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What is moneyline betting and how does it work?

J Short

Guides

5 months ago

Betting the moneyline is one of those phrases that punters here in the UK and Ireland are hearing about more and more, as the U.S. sports betting scene expands.

You might hear Americans talking about their moneyline bets and wonder what the heck they’re on about.

Well, moneyline betting is just as simple as a match bet that you’d place on the football or a tennis match. It’s basically a bet on who you think will win.

However, the complication for many British and Irish is the moneyline odds that come with the bet type. In this Paddy Power guide, we’ll walk through the money line and show you some sporting examples of it in action.

What is betting the moneyline?

Betting the moneyline is to bet on the result of a match or race. It’s the same as match betting. When you back a team on the moneyline then you’re backing them to win.

Why is it called moneyline?

In the US, handicap bets are often known as lines. The bookmaker (sorry, sportsbook!) sets a “line” in the final score of a game, which levels out the odds. For example, in a basketball game between the Nets and Bulls, the bookie gives the Bulls a -8 point handicap to level out the “line” at even odds.

The moneyline is the odds on both teams to win without any handicap in place. So, the Bulls to win without a -8 handicap will have much shorter odds.

Here’s something you might not know. People mainly associate moneyline bets with NFL betting. Google search volume for “moneyline” rises every September when the new NFL season begins, and peaks in early February for the Super Bowl. Everyone is searching for “moneyline odds” or “moneyline NFL tips” – and that’s what causes the spike.

betting on the moneyline — Paddy Power offers moneyline betting, commonly known as match bets

How moneyline bets work

Moneyline bets work by bookmakers setting their odds on who they think will win a match or race.

Bookmakers use past results, player data, form and betting analysis to determine the moneyline odds of a match. They’re usually very accurate, although sometimes a punter can snap up a great price on the moneyline – if they’re lucky!

Are moneyline odds different?

The only difference between match odds and moneyline odds is the latter usually doesn’t involve a draw (sorry, tie!). NBA and NFL games, for example, go into overtime if the scores are level – so the moneyline is always focused on who will win.

The moneyline can involve a draw but that takes it away from the original principle of the term, which was a straight-up line on the winner.

Moneyline bet examples

Now let’s look at the money line bet in action.

NFL betting – We mentioned earlier that NFL is the biggest sport for moneyline betting. Fans will generally bet the moneyline on NFL weekends, before looking at a few handicap markets too. In many cases, the moneyline forms the first leg of an in-game acca, with the other bets focused on the exact scores and margins of victory.

Basketball betting – The moneyline in basketball is a pretty simple bet that, like in NFL, usually acts as the anchor to a wider in-game accumulator. Basketball is a good sport to bet on live moneyline odds, especially in tight games when the leader is always changing.

Football betting – We’d called this a match bet here in the UK and Ireland but the moneyline terminology is certainly creeping into football. The sticking point here is the draw – a result that occurs around a quarter of the time in football. It’s harder to predict the moneyline in football compared to NFL or NBA, but the odds are better if you do get it right!

Tennis betting – Tennis is a great sport for moneyline bets. Why? Because in most instances there’s a big favourite to win, so you can clump a few moneylines together into a big accumulator and get improved odds. This is a fairly standard way of betting on tennis in the early rounds of grand slams.

Golf – Strictly speaking the outright market in a golf tournament isn’t a moneyline like that in the NFL or NBA. However, golf odds carry the same principle. Each player is assigned odds on their likelihood of winning the tournament. If you pick the right player and they win, you get a payout.