What is a moneyline bet?
Wettschule · Veröffentlicht · 3 Min. Lesezeit
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A moneyline bet is a bet on which side wins the game outright, with no points head start. The price is quoted in American odds: a negative number such as -150 marks the favourite, and a positive number such as +130 marks the underdog. If your pick wins, you are paid at those odds, whatever the margin of victory.
How to read moneyline odds
Both signs are measured around a base of 100, but they answer different questions.
- Negative (-150): the amount you must stake to win 100. Stake 150 and a win returns 250 in total, which is 100 profit plus your stake back.
- Positive (+130): the profit you make on a stake of 100. Stake 100 and a win returns 230 in total, which is 130 profit plus your stake back.
A negative moneyline always belongs to the favourite, and a positive one to the underdog. That is the whole meaning of "negative moneyline": the side the market expects to win, so you risk more than you can win. Decimal, fractional and American formats all carry the same information.
A worked example
Take a basketball game with the home side at -150 and the visitors at +130. Work through a stake of 10 on each.
- Favourite at -150: profit = 10 x 100 / 150 = 6.67, so the return is 16.67. In decimal odds that is 1 + 100 / 150 = 1.67.
- Underdog at +130: profit = 10 x 130 / 100 = 13.00, so the return is 23.00. In decimal odds that is 1 + 130 / 100 = 2.30.
Each price also implies a probability.
- Favourite: 150 / (150 + 100) = 150 / 250 = 60.00%.
- Underdog: 100 / (130 + 100) = 100 / 230 = 43.48%.
Add them up and you get 103.48%. The extra 3.48 points are the bookmaker's margin, the overround. You can check any price with the odds converter.
Moneyline versus the point spread
The moneyline asks only who wins. The point spread gives the underdog a head start of a set number of points and takes the same number away from the favourite, so the bet is about the margin instead. A spread usually trades at a price close to even, while a moneyline can be very lopsided when one side is much stronger. In basketball, spread and totals are the more common headline markets; in hockey the equivalent is the puck line. See basketball and ice hockey fixtures for sports where moneyline prices are standard.
FAQ
Is moneyline a good bet?
Neither moneyline nor spread is better by nature. Each price carries a margin, and a bet is only worthwhile if you think the true chance is higher than the implied probability. A short favourite price can feel safe, but it still loses regularly.
What does negative moneyline mean?
It marks the favourite. The number is the stake needed to win 100, so -200 means staking 200 to win 100. It is not a loss or a penalty, just a way of writing a short price.
Is it better to bet moneyline or spread?
It depends on what you want to judge. The moneyline suits a view on who wins. The spread suits a view on the margin. Compare the implied probabilities of both before deciding.
What does +350 money line mean?
It means a 100 stake wins 350 profit, for a 450 total return. In decimal odds that is 4.50, and the implied probability is 100 / 450 = 22.22%.
See also
Betting is for adults only (18+). Only stake money you can afford to lose, set limits before you start, and stop if it stops being fun. If gambling is causing you problems, contact a local support organisation.