October 8, 2019
How To Gamble: Sports Betting | Vegas.com
Do not let the numbers at the sports books confuse you. Find out all the basics to sports betting on this page together with a few advanced procedures.
This guide is provided for informational purposes only. This isn’t a gambling site.
Auto racing
Betting on auto racing has exploded in popularity in Vegas in the last several decades, and its appeal continues to grow.
The structure of betting on auto racing is similar to that of golf. The most elementary wager involves picking the winner of a race. Typically a sports book will list 20 or more individual drivers together with a field (all others) option, at various odds.
For example, Jeff Gordon may be listed at 4-1, Jeff Burton at 15-1, Casey Atwood at 100-1, etc.. If you bet $10 on Burton 15-1 and he goes on to win the race, you win $150 plus your $10 back, for a entire payoff of $160.
Baseball
To bet on baseball, tell the ticket writer the bet number of the group you wish to bet and the amount you wish to wager.
If your team wins the match, you win. The payout varies according to the odds posted. Baseball odds are shown using a “Money Line.”
The Money Line: Odds for a game based on $1. A”minus” (-) preceding the number indicates the team is a popular. A “plus” (+) preceding the number indicates the team is an underdog.
Basketball
To bet on basketball, tell the ticket writer the bet number of the group you want to bet, with the point spread, and also the amount you wish to bet. The payout, unless stated otherwise, is figured at odds of 10/11. This means that a wager of $11 would win $10 and return $21.
This is called a straight bet.
The Point Spread: When betting on basketball, the team you bet on must”cover the spread” In other words, the team must win or not lose by a predetermined margin of points.