Online sports betting guide, terms, promos, optimal strategy: How to bet on football, basketball, baseball

You can’t turn on the TV anymore without seeing an advertisement for online sports betting. That’s because online sportsbooks are now legal in 30 states and more sports fans than ever are wagering on their favorite sports teams. Even though bettors familiar with online sports betting terms are prevalent, there are still plenty of first-time bettors who need a helping hand. With so many sports to choose from and so many different ways to wager, online sports betting terminology can be intimidating. Not to worry, because we’ve put together a sports betting guide to help you learn all the right terms without feeling overwhelmed. Once you learn the most popular terms in the online sports betting glossary, you will be placing wagers like a pro.

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If you are a new registrant who is 21+ and located in an eligible state (AZ, CO, IA, IN, LA, MI, NJ, NY, TN, VA, and WV)*, you can register, deposit, and get bet insurance up to $1,100 with the code GAMECZR. If your bet doesn’t hit, don’t worry. Caesars will give you a single free bet credit you can use within 14 days. (Terms and conditions apply. See details here. Offer expires 5/31/2022).

One of the advantages of betting with Caesars Sportsbook is that you can earn even more with Caesars Rewards. It’s one of the most generous casino loyalty clubs on the market and extends well past just getting free bets and online rewards. Caesars Rewards members get exclusive member rates at over 50 destinations, with the ability to pile up even more points for playing, dining, staying, shopping and more.

All told, there are plenty of ways to take advantage of your sports book deposit offer.

Sports book betting guide, glossary, terms

Before you play, make sure you know the common betting terms you’ll see. There are dozens of ways to bet on sports, and this handy sports betting guide can help you figure out what some of the most popular sports betting terminology means.

Against the spread: This method is very commonly used in online sports betting and is the most popular way to bet on sports like football and basketball. Both sides are handicapped, with the favorite listed with a minus sign. If a football team is listed as a -8.5 favorite, that side must win by nine points or more to cover the spread. A team listed at +8.5 means that side is the underdog and it must either win or lose by eight points fewer to cover.

Money line: Money line betting is used frequently to bet on baseball and hockey. The objective of this method is to pick the outright winner based on price. A team listed as a -200 favorite means that you’d need to bet $200 to return $100 on that side to win. A team listed as a +200 underdog would return $200 on a $100 bet.

Over-Under: This method is best used if you are expecting a game or match to have a very high or very low score, like in pro basketball. Sportsbooks will set a total number of points expected for a game and then bettors decide which side of that number the combined scores will land on. For example, if a game has an over-under of 220, you can bet on whether the total of the two scores will be more or less than 220.

Prop bet: This bet is on a given outcome in a game or match other than the final score. For example, a prop bet in a football game could be on who will score the first touchdown or whether a kicker will miss a field goal. A prop bet for baseball would be on whether a player will hit a home run.

Parlay: Parlays are popular because they offer sports bettors a chance to win big with a minimal investment, and they are exciting because the risk is higher. Parlays involve the selection of two or more propositions on a single wager, and all of the legs must win for the bet to become a winner. For example, if you pick five teams on a parlay, then all five teams have to win for the bet to be a winner. If only four teams cover the spread, the bet is a loser.

Outright: This is a popular kind of bet in sports like pro golf and auto racing. With an outright bet, the bettor picks which athlete, or driver, will win an entire tournament or race.

Teaser: With a teaser, sports bettors are buying points to offset some of the uncertainty about whether a team can cover the spread. Let’s say you believe two seven-point favorites will win their games outright, but you are unsure whether they can cover the touchdown spread. Using a six-point teaser would reduce each team to a one-point favorite, meaning they only have to win by two points. Because of this advantage, teasers pay lower odds than parlays, but many handicappers still find them profitable.

Push: In games where point spreads or over-unders are even numbers, a push happens when the number hits exactly and the original stake is simply returned to the bettor. If Chicago is a three-point favorite over New York and wins by exactly three points, all against-the-spread wagers would be returned.

Handle: The handle is the total amount of money taken in by a sports book for a particular event and it includes every type of wager.

Futures betting: Futures betting is a form of sports wagering where you bet on a team or player’s predicted performance in a game or season. The most popular futures wagers are betting on a team to win a championship, betting over or under a team’s win total, or betting on a player to win postseason awards.

“Off the board”: This means that bets on a particular event or outcome have been suspended or canceled altogether. It’s typically something that happens in due to major injury news or a last-minute roster change.

How to get the latest Caesars Sportsbook promo code

Ready to get started? Click here to get your bet insurance up to $1,100 from Caesars (See details here). Remember to use the code GAMECZR.

Available Caesars Sportsbooks include:

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*Bet amount of qualifying wager returned only if wager is settled as a loss. Paid as a single bet credit. Maximum bet credit $1,100. Bet credit must be used within 14 days of receipt. Promotion ends on 5/31/22. See Caesars.com/promos for full terms. Void where prohibited. 21 + only. Sports betting available only in AZ, CO, IA, IN, MI, NJ, NV, NY, TN, VA, and WV. Sports betting is void in Georgia, Hawaii, Ohio and Utah and other states where prohibited. Gambling Problem? PA & NJ: Call 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) or visit 800gambler.org. IN: Call 1-800-9WITHIT (1-800-994-8448). IA: Call 1-800-BETSOFF or visit 800gambler.org. WV: Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit 1800gambler.net. MI: Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Call the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Gambling Disorder Helpline at 1-800-270-7117. CO: Call or text 1-800-522-4700 or chat available at www.ncpgambling.org/chat. NV: When the Fun Stops call 1-800-522-4700 or visit NevadaCouncil.org. Washington, DC: For programs to prevent, treat, or monitor problem gambling call or text 1-800-522-4700. VA: Call, text, or chat our confidential and toll-free helpline at 1-888-532-3500. TN: Call or text the Tennessee REDLINE at 1-800-889-9789.NY: Call 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369).

PLEASE PLAY RESPONSIBLY: Scan here to talk with someone now about your gambling. Or call the free, confidential problem gambling HOPEline: 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or text HOPENY (467369). Standard text rates may apply. OASAS.ny.gov/problem-gambling