What is Moneyline in Sports Betting?

Moneyline Explained in Detail

The moneyline is the most straightforward bet in sports betting. You simply pick which team or player you think will win the game. There are no point spreads to worry about and no margins of victory to consider. If your pick wins, you win your bet.

Moneyline odds are expressed using American odds format. A negative number like -150 means you need to risk $150 to win $100 in profit. A positive number like +130 means a $100 bet returns $130 in profit. The favorite always has the negative number, and the underdog always has the positive number.

The size of the moneyline tells you how likely the sportsbook thinks each outcome is. A heavy favorite at -300 is expected to win far more often than a slight favorite at -110. Similarly, a +250 underdog is considered less likely to win than a +105 underdog.

Moneyline bets are especially popular in low-scoring sports like hockey, soccer, and baseball where a single goal or run can decide the game. In these sports, the point spread is often just 1 or 1.5, making the moneyline a cleaner bet. In higher-scoring sports like football and basketball, moneylines on heavy favorites can be expensive, which is why point spreads are more common.