Sportsbook odds or betting lines as they are often referred to are shown on websites and in newspapers every day of the year. There are games going on nearly everyday of the year. Sportsbook odds that you see each day will open up at one number and close at another. These are referred to as line moves and they happen in every sport and they happen multiple times per day.
Sportsbook odds on a website or in a newspaper will change throughout the day. In the newspaper you are looking at overnight sportsbook odds that will be a little bit different than what is actually available to bet at a sportsbook. If you look at the sportsbook odds in the morning you will notice a difference as you see them later in the day. Sportsbook odds move every day and the odds you see at one time, may not be what they are later in the day. The reason is because people bet games throughout the day and move the line. Most of the sportsbook odds line moves result from serious money being bet on one side or another. Although line moves usually result because of a lot of money being bet on one side that does not mean that side will win the game. Line moves do not equal wins. If they did there wouldn’t be a sportsbook still in business.
Knowing which way the sportsbook odds will move is definitely helpful but as we stated earlier it does not guarantee you anything. You also should understand that sportsbook odds mean different things in different sports. Football line moves can be more important but you also see so many line moves in football that identifying the ones that are relevant and the ones that are meaningless is tough to do. Basketball sportsbook odds line moves are also interesting to watch, but making money following them is difficult. Baseball and hockey sportsbook line moves are based on the money line and more often than not they are moves toward the favorite.
A sportsbook will move the line based on volume but they also move the line based on who bets the game. Sportsbook odds are more likely to move if wise guys bet the game rather than the public at large. Figuring out who actually bet the game is sometimes hard to do, but it is always interesting to watch.