Football Moneyline Explained (with Outcomes)

Placing a bet on your favorite football team can be an exciting and fun way to show extra support for your club while trying to earn a little extra money on the side. There are various wagers you can make, but one of the most common is the moneyline; but what is it?

A football moneyline is one of the most common and straighforward wagers you can make, typically having two or three simple outcomes depending on the sport. A moneyline bet is relatively simple in football; all you have to do is pick a side to win. 

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This article will discuss what a moneyline bet is in football. So keep reading! We have everything you need to know about moneyline bets in football and how you can place a simple bet for yourself. 

Moneyline Bet Explained

Football Moneyline Explained

If you're new to betting or you'd simply like to place a straightforward wager on a football game, most likely, you'll opt for a moneyline bet. A moneyline is one of the most simplistic wagers you can make and typically has two or three outcomes. 

The major outcomes on a moneyline bet include; a team to win, a team to lose, and in some cases, there is a third outcome which is a draw. A draw will only occur in football during regular season games and not during the playoffs.

Generally, you'll have two football teams listed on your moneyline bet, and you'll choose one of the two teams to win outright. If you choose correctly, a sportsbook will pay you the odds given previously to the wager. 

What makes a moneyline appealing and straightforward is the lack of a points spread. It's a simple wager in which all a bettor has to do is choose the winning side, and if waged correctly, they walk away with a varying amount of money. 

The Three Types Of Outcomes In A Moneyline Bet

Depending on what level of football your wagering on will determine how many outcomes you'll have. Generally, there are two, and in some cases there's a third option. We will list the major outcomes below to give you an understanding of these betting outcomes. 

To Win

Most of the time, you'll be placing a wager on which team wins the game outright. Thus, if you wager on the winning team, then you'll receive a payout from the sportsbook that accords with the specific odds given before the match. 

To Lose

If you place a wager on a specific football team to win the match, yet it doesn't go their way, and they lose, then you will lose the money you staked in this scenario. If the football match ends in a draw, then you will also lose your money. 

To Draw 

American football will typically only have two major outcomes; a team will either win or lose during their playoff games. However, during regular season games, football games, just like soccer or European soccer, can also end in a tie or draw. In this case, we will have a third option for your moneyline bet, which is as follows:

A draw-no-bet will occur whenever a draw is not offered as an outcome on the moneyline bet. This tends to happen more in European football; however, it has happened in American football. 

When a draw in this scenario takes place, bettors will have their initial stake returned only if the moneyline bet didn't offer the option for a draw. However, if a draw is offered as an option, the bettor will only see a return if they select the draw as the outcome. 

The Three Components Of Moneyline Bets In Football

When you begin to wager on moneyline bets in football, you'll notice that there are three main components of the wager including; the favorite, the underdog, and the even, often referred to as the “pick-em.” 

Depending on which one of these you opt for in your wager will dramatically increase or decrease your potential return on the bet. Below we will list each of the individual components, as this will give you an idea of the differences in return and probability. 

The Favourite 

The favorite on any wager is often determined by the probability the football team has to win; or how likely they are to win. If we were to use $100 as the amount wagered, then the bettor using the favorable odds of -150, would place $150 to win $100.

This means that if the bettor was correct in choosing the winning football team, the sportsbook would pay out a total of $250 which includes; the original stake of $150 and $100 of winnings. A favorite will always have a (-) beside their odds on the moneyline.

The Underdog

An Underdog is generally considered less likely to win when compared to a high favorite. This could be a football game between the reigning champions and someone much lower in the league.

If we were again to use $100 as the betting unit, on an underdog, you'd have odds of around +150, meaning that if you were to wager $100, you'd see a return of $150. Thus, the sportsbook would pay out a total of $250.

Even Or Pick-Em

An even wager occurs when two football teams are so evenly matched that the sportsbook then decides to give them both the same even odds of either winning or losing. In such a wager, the bettors would see a return of the same amount of money for a successful bet on either team. 

In this case, taking our standard $100, you would see a return of $100 if you were to wager on the winning team. This would see an overall payout from the sportsbook of $200. 

Conclusion

So, now that you know all about moneyline bets and how simple and straightforward they can be are you ready to give it a go for yourself? Just remember to check the odds of the football teams beforehand to ensure you've selected the right choice, whether it be the favorite or the underdog.