Sports betting totals, also known as “over/unders” are an option for gamblers in almost every sport. Wagering on totals sometimes gets ignored by the masses in online sports betting and that is too bad because you can oftentimes find better wagers on totals than you can on sides. Let’s look at sportsbetting totals and some things to consider.
Sportsbetting totals are when you bet on the combined score between two teams in a game going over or under a set number posted on the board by the oddsmakers. For example if you look on the pro football sportsbetting board and see San Diego Chargers -7 and Oakland Raiders +7 with a 41 next to the right of those lines, that means that the Chargers are a 7-point favorite, the Raiders a 7-point dog, and the game has a total of 41, which is the sportsbetting total. If the Chargers and Raiders combine to score less than 41 points the game is considered an “under” in online sports betting.
If they combine to score more than 41 points, however, the game is considered an “over” in sportsbetting. If San Diego beat the Raiders 31-17 the combined score would be 48 making the game an over. The same holds true if the Raiders beat the Chargers 31-17 as the winner of the game is of no relevance, its all about the combined score with the total in sportsbetting. If San Diego beat Oakland 23-10, the combined score would be 33, making the game an under in sportsbetting.
Just as is the case with pointspread sports betting the oddsmakers will oftentimes raise the totals on games in which a high score is expected, often making the under the value play in online sports betting. They will also make the total number lower for games between strong defensive teams, often making the value on the over in online sports betting. Factors such as weather and injuries often drive the public one way or another on totals, often making the opposite way the value in sports betting.
You will also find that totals don’t get as much play from the public as sides in sports betting. That can be to your advantage since the oddsmaker doesn’t pay as close attention to totals and is not as concerned with them. You may be able to find some nice sportsbetting value by betting totals.