Odds boosts are widespread promotions that you will likely find on all California sports betting sites once gambling on sports is legalized in the state. Simply put, odds boosts enhance the odds on a given event.
But why would a sportsbook give enhanced odds to a customer? Is there a catch to price boosts? Is the offer really worth it? What odds can be boosted, and which sportsbooks offer the best ones?
Read on to learn the answers to these and many other questions relating to odds boosts in California.
Top California sportsbooks with odds boost offers
Bettors love odds boosts. That’s why every major US sportsbook has them. That said, while this type of offer exists pretty much everywhere, you will seldom find the same boost at two different sportsbooks.
Here are some of the best online betting apps, and a sample of the boosted odds they usually offer.
DraftKings odds boosts
One of the reasons DraftKings is widely regarded as one of the best sportsbooks in the US is its king-sized boosts.
DraftKings online sportsbook not only offers plenty of daily boosts across multiple sports but also profit boosts on parlays. These often increase potential profits by 20% or more. Of course, there will be limits on how much you can win and bet, but that’s understandable given the opportunity.
Most boosts on DraftKings relate to NFL games. The bookie is also known for boosting odds on sports events happening well into the future, unlike enhanced odds offers on BetMGM and Caesars. By contrast, these usually pertain to events occurring within the next 24 hours.
- Daily odds boosts on NFL and other sports
- Profit boosts of 20% or more
- Boosts for future events
- Fewer boosts for less popular events
FanDuel odds boosts
While it doesn’t offer all that many boosted odds, FanDuel trots out some of the best value on the market. The FanDuel Sportsbook site sometimes increases its original odds by 40%, which few competitors can match. The max wager is usually $50.
You can find FanDuel odds boosts on several different sports and wagers. The most common ones relate to football props, like a particular player recording ‘X’ amount of rushing yards. Enhanced odds on team props and moneyline parlays are also quite common.
- High-value boosts
- Mostly offered on football props
- Not that many boosts in total
PointsBet odds boosts
PointsBet is another CA sportsbook with solid odds boost promotions. What makes this sportsbook special is its “No Juice Saturday.” This promo lets you take advantage of true NFL odds every Saturday. In other words, all -110 odds on spreads become +100.
While this results in only 10% enhanced profits, you can use this boost all season long and without wagering or profit limitations.
Moreover, PointsBet Sportsbook also features regular odds boosts, often on moneyline parlays, plus team and player props. You’ll find PointsBet odds boosts on most major and niche sports.
- Excellent “No Juice” promotion
- Plenty of odds boosts throughout the year
- Boosts on both popular and less popular sports
Caesars odds boosts
If you’re specifically looking for sports betting odds boosts, Caesars Sportsbook is a good place to find them. The sportsbook working on William Hill’s Liberty platform usually offers more boosted odds than the competition and has better terms, specifically a higher maximum bet limit.
The Caesars betting app also looks to vary its boosted offers, making them available for both popular and less popular sports and events.
The only downside is that the boosts are usually smaller than those on other sportsbooks. While bookies like Barstool and FanDuel often have their original odds boosted by up to 40% or more, most Caesars boosts are 5% to 15%.
- Biggest selection of boosted odds
- High maximum bet limit ($100)
- Odds boosts across many different sports
- Boosts are usually low compared to other bookies’ boosts
While these sportsbooks aren’t currently legal in California, a great legal alternative is the Fliff Social Sportsbook.
What is an odds boost?
An odds boost is a sports betting promotion that lengthens the odds of a given wager. For instance, if the original odds on the Denver Nuggets beating the Golden State Warriors straight up were +130, the sportsbook might offer a +180 odds on the same bet via its odds boost promo.
When it comes to sportsbooks operating in California, you’ll see odds boosts on various events. They are usually tied to four major sports leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL) but can be found on other popular events. These include golf and tennis majors, UFC numbered events and more.
How enhanced betting odds work
We’ve already established that odds boosts are enhanced odds offered on particular wagers, but how do you actually use them? Here are some more specifics.
- Where to find an odds boost in a sportsbook: They’re usually shown in a dedicated section of the sports betting site or app—a list of all wagers with enhanced odds. You can also inform yourself about the latest odds boosts by following a particular sportsbook on Twitter or other social media.
- How to claim and use an odds boost: Select a particular wager, and you’ll see the option for boosted odds on your bet slip.
- Which types of bets can get boosted: In theory, odds on any bet can be boosted. However, the most common boosted wagers are moneylines, props and parlays on events from major American leagues.
- How to boost your own odds: One of the latest trends in online betting is boosting the odds on your selected wagers. Some sportsbooks cater to their customers by giving them an option to increase the odds on practically any bet they like.
NFL odds boosts
The highest volume of odds boosts is offered during the NFL season and playoffs. Here’s what they usually look like.
- Moneylines, spreads and totals boosts: Let’s imagine the LA Rams are playing the LA Chargers and are favored to win at the odds of -150. The odds on the Rams are now boosted to +110, making them the “underdogs” as far as the odds are concerned. A $10 bet on original odds would result in a $16.67 payout. With the boosted odds, the potential payout is now $21.
- Parlay boosts: Betting an NFL parlay can already result in a sizable profit, but many sportsbooks will further enhance the parlay odds and create a massive potential payout. For instance, the odds of the 49ers and Rams winning during the same weekend can be boosted from +330 to +450. The boosts can also apply to the same game parlays.
- Props boosts: NFL props are commonly boosted on CA sportsbooks. You can find increased odds on various props, from the number of touchdowns in a game to Darrell Henderson Jr. recording more rushing yards than a suggested line.
NBA odds boost
The period between October and June is filled with action from the best basketball league in the world. There are plenty of NBA betting fans in California. Here are some of the appealing price boosts.
- Moneylines, spreads and totals boosts: The simplest and most common NBA odds increase can be found on one of the three main wagers, usually the moneyline. If the Sacramento Kings are given +200 odds of beating the LA Clippers, those odds can be boosted to +250 and give you a $10 higher payout on a $20 bet.
- Parlay boosts: If you like your chances with an NBA parlay, you might as well search for some parlay boosts. Let’s say that both LA teams are playing on a given night and the regular parlay odds for them winning their respective games total +230. You can now boost those odds and wager at +300 instead.
- Props boosts: A CA sportsbook might give you increased odds on some NBA props as well. For example, you can bet on LeBron James to score 27 or more points in a game and, instead of the usual -110, get the odds of +120.
MLB odds boosts
If you’re a fan of baseball betting, here are some typical enhanced odds promotions potentially found at top California betting sites.
- Moneylines, run lines and totals boosts: A sportsbook might increase the odds for the Dodgers to cover the run line against the Angels from -130 to +100.
- Parlay boosts: Enhance the odds of Shohei Ohtani recording 10+ strikeouts and 1+ hits from +510 to +550 in this same game parlay prop.
- Props boosts: You may find a prop such as “San Diego Padres to lead at the end of the fifth inning” boosted from -200 to -165.
College football and basketball odds boosts
All the aforementioned pro league odds boosts can also apply to college football and basketball games. The bigger the games are, the more boosts you can find. Keep your eyes open during March Madness and the College Football Playoff.
Odds boosts vs. parlays and teasers
Odds boosts are not necessarily in the same category as parlays and teasers. One is a promotion, and the other two are types of bets.
Parlays allow you to put multiple selections on a betting slip, effectively making it harder to win but significantly raising the potential profit. However, mind that each selection you put down comes with a vig, so the parlay is challenging to hit and has an increased edge.
With odds boosts, you get a chance for a higher profit, but the edge decreases. The same goes for odds boosts that are specific for parlays. The only advantage that regular parlays have is that there are much higher limits on how much you can bet and win.
Teasers, on the other hand, allow you to move the line in your favor and make it easier to predict a given outcome. The cost is that you will get lower odds and potentially a lower payout. With boosts, the line stays the same as in the original offer, and only the odds are enhanced.
Are odds boosts a good bet?
As with most bets, bonus bets, and betting promotions, the answer to this question is … it depends.
There are plenty of instances where odds boosts bring positive expected value and eliminate the sportsbook’s vig. However, there’s also the fact that many boosts are offered on markets unlikely to hit in the first place. They just serve to push bettors toward making a bad wager.
The simple way to determine if a bet boost is worth it is to ask yourself whether you would make a given bet with the original odds. If the answer is yes, take the boost. If you wouldn’t take the bet at the initial odds, calculate whether the boosted odds are worth the risk.
Another thing to consider is how boosted the odds actually are. Some sportsbooks can lower their original odds to make the boosted ones look far better. Before rushing to place a bet on increased odds, do some odds shopping. Check how the original odds compare across sportsbooks.
Lastly, you should look at the limitations associated with odds boosts. Sportsbooks always limit how much you can win and wager on such bets. Sometimes the risk is not worth just a few extra bucks.