What is Hook in Sports Betting?

Hook Explained in Detail

The hook is the half-point that separates a whole number from a half-point line. Moving from -3 to -3.5 means you have crossed the hook. In sports betting slang, getting the hook means getting the half-point in your favor, while laying the hook means accepting the half-point against you.

The value of the hook depends entirely on the number. In football, the hook on 3 is enormously valuable because approximately 15% of games are decided by exactly 3 points. Getting +3.5 instead of +3 means you win those 15% of games that would have been a push. Getting +3.5 instead of +3 is worth more than getting +7.5 instead of +7, which is in turn worth more than getting +5.5 instead of +5.

Sharp bettors obsess over the hook because it directly impacts their win rate and profitability. If a bettor is choosing between two sportsbooks, one offering +3 and another offering +3.5, the half-point difference can change the expected value of the bet from negative to positive. This is why line shopping across multiple sportsbooks is non-negotiable for serious bettors.

Buying the hook, paying extra vig to move the line a half-point, is a common option at many sportsbooks. It is only worth the extra cost on key numbers. Buying from +2.5 to +3 or from +3 to +3.5 in football is often worth the price. Buying from +4 to +4.5, where far fewer games land, is almost never worthwhile.