Sports Betting Guides for Californians

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Sports betting can be an entertaining way to add extra excitement when following the action. For new players or even experienced bettors, certain elements of betting on sports can be unclear or confusing. Here’s a quick guide compiling several of the helpful sports betting pages here at PlayCA designed to guide your sports betting experience.

Betting terms and types

The three most popular types of sports bets are moneyline, totals, and point spread bets.

  • Moneyline — a “straight” bet on one side to win a game outright, with the final margin of victory of no consequence
  • Totals — an “over/under” wager on the total number points (or runs, goals, etc.) that will be scored in a given contest; the sportsbook sets a “line,” and you choose whether the total will go over or under that line
  • Point Spread — a bet on the final margin of victory, betting either on one side to win by at least a certain amount or not to lose by more than a certain amount

When it comes to point spreads, you might also encounter:

  • PK or “Pick ’em” spreads — When the two sides are judged to be an even match, the point spread might be listed as “PK” indicating neither side is being listed as a favorite
  • 4-way margins — Instead two choices (favorite or underdog), you have four different point spreads to choose from (e.g., a team to win by 1-10 pts., to win by 11+ pts., to lose by 1-10 pts. or to lose by 11+ points)
  • Props — a “proposition” bet on an outcome not necessarily dependent on the game result, such as player props on individual statisical performances, team props on team stats, or game props on certain events occurring (e.g., a bet on no runs to be scored in the first inning, aka No Run First Inning or NRFI betting)
  • Parlays — a bet that combines multiple wagers into one, with all of the “legs” having to win in order for the bet to be a winner

Note that some sportsbooks offer a variation on parlays called round robin bets for which you can still get paid even if one or more legs of your parlay don’t win.

Understanding sports betting odds

Sports betting sites tend to post odds using the American odds format. That means the odds appear as either a positive or negative three-digit number, sometimes called the plus-minus. For example, a sportsbook might list the primary wagers for an upcoming NBA games as follows:

MoneylineTotalPoint Spread
Los Angeles Lakers+145O 224.5 (-110)+4.5 (-110)
Golden State Warriors-170U 224.5 (-110)-4.5 (-110)

Here the Warriors are the favorites, as indicated by the negative number under “Moneyline.” Those odds of -170 mean if you were to bet $170 on Golden State to win, you’d win $100.

Meanwhile, if you bet on the Lakers to win at odds of +145, in that case if you bet $100 and Los Angeles won, you’d get $145.

Note how the odds for both the point spread bets and the totals are here listed at -110. That means whichever side you pick, betting $110 earns you $100 for a winning bet.

Betting strategies and advice

Sports bettors know it can be worthwhile to study players and teams in order to make informed betting decisions. Such work can also extend to keeping yourself aware of how others are betting, too, since their wagers can change lines and odds and as a result impact your own bets.

You should also keep in mind other best practices when wagering on sports including keeping yourself aware of sportsbook promos and bonuses, following best practices and sticking with regulated sites, and always gambling responsibly.

Here are some pages you can consult to help with each of these items:

  • Fading the Public — Learn what it means to “fade” other bettors and focus on betting against certain teams and sides rather than for them
  • Insurance Bets — Find out how sportsbooks offer so-called “insurance bets” as promotions that enable you to place a wager and if it loses get back your stake amount in bonus bets
  • Unspoken Rules of Sports Betting — Read a list of general tips and sports betting betting advice designed to help you remain informed and making good decisions when you wager
  • Legal vs. Offshore Sportsbooks — Find out why it is imperative only to wager at legal and regulated online sportsbooks and to avoid “offshore” sites that are not authorized to operate in your jurisdiction
  • Voluntary Self-Exclusion — Learn what it means to voluntarily self-exclude yourself from a sportsbook either temporarily or permanently, including the steps you take to do so

Other CA sports betting information

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