckline and consider how the moneyline translates into actual odds.

Moneyline Basics

The sports betting moneyline is a wager in which you have to bet more on the favorite to win a little and a little on the underdog to win a lot. There is no point adjustment with the moneyline as there is with spread betting. The team that wins the game is the team that pays off.

A moneyline looks like this:

San Francisco 49ers    +250

New York Giants          -200

When a moneyline is listed, the team with the “plus” is the underdog and the one with the “minus” is the favorite. In the above example, the team that is not favored, the 49ers, will pay $250 on a $110 wager, while the favorite Giants pays $110 for a $200 bet.

They way the moneyline works is it costs more to bet on the favorite and less on the team that is not favored. You risk more to win less on the team that is picked to win and risk less to win more on the underdog. In this way, the moneyline helps even out the wagering.

Runline and Major League Baseball

The runline, which is used in MLB betting, is an enhanced moneyline. This form of wagering still uses the moneyline but there’s a small standard point spread involved.

The spread for both stands at 1.5 runs. As an example, let’s take a look at a MLB runline.

New York Yankees                -1 ½    +125

Sergio Mitre (R)

Detroit Tigers                       +1 ½   -145

Dontrelle Willis (L)

Note, because the Yankees must win by two runs or more, they’re listed as the underdog. For the same game, here is the moneyline:

New York Yankees                -121

Sergio Mitre (R)

Detroit Tigers                       +111

Dontrelle Willis (L)

With the moneyline, where no runs are added or subtracted, the Tigers become the underdog. Often you are given the choice of playing either the moneyline or runline. An important note regarding baseball—the bet is not active unless both listed starting pitchers do indeed start. There’s no action if either pitcher does not start.

Puckline and Hockey

The puckline is basically the same as the runline except it is not contingent on anyone particular player starting the game. Here’s a typical puckline:

Pittsburgh Penguins             -1 ½   +175

Montreal Canadiens              +1 ½   -210

Although the Penguins are favored to win the game outright, they become the underdogs once the puckline is in place. Below is an example of the same game with moneyline odds.

Pittsburgh Penguins             -170

Montreal Canadiens              +150

The moneyline is an accurate picture of how the odds makers expect the game to actually play out.

Final Rundown

The moneyline in sports betting is based on how bookies expect a game to end. It’s a projection based on team matchups and it’s an attempt to make the underdog an attractive wagering alternative. The runline and puckline will skew the pure moneyline, often making the favored club into the underdog.