Ever since sports betting was legalized in the US back in 2019, many new bookmakers have been popping up. Betting has become a hobby for many people, especially in states like New Jersey. We will review the most popular bet types in America.
Moneyline
The rest of the world calls these types of bets Match Result or Win Wager. You place a bet on whichever team, player, or side you think will win the game. It's the most common type of bet here and around the world. Usually, you can pick between two options, but there are sometimes more in sports like NASCAR, for example.
Point Spread
Point Spreads are the most popular types of bets in the USA. They are usually placed on games with a high point count, like Football or Basketball. You are betting on which team will cover the spread rather than win the game. For the bet, the bookie creates the spread and gives teams equal chances even if they are stronger than the other on the field or court. If you are backing the underdog in the event, you are saying that they would lose or win by a margin smaller than the size of the spread, and if you are backing the favorite, you are saying that they would win by a margin that's bigger than the pre-determined spread.
Parlay
Parlays are also called Accumulators, and you bet more than one selection in a single wager. These bets have a higher payout percentage but are even harder to win because all of your selections have to win; otherwise, you lose the whole Wager. The most popular way to calculate the odds of Parlays in the US is to offer fixed payouts based on the number of selections, and the individual odds don't matter. The rest of the world prefers to calculate Parlays differently.
Prop Bet
Prop bets don't usually have to do with an event's outcome, and they don't even have to be sports-related. Sometimes they are called “specials.” They are placed more for fun rather than anything else. Famous examples of this bet type are:
- Which team will win the coin toss?
- Will a player score a touchdown?
- Which team would score first?
- Time of the first corner or touchdown.
There are hundreds of possibilities for proposition bets, and each bookie offers different options.
Futures
These types of bets are also called Outright, and they determine how good are you when it comes to predicting events that will not happen soon. Usually, before the beginning of a tournament, you can place a bet on who would win it or the same for leagues and competitions.
Over/Under
These bets are also called Totals, and they are different than others because you don't place a bet on who would win or lose but instead place a bet on the total number of points, runs, or goals in a game. The winner doesn't matter here, only the amount of goals scored by both teams, for instance. The bookie sets a fictional line (number), and you bet on whether the total goals would be over or under that line.