The moneyline is the most basic type of sports bet — you pick which team wins the game outright. No spread, no margin — just who wins.
Reading Moneyline Odds
Moneyline odds come in two forms:
Negative odds (favorites): -150 means you must bet $150 to win $100 profit. Your total return if you win: $250 ($150 stake + $100 profit). The bigger the negative number, the heavier the favorite.
Positive odds (underdogs): +200 means a $100 bet wins $200 profit. Your total return: $300. The bigger the positive number, the bigger the underdog.
Implied Probability
Every moneyline price implies a win probability:
- -150 → 60% implied win probability
- +200 → 33.3% implied win probability
- -110 → 52.4% implied win probability
These probabilities across both teams always sum to more than 100% — the excess is the sportsbook's margin (the vig).
When Moneylines Make Sense
Moneylines are ideal when:
- You want to back a team to win but the spread is too large to cover
- You're betting an underdog you think can win outright
- You're betting in sports like baseball and hockey where run/puck lines may not be available on every bet
The Parlay Connection
Moneylines are commonly used in parlays because they offer variety beyond -110 priced spread bets. A parlay of underdogs at +150, +200, and +250 has big payout potential. The math still requires you to be very accurate, but the payout structure is more interesting.
[Track your moneyline vs. spread performance separately in Oddible →]
