A moneyline bet is the purest wager in sports: pick who wins the game. No point spreads, no margins — just the winner. Simplicity, though, doesn't mean the pricing is simple.
How Moneylines Are Priced
Favorites carry negative numbers (-180: risk $180 to win $100) and underdogs positive ones (+160: risk $100 to win $160). The gap between the two sides is the book's margin. A near even matchup might be priced -110/-110; a heavy mismatch could be -450/+350.
Moneyline vs Point Spread
On spreads, both sides pay near -110 and the handicap levels the matchup. On moneylines, you pay for quality — backing big favorites returns little and one upset erases many wins.
The classic sweet spot is moderate underdogs (+120 to +200) in high-variance sports: they need to win outright, but the payout compensates properly when your handicapping says the line underrates them.
Line Shopping Matters Most Here
Moneyline prices vary more across books than spreads do. Getting +170 instead of +155 on the same team is a 5% payout difference for zero extra risk — which is why serious bettors hold accounts at several books and always compare before betting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a -200 moneyline mean?
You must risk $200 to win $100. It implies a 66.7% win probability — the team is a clear favorite.
Can a moneyline bet push?
In sports that can end tied (like soccer 90-minute lines with a draw option), a two-way moneyline usually refunds on a draw; three-way lines grade the draw as a loss.