How to Read Vegas Odds

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: February 12, 2022 References

If you're a sports fan with strong opinions about your team and a knack for predicting final scores, you may want to bet on the Vegas odds. Betting on the Vegas odds can help avid sports goers feel more invested in a game and its results. Deciphering the different terms and figuring out how to bet on a team may feel like reading hieroglyphics at first. Once you know the terminology and basic strategy of Vegas odds, however, you'll be able to bet with confidence.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Learning the Terminology

1
Write down the rotation numbers of the teams you want to bet on. Usually, the rotation number is located directly to the right of the team name. Take a note of the teams' rotation numbers so you can let the ticket writer know which team you're betting on.^{[1]
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- If the number assigned to the Chicago Cubs is "290," for example, you might say to the ticket writer, "$20 on 290, please."
2
Read the point spread to learn how many points your team must win by. The point spread marks the margin by which a team must win for you to achieve your bet. It is listed to the right of two paired teams and is followed by a negative ("-") sign.^{[2]
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- The bottom team, which carries the point spread number, is always the home team.
- If you are placing a bet against the Baltimore Ravens and the Green Bay Packers and there is a "-6" by the Ravens, for example, that team must win by 7 points for you to win your bet.
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3
Check the "over-under" score to bet how many points will be won total. The over-under score is a median guess at how many points total will be won by each team. Ask the ticket master what the over-under score is for a certain team, then decide whether you believe more ("over") or less ("under") points will be scored.^{[3]
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- If you are watching a game between the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Lakers and the over-under score is 46, for example, decide whether you want to bet that more or less than 46 points will be scored.
4
Read the moneyline odds to see how much you can win for your bet. The odds for a game are based on a $1 per 1 moneyline point. On a Vegas odds scoreboard, the moneyline odds are usually to the furthest right. A minus ("-") before the number indicates that the team is a favorite, whereas a plus ("+") indicates that the team is an underdog.^{[4]
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- If a moneyline score for the Detroit Red Wings is "-60," for example, this means that the Red Wings are a favorite and that a bettor will receive $60 if they win.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Making Informed Bets

1
Research each teams' players and recent score histories. You will make the most informed bets if you know a lot about the sport and the teams involved. Follow a sport over a season and make a note of any winning patterns you see so you can make educated opinions about the teams.^{[5]
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- If you want to place a baseball-related bet on the Vegas odds, for example, watch at least 3 or 4 games and check the score histories before making your bet.
2
Choose a team that you think will "cover the spread." The ultimate purpose of betting on a team in Vegas Odds is determining the team that will win within a certain margin of points. The team that wins by this point margin has "covered the spread." Take the point spread, over/under, and moneyline odds into mind (as well as each team's history) as you determine which team you think is likely to win.^{[6]
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3
Check your sport's daily featured odds. The featured odds, which display the odds on upcoming games, are updated approximately every 15 minutes. Read the daily odds carefully before you make a bet, which can be read on the Las Vegas Betting Line website: https://www.vegas.com/gaming/sportsline/
4
View the advance odds on major games. Important games, like the World Series or NBA championship, often involve more money or higher odds. Check the advance odds for these games several weeks or months in advance before placing your bet to notice patterns in the point spread, over/under, and moneylines and choose a team that you think will win.
- The Las Vegas Betting Future Lines can also be viewed online: https://www.vegas.com/gaming/futures/

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Placing a Bet

1
Tell the ticket writer how much money you wish to bet. Keep the point spread and moneyline in mind to determine how much you want to bet. The payout will be based on a combination of the point spread, moneyline, and the amount of money put down by you.^{[7]
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- To bet $50 on the Dallas Cowboys (if their rotation number is #507), for example, tell the ticket writer, "$50 on 507 point spread, please."
2
Bet on future games several days, weeks, or months in advance. The earlier you bet on competitions, particularly those with 3 or more teams involved, the higher your returns may be when the sporting event comes. Spend several days researching the teams involved, then let the ticket writer know which future game you want to bet on and how much you want to put down.
- If you think that the Boston Celtics (with the theoretical rotation number #849) will win the NBA championships and want to put down $25, for example, tell the ticket writer, "$25 on the Boston Celtics point score for the NBA championship game, please."
3
Place a "wacky" proposition on a major sporting event. Larger events, particularly the Super Bowl, often involve bets beyond winning and losing points. Wacky bets are usually fun and involve less money and strategy than general bets.^{[8]
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- An example of a wacky proposition is betting whether the Seattle Seahawks or Green Bay Packers will score the first touchdown during a game.
4
Avoid betting on non-sports related events. Due to Nevada laws, bets can only be placed on athletic competitions. Sportsbooks cannot accept bets on political elections, entertainment awards shows, or reality TV shows. Do not try to bet on non-athletic competitions or coerce a ticket writer into accepting your bet.^{[9]
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Warnings

Never bet on a team while intoxicated. You will want to be in your best frame of mind while reading and betting on Vegas odds.

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Betting can easily transform from a hobby into an addiction. If you feel like you're developing an addiction to the Vegas odds, take a break from sports betting for a while.^{[11]
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