Betting on the total is a popular and fan-favorite in the betting world. When betting on the totals, you don’t have to wish for a specific team to win. The outcome of the game doesn’t matter to you—only the total score. Bookmakers predict a total score, and you bet on whether the actual score will be higher (over) or lower (under) than their prediction. It is a simple way to bet on a game that focuses just on the total points scored in the game, regardless of who or by how much.
How does the total bet work?
When betting on the total score, a predetermined number is set to be seen. For example, consider a basketball match with a total score of 215.5. To win an overbet, the combined score must exceed this mark, reaching at least 216 points. Conversely, an underbet succeeds if the total score lands precisely on a whole number, such as 215. Both over and under-bets are refunded, as the result is a “push.”.
Keep in mind that when betting on total points, it doesn’t matter which team scores. All that matters is the total score. For example, if it’s the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics playing basketball, it doesn’t matter who wins. If the total score is low (like 198), the underbet wins. If the total score is high (like 220), the over-bet wins.
How do payouts on total betting work?
Payouts for total betting are determined by the odds attached to the over and under. For instance, if the over/under for a baseball game between the New York Yankees and Houston Astros is 8.5, the odds might be -150 for the over and -115 for the under. These numbers show you how much you can win by using your bet amount. In this case, a successful $100 bet on the over would pay out $95.24, while a successful $100 bet on the under would pay out $86.96.
When two high-scoring teams with weak defenses face-off, sportsbooks may favor the over, while low-scoring teams with strong defenses may lead to a favored under. However, this comes with a cost. Sportsbooks often charge a 10% commission, or “vig,” which means you will need to bet $110 to win 100 dollars, even if the odds suggest a 50/50 chance. This may seem unfair, but it’s the price of using an online sportsbook site. The vig is what helps the sportsbooks to make profits and to stay in business.
Steps for placing a total bet
When you want to bet on totals, here are the steps to place a bet
- If you haven’t already created an account at an online sportsbook, create one. If you already have a sportsbook, then log in.
- Find the game you want to place the bet on and assess the options available.
- Look for “totals” or over/under sections.
- Decide if you want to bet on “over” or “under.”
- Enter the amount you want to bet into the bet slip and confirm the bet.
Totals betting strategies
- A successful strategy that works is to constantly bet on the under. This strategy takes advantage of a common bias in the betting market. Normally, most bettors prefer to see high-scoring games, leading them to bet on the over. So the majority of bets will be placed on the over, and the sportsbook will adjust the totals and odds to account for this imbalance, which creates a greater chance for the under to succeed.
- Line shop for the best deal, and scan sportsbooks to find the most advantageous totals and odds for your bet, which increases your chance of winning.
- Keep a close eye on sports news channels for sports updates. Some sports, like the NBA, contain last-minute updates about player changes.
Advantages and disadvantages of total betting
There are both advantages and disadvantages to total betting and they are:
Advantages:
- You can focus on the total score without taking sides or rooting for one team.
- The people’s tendency to bet on the over makes it more valuable and easy to bet.
- Totals betting avoids the temptation to bet on your favorite team and makes more objective decisions.
- Total betting is easy to understand as it just contains a number and over/under to bet on.
Disadvantages:
- Bettors might miss the excitement of rooting for their favorite team.
- Constantly shifting lines and odds can make it challenging to assess the likelihood of the event.
- Even with the correct handicapping, underbets can be risky due to the potential for overtime, which can push the score over the total.
- Comparing total lines and odds across sportsbooks can be a tedious process, especially when lines differ.
- In the event of a push on an even total, bettors may find it satisfying to have their stake returned without a loss or a win.
Conclusion
As you have seen throughout this article, total bets are easy to understand and master. They allow you to focus on one aspect of the game—the total score—without the need to favor or bet on a specific team or consider multiple outcomes and also it is very flexible as it could be applied to a wide range of games. through total bets, the betting seems easy.
