CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — When most people think about casinos these days, their attention is mainly directed toward slot machines. Between the flashing lights and money-jingling sounds, it’s exciting to play those kinds of games. And they’re easy too. Put in a couple dollars, push the button and talk smack when the reels don’t line up.
On the other hand, table games are an alternative for the players who prefer more interaction during their casino time. Even if you don’t know how to play blackjack, the dealers offer enough tips to at least make the game understandable.
Then there’s the sportsbook. Even if you enjoy and understand sports, it can be intimidating to walk up to the counter for the first time and confidently place a bet. Reading the betting lines is about as self-explanatory as reading a stock exchange, making it more complex than anything the regular slot player wants to decipher. Of course, the sports crowd knows the lingo, but for the people who don’t, it’s like a secret code.
Most newbies wouldn’t know the basic questions they should ask to get started, and even if they did, those questions can be embarrassing, especially when you feel like people expect you to know the answer. Therefore, some people declare they don’t like sports or sports betting just so they won’t have to learn how to do it, but with a little bit of background, sports betting doesn’t have to be something that only the “cool kids” do.
Let’s first consider that sports betting isn’t nearly as glamorous as Hollywood suggests. The typical sports bettor doesn’t spend tens of thousands of dollars on a single bet. They don’t lose their life savings on one game, and they don’t reliably hit big on the longshot. All a sports bettor really has to deal with is the frowning face on the guy sitting at the next table rooting for the other team.
Although many people who sports bet are familiar with sports in general – and probably one or two in particular – moderate sports knowledge isn’t really a prerequisite for someone who’s still a bit green. (Warning: If one does decide to pursue sports betting, it may inadvertently cause an unexpected interest in said sport.) If all your buddies are heading down to bet on Sunday’s game, you don’t need to know any team stats or who is playing whom. You don’t even need to be able to name a single team that plays the sport, although it’s always nice to have someone to root for. All you need are a couple strategies when it comes to understanding the different kinds of bets.
When placing a sports bet, you should first decide, “What’s going to make this exciting?” Maybe you have a team you want to cheer for, or perhaps you’d rather play straight odds and choose the teams with the best record. You might’ve gotten a tip from your Uncle Joe that Carolina is a sure win and want to capitalize on his insight. Sports betting is meant to be fun, and there are plenty of ways to play to keep the excitement.
So what are you going to do? For most bettors, there are two different types of bets. The first is the straight bet, which is a single bet on one game. If you want to bet that New England will win the game and that’s it, you would place a straight bet. How much that pays is determined by the odds set by the sportsbook.
The second kind of bet is a parlay, a crowd favorite. This bet takes multiple straight bets and combines them into one single bet where all of the choices need to win for the ticket to be a winner. These bets typically cost little to make but have good odds if they win. Parlays can be broken down further into teasers and pleasers. They work the same way as a regular parlay except that a teaser’s odds are a little easier to hit and don’t pay as well, while the pleaser’s odds are harder to pick but pay out accordingly.
There are two other terms to know when sports betting. First is the spread. These are statistics set by the book to balance out the odds. The spread is usually noted as either a plus or minus that would be factored into the final score. When you go to place your bet, you might see “Denver (-3.5).” This means that Denver has to win the game by 3.5 points (realistically four) for the ticket to be a winner; the team just winning the game isn’t good enough.
Conversely, the opposing team would have a (+3.5). If you bet on this team, they wouldn’t even have to win, they would just have to lose by less than four points. The total score of the game is irrelevant for this bet. The only thing that matters is the difference between the final scores.
The second betting style is the over/under. The book sets a total number of points for a game, which is the predicted total scored by both teams. Players can bet whether the teams will score more (over) or less (under) points than predicted. For this bet, the point difference doesn’t matter, only the total of the scores.
Still, the inside world of sports betting can be quite the complex endeavor, and the jargon doesn’t necessarily make sense the first few times around. So don’t worry if you don’t know about laying the points or what a hook is. These are just fancy names to explain simple concepts.
Once you’ve mastered the basics, however, the next step is to get to know your sports writers. These are the people who look at the lines all day long, and they’ll be the best suited to help you begin to understand how to up your sports betting game. And if you really need to know how buying points works, these will be the folks that get you to the next level.
Now that you’re armed with enough knowledge to walk into a sportsbook with your head held high, you should stop by and see the new William Hill Sportsbook at the Eureka Casino Resort. After you show off your new sports betting chops, relax in one of the oversized lounge chairs. Bring a few friends so you can all watch the game together, and try a burger at the new e.d.p. Eat, drink and play at Mesquite’s newest sports bar, where the atmosphere is as exciting as the games.
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Resources
- Eureka Casino Resort | Address: 275 Mesa Blvd., Mesquite, Nevada | Telephone: 800-346-4611 or 702-346-4600 | Website.
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