In the world of sports betting, a money line bet is simply betting on which team you expect to win. It doesn’t have anything to do with a spread. You may also see a money line bet listed as “Money Line” or “ML” in different spaces.

Money lines are represented in negative and positive values.

In short - if you see a 'minus' symbol before a set of odds, this means that the team (or person in an individual sport) is a favourite to win. If you see a 'plus' symbol before a set of odds, this means that the team (or person) is an underdog to win. So, let's break down some examples for you. Money Line Betting. Money line betting is when you pick a team to win a contest outright, regardless of if the team you pick is the favorite or the underdog. This type of betting has two extremes in terms of payouts, if you pick a favorite to win, your payout is not as much as it would be if you pick an underdog to win. The odds on a totals bet are usually -110, meaning you are risking $110 to win $100 in profit. Understanding NFL betting lines is just the first step towards making profits with football wagering. Once you've got the basics down, it's important to continue learning sports betting strategy to improve your long-term chances of winning. Money line is also sometimes referred to as “American Odds.” The standard (and often implied) number is –110, meaning a successful bet of $110 would net $100 profit. This is the “juice”.

When comparing sportsbooks, you’ll come across another sports betting term that’s used interchangeably with odds: lines. Odds and lines are almost the same thing, but the term “lines” is more specific than odds. It’s used to describe the odds available in a single event, otherwise known as game lines.

Negative money line: -145, -220, or anything similar

When you see a minus (-) sign in front of a price, it shows you that team is the favorite to win the game.

That number also indicates how much money you need to bet/spend in order to win $100.

For example, a -220 money line means you need to bet $220 in order to win $100 provided the team you bet on actually does win.

Heavy favorites are known in sports betting as a “chalk” pick. A heavy favorite usually has a number pushing +300 or more. Here, you’re wagering a lot on the favorite to win a little. Don’t assume that a heavy favorite, or chalk pick, is a guaranteed winner…

Positive money line: +145, +220, or anything similar

When you see a plus (+) sign in front of a price, it shows you that team is the underdog. Higher numbers like +400, +500, +5000, etc. represent how much of an underdog the team is in the game. The higher the number the more likely the team is expected to lose in the eyes of the oddsmakers.

The number also indicates how much money would win in comparison to every $100 you wager.

For example, a +150 money line means you would win $150 for each $100 wager you place should that team win the game.

Las Vegas Betting Line

Money line examples:

Lets use an NFL example here:

New England Patriots -240

Miami Dolphins +220

To bet the New England Patriots to win on the money line, you would need to spend $240 on the bet for a chance to win $100 if the Patriots beat the Dolphins. Your return would be $340 – the original $240 stake (bet) and the $100 bet profit.

Meaning Of Betting Line -7

To bet the Miami Dolphins to win on the money line, you would spend $100 on the bet for a chance to win $220 if the Dolphins, as the underdog, beat the Patriots. Your return would be $320 – the original $100 stake (bet) and the $220 profit.

Sports Line Betting Explained

In both situations, it doesn’t matter if the team you bet on wins by one point or 100 points. You’re purely betting on the team you believe will win the game. As Al Davis said, “Just win, baby.” That’s exactly what you’d be looking for out of your selection. It doesn’t have to be pretty, it just has to happen or your original stake is lost.