By: Nick Frieburger | Staff Writer
Recently, a new phenomenon has come to light in the sports world, betting. It is now easier than ever to put as much money as you want on pretty much every single game, no matter if it’s the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, or college sports. Though it’s growing in popularity, many people are still confused on exactly how it works. Now if you’re like I was and don’t know too much about where or how to bet money, I’m about to explain it as best as possible.
The first thing you need to know is some of the terminology that is used in the world of sports betting. This is what really confused me when I was first introduced to it. I had absolutely no clue what these numbers meant or what a “parlay” was. Here are the most common terms used daily that will help make betting easier for you.
Spread- The number of points a team is favored by over their opponent
Book- A person or site that takes bets from customers
Favorite- The team favored to win
Underdog- The team not favored to win
Cover- The result on a point-spread wager. For a favorite to cover, it has to win by more than the spread; an underdog covers by winning outright or losing by less than the spread.
Backdoor cover- When a team scores late to unexpectedly cover the spread
Over/ Under- The total number of points scored between the two teams playing. If the over/ under is 50 you choose if the combined total will be over that amount or under.
Moneyline- A bet in which your team only needs to win
Parlay- A bet that consists of multiple teams, all of which must win and cover the spread in order for you to win
One of the main reasons the popularity is rising is due to how easy it is to place bets now. You no longer have to go to a casino-though you still can-as you can now place your bets on a variety of online websites. Some of the top rated sites include BetNow, Bovada, FanDuel, DraftKings, BetDSI, as well as many more. You can sign up and link your card to the website, and can make money by winning bets.
Sports betting can be a great way to make money as long as you’re betting responsibly. It has recently been made legal in the state of Rhode Island, and it’s looking like many more states are following in the same path. As the years go on and more states get involved, the sports betting community should only grow and prosper.
