Welcome to the Sports Betting Odds section of The Sports Geek. If you are new to sports betting and don’t understand how to read betting odds (+150, -110, +2200, etc) we will lay it all out for you and help you learn how the betting odds work.

1. Las Vegas Sportsbook Odds Bet
2. Live Sportsbook Odds
3. Sportsbook Odds Explained Poker
4. Sportsbook Odds Explained Odds

In sports betting terms, odds basically serve two purposes. First, they are used to calculate the payouts of winning wagers. Every time you place a bet with a bookmaker, you’ll be offered odds at the time, which impact how much you can win. The higher they are, the more you stand to win relative to your stake. Sports Betting Explained: Vegas Sportsbook Odds Explained The experienced MyBookie team is willing to offer you a way to better understanding and explaining sports betting. Learning about betting odds Top Sportsbooks. There are hundreds of sports wagering sites vying for your business and it can be difficult to identify. This is a simple wager on which team will win a particular game. Odds compilers will weigh up the relative. Sports Betting Odds Explained In May of 2018, the supreme court struck down a federal law that bars gambling on football, basketball, baseball, and other sports in US states. This rule change gave states the go-ahead to legalize betting on sports. One research firm estimated 32 states would probably offer sports betting within five years.

Sports Betting Odds Explained

Many people don’t know how to read or calculate sports betting odds, so below we have done our best on explaining how betting odds work. The most common type of sports betting odds used in North America are the American style odds which we explain below.

American Style Sports Betting Odds

Most online sportsbooks will list their odds in what is called “American Odds”. There are a couple different versions of sports betting odds, but these American Odds are the most common odds used. Reading and understanding sports betting odds can bet a little confusing to beginners, so we have provided an example below using two NFL football teams:

American Odds

• Matchup Odds
• New England Patriots +120
• Pittsburgh Steelers -140

The number shown in the bracket represents the odds. The American Odds have two components to them, the first being the positive or negative sign, and the second being the number that follows the sign.

The sign in front of the number indicates whether placing a wager on that outcome will pay out more money then you have wagered or less money then you have wagered. If the odd is negative (-) it means that outcome is more likely to happen and placing a bet on that outcome would payout less than the amount you wagered, while a positive (+) odd shows that the outcome is less likely to happen and it would pay out more than the amount you wagered.

The next step is figuring out exactly how much the bet pays out, which is where the numbers in the odds come into play.

A listed odd with a – sign in front of it, such as the -140 in our example above, shows us how much money you would need to wager in order to win $100. So using the -140, this would show us that you would need to bet $140 in order to win $100 in profits. You can easily substitute the $100 bet for a $10 bet by moving the decimal place over one spot, showing us that you would need to wager $14 in order to win $10 in profits.

Examples:

A listed odd with a + sign in front of it, such as the +120 in our example above, shows us how much money you would win on a $100 bet. Using the +120 odds, it shows us that a $100 bet on that outcome would pay out $120 in profits. Again this can easily be converted into smaller or larger size bets. A $10 bet on +120 odds would pay out $12 in profits.

Examples:

Below is an example of NFL betting odds taken from an online betting site.

In this example you can see Los Angeles is listed at +130 ($100 bet pays $130 plus of course your original wager back) and New England is listed at -150 ($150 bet pays $100).

The great thing about betting online is that the online sportsbooks will do the calculations for you before you place your bet. You can click on the outcome or team you would like to bet on, and then input the amount you wish to wager and it will show you your potential pay out before you confirm your bet.

Ready To Start Betting?MyBookie and BetNow are my two favorite sportsbooks and make betting very easy. You will also get a Free Money Bonus at each sportsbook if you follow either link above.

Decimal Style Sports Betting Odds

Decimal style odds are used mostly in Europe, and are pretty easy to understand. To calculate the decimal style odds all you will need to do is simply multiply the amount you wish to wager by the decimal odds shown and you will get your payout. For example it may look something like this:

If you wanted to place a $10 wager on the USA at 2.40 you would simply need to multiply your $10 wager by the 2.40 odds (10 x 2.40) to find out that the payout is $24. It is important to realize that with decimal style odds it includes the amount you wagered, so to find out profits you would need to subtract your wager ($24 – $10) to find out your potential payout is $14 in profits.

If you wanted to place a $10 wager on Brazil you would again just multiply $10 x 1.55 to find out that you would win $15.50 total or $5.50 in profits.

Decimal style betting odds are very simple to understand, but you won’t see them displayed in many North American sportsbooks. With that said, most online betting sites will allow you to chose the style of betting odds you want displayed, with American odds set as the default.

There are plenty of reasons for bettors to get excited about Bovada Sportsbook and all the features they offer their members. Bovada provides seemingly endless amounts of odds and resources on all sporting events, making them one of the best, if not the best when it comes to internet sports betting. Renowned television networks commonly cite odds that have come from Bovada before the start of any match up. They have become the go-to site for all of those interested in wagering on the latest sporting action not only nationwide but globally as well.

A detailed account of Bovada Sportsbook and what they offer their members will be discussed on this page. Various topics and concepts about Bovada will provide insight into why this particular sportsbook is ranked at the top of its industry. Once you’ve read about all they encompass as a sports betting site, you will better understand why having an account with them will be the greatest decision you make when it comes to wagering on sports. One cannot simply sign up with another sportsbook without first seeing what Bovada is all about.

Before ExplainBettingOdds.com delves into all of this Bovada-esque information, let us first examine who is allowed to bet on sports at Bovada and if this review is relevant to you and your current situation before spending any more time reading through this page.

Does Bovada Allow U.S. Players? - Who Can Bet On Sports At Bovada?

Bettors from the U.S. are legally allowed to wager with Bovada. However, there are four states which are restricted. These states include Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Nevada. Bovada is a legitimately licensed money wagering option for the other 46 states in the U.S. The legal age to bet at Bovada is 18 but bettors in the United States must abide by their state’s legal gambling age. This means that in some cases, a member should be 21 years old before using internet sports wagering websites. But the most important takeaway here is that Bovada is a legal sports betting option.

Bovada Sports Betting Odds And Lines Types

Let's begin out with the betting odds that can be found on this sportsbook. Bovada centers itself on having the best online betting odds. While they do a terrific job with everything, the wide selection of odds and lines are what lure the players in and keep them there. Bovada offers several different types of betting odds that can be found throughout the sports sections on their site. This page will give a break down of each, from game lines, futures, props, and in-play lines.

Game Lines - Normal Day-to-Day Wagers On Individual Games + Matchups

Bovada will form game lines for different matchups on the schedule daily. Game lines will consist of three different wagers that can be utilized by a bettor. For just about every game where relevant, there will be wagers listed for the spread, moneyline, and game totals.

Spread - The point spread is a handicap that is installed for both two teams in any given matchup. A favorite and an underdog are established through the use of this point spread. For the favorite to win, they will have to win by more than the point spread. For all those choosing to wager on the underdog, which is the team predicted to lose, that team will need to lose by less than the number on the spread.

Moneyline - The moneyline does not take into account a point spread or any sort of a handicap. The moneyline is a straight-up bet on a team to win the game. If you think team A will beat team B, then the moneyline wager would be on team A. Payouts for straight betting lines vary quite a bit more than that of the handicap system of a spread.

Totals - Whether the over/under wager lines are for points, goals, or runs, a game total for any matchup is a staple among game betting lines. The totals for a game is set prior to the event getting underway, with a wager made on the actual total of the combined score from both sides. This wager allows the gambler to choose whether the game will go above or below the total listed by the sportsbook.

Future Betting Odds - Big Payout On Small Investment Make These Popular

BBovada's futures wagers are bets made on outcomes that can be weeks, months, or even years into the future. They are bets that typically center on championships, whether they are divisions, conferences, or league titles. One of the nice things about futures odds is that they tend to be up year-round and change consistently based on any new statistics received by Bovada.

Take for example the Super Bowl. Betting lines to win the Super Bowl might be most popular during the week of the game, but Super Bowl odds are actually up all year long. In the offseason, you’ll be able to find them under futures odds. Bovada has a great futures section with the odds to win a championship for all major sporting events.

Proposition Odds - Bovada Is The Best With All Types Of Prop Wagers

Prop bets are some of the most fun types of betting lines formed at Bovada. In fact, Bovada is probably one of the best sportsbooks to go with if you’re looking for prop odds. They have extensive coverage across a range of sports that produce hundreds of prop wagers every week, spanning from teams to players.

Team Prop Odds - Team props at Bovada cover many different bets that can be made, depending on the sport. Bovada matches teams against each other on smaller outcomes for the team props betting section. The actual numbers will depend on the sport, and payouts can fluctuate as well. But there will be no shortage of team props offered on the site.

Player Prop Odds - Check out any NFL game, basketball game and more, and you will see top players for the game installed with many performance odds based on their totals in various statistical categories for the game. This adds extra betting lines to a match aside from the standard game odds that you will see everywhere.

In-Play Game Lines + Odds

For games that are already on the field or court, Bovada still allows bettors to get in on the action as its happening. Updated in-play betting lines are formed during the breaks of live games. Odds for different quarters, halves, and readjusted game lines are formulated for the matches as Bovada takes plenty of different in-play bets. This is a really nice feature because sometimes as bettors, we don't get to place our wagers before the game starts. Bovada users will never need to worry about timing issues when placing these types of bets because adjusted game lines are usually up for most games that are already in progress.

Las Vegas Sportsbook Odds Bet

Bovada Provides Online Betting Opportunities On These Sports:

NFL Football College Football + Basketball NBA MLB NASCAR UFC PGA Golf Soccer Tennis

Bovada Betting Types

We've gone over the odds that can be found within Bovada's online sportsbook, but what about the betting types? These are the actual wagers that can be made with this sportsbook. Bovada tries to cater to as many types of bettors as possible and allowing for multiple wager types is certainly a part of their priority towards customer satisfaction.

Live Sportsbook Odds

Straight Wagers - These are the standard bets that are most commonly made when betting on game lines, props or futures. The straight wager is the foundation on which all other bets stemmed from. There is one bet, one payout, and one outcome involved with this type of wager. Think of a straight wager as being the 'straightforward' bet. You simply choose the winner of a game, no detailed fuss. Click here to learn more about straight wagering.

Parlay Wagers - A parlay is a bet made on multiple outcomes. For the parlay to win, all outcomes must win. Parlay wagers are a string of matches the bettor puts together for a potentially high payout. This sportsbook is known for having rewarding payouts depending on which bets are taken when wagering money on parlays.

Teaser Bets - A teaser shifts a betting line in favor of the player to allow for the outcome to have a higher chance of success. By doing this though, the payout obviously goes down. Teasers are only offered on football and basketball games.

If-Bet -An if-bet is in the realm of a parlay. An if-bet is a linked wager, where the first wager must win in order for the bet to have any chance at surviving further. Think of it as 'if this happens then this will.' - learn more about if-bet wagers.

Reverse Wagers - A reverse bet is similar to an if-bet. The difference with this wager is that all reverse bets receive double action. A reverse bet is basically two if-bets that are made. In equation form, if-bet plus if-bet equals a reverse wager.

Round Robin - A round-robin wager is similar to a parlay wager. A round-robin can consist of anywhere between three and eight teams where bets can be made. Each team within a round-robin wager will play each other at least once during a series.

Other Ways To Wager On Sports: Bovada Has Live Sports Betting!!!

Sportsbook Odds Explained Poker

Bovada has a great live betting section that offers players the chance to wager on live-action happening at sporting events in the U.S. and around the world. Bovada's live betting section is separate from the sportsbook’s homepage. You will be brought to the live betting page by clicking the option on the regular site. Once there, the games currently available will be listed, including an easy-to-read schedule of upcoming matchups that can be bet live. Live bets can consist not just with adjusted game lines for the remainder of the matchup but can also be used with proposition wagering that has the ability to cover a time span as short as the next 5 minutes a live game.

Like Bovada, many of the best live sports betting websites have become more popular as of late due to the advancement of technology which has allowed more and more sports to be wagered on live. Bovada continues to have the most options available of any sportsbook currently in operation for this feature.

Important Details To Consider Before Joining Bovada

We've talked about the betting odds and wager types at Bovada, but that is only part of the betting process. There are other very important factors to consider when choosing to go with Bovada as your sportsbook of choice. Among them include how to sign up, bet for real money, and receive payouts for your winnings.

Bovada Betting Limits - Fair If Not Generous, Subject To Player Status

This online sportsbook outlines the different betting limits by each sport within their help section. For example, when it comes to betting the spread on an NFL game, that limit is $5,000. For the NBA, the maximum bet is $2,000. The point here is that Bovada has different limits depending on the sport.

Bovada's wager limits tend to vary between $500, $1,000 and $2,500 as the highest amount to wager on spreads, moneylines, props, and all other types of wager. Be sure to consult the 'Bet Limits' section within the FAQ’s section of the Help Page. If these limits don't work for you, be sure to contact the sportsbook manager, as they sometimes will oblige a member's request.

Getting Money In + Out Of Bovada Accounts - Deposit + Withdrawal Options

With respect to U.S. players, Bovada is considerate with all of their deposit options and payout methods made available for them to use. Funding methods include Bitcoin and credit cards like Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. Bitcoin can be used for withdrawals as well or members can choose to receive a check in the mail. Deposits go through almost instantly, while payouts can take up to 12-36 hours for Bitcoin or up to three weeks for a check.

Deposit Bonuses + Bovada Player Promotions

Bovada features a first-deposit bonus that gives players free cash to use for a bet. The bonus offered is a 50 percent match of a member’s initial deposit up to a maximum of $250. That means to earn the maximum bonus, a $500 deposit needs to be made. There is no promo code required to receive this promotion. Ready to claim Bovada's new player bonus? Click Here!

Bovada routinely offers other contests and promotions during the year. There is a 50% Bitcoin Welcome Bonus that will put up to an additional $500 into your account when using Bitcoin as your deposit method. Simply use the code BVSBITCOIN50 when making your deposit and you will receive more money in free bets for doing so. There is also a new member bonus of a 50% match up to $1000 for the NFL season. To redeem this reward use the promo code BVNFL1000.

Sportsbook Odds Explained Odds

Other Features Available When Betting At Bovada

Mobile Sports Gambling, Betting On Sports Through Your Phone - Another neat feature at Bovada is the ability to take the sportsbook on the road with you. This can be done through their mobile platform. It's not an application but Bovada does feature a mobile-friendly site compatible with any device that has internet capabilities. This makes betting at Bovada even more convenient as it can be done from anywhere at any time.

Casino, Poker, Horse Racing - Bovada is not limited to just sports betting. They offer an extensive casino and poker room for players to place wagers including a top-notch racebook which is a close extension of the sports betting portion of their website. The casino itself is a full-fledged casino with slots, table games and other specialties one would find at a brick and mortar establishment. The online poker section offers plenty of different formats for their games that cater to all types of players and sizes of bankroll. All in all, Bovada is the only account a user would need barring perhaps the avid traditional bingo player but they do have a section for styled bingo games.

Ready To Sign Up At Bovada? Here Are The Details...

Being that it only takes a few minutes of your time to register for an account at Bovada, it might be borderline crazy to not have an account with them if you are at all interested in sports gambling. This sportsbook only requires the most basic personal information to create an account. Applicants should prepare to give their full name, proper mailing address, date of birth, a form of identification and a valid email address. This will then lead to the creation of a username and password, with the final step being to submit the information to create your account. After that, simply click on the link in the confirmation email that will be sent to the provided email address and you're ready to proceed to fund your account and begin betting immediately. It’s that simple.