Spread, moneyline, total: what each bet is

Three bets cover most of the board. Each one asks a different question.

• Moneyline: who wins? No points involved. Favorites carry a minus price, underdogs a plus price.
• Spread: by how much? The favorite gives points (-3.5) and the underdog gets them (+3.5).
• Total: how many points do both teams score together? You bet over or under the number.

Two words you will see:

• Cover: your side beats the spread. A +3.5 underdog covers by winning, or by losing by 3 or fewer.
• Push: the result lands exactly on the number. A -3 favorite that wins by 3 is a push, and the stake comes back.

Example only: Team A -3 against Team B. A wins by 7: A covers. A wins by 3: push. A wins by 1: B +3 covers even though B lost the game.

Baseball has no point spread. It uses a run line, usually 1.5 runs, at a price that varies a lot.

Where it shows up in our plays: the PLAY line names the bet and the number. We test spreads, moneylines and totals separately, because the money on each can lean a different way.

What cuts against it: knowing the bet types is not an edge. The price on each still decides whether it is worth making.

Takeaway: know which question you are betting on.

Education only, not a guarantee. 1-800-GAMBLER.