What is the Over/Under in Sports Betting?

Amongst other things, one that makes sports betting very engaging and enjoyable is that you can bet on a game in many ways. These types of bets include moneyline, points spread, parlay bets, prop bets, middle bets, future beta and live betting. One of the most popular types of bets in sports is the over/under betting also called totals. In the course of this article, we want to look at, what does over under mean in betting? how does over under work? how to read over under odds

What is Over Under – Over/Under Meaning in Sports Betting?

Over Under betting is also called other names, such as a Totals or O/U. However, they all refer to the same type of bet, basically. Over Under bet is a bet on the number of points or goals both teams in a game will combine to score. In an over or under bet, the bookmaker will predict the number for a given game, and usually, this is the total number of points that will be scored. Then, a bettor will wager that the actual number of points will be higher or lower than the prediction. So, with over and under betting, you’re not trying to predict the actual score of a game.

Now, here is over under betting explained further: This concept of over under in betting is the same for every sport, being determined by the amount both teams score combined. Let’s use an over/under bet example in a hypothetical NFL match between the AB Cats and the YZ Lions. Let’s say the total is set at 54, which means that you’re betting on the teams combining to score more than 54 points or less. So, if your bet is on OVER, then you predict and hope that the teams combine for at 55 points or more. On the other hand, if your bet is on UNDER, then you need the teams combined total to be 53 points or lower. 

What is a Push in Over Under Bet?

A push is also termed as a no action bet. A push, in sports betting, occurs when a bet results in a tie. What this means is that no party – neither the bettor nor the bookmaker – wins or loses. And, when this happens, the bettor’s stake is returned. In other words, during over under sports betting, a bet results in a PUSH if the actual number is exactly equal to the over under. So, just as in the earlier example, if both teams points combined is exactly 54, the bet would PUSH, resulting in both over and under bettors’ stakes being refunded, and no winnings will be received.

Over Under Betting – How to Make Totals Bets

• Before any game begins, the bookmaker will exclusively set the line by choosing a total number that will reflect the combined team’s points or goal total. 
• It is up to you to decide if the final score or points for both teams when added together will be above or below the number set by the bookmaker.
• You should note that because bookmakers are very skilled at coming close to this number often, it could be a challenge determining your under over betting score. 
• However, depending on the match and your knowledge of a team’s ability to rise to the occasion,  and maybe blow their opponent out of the water, you have a great chance to win.

Baseball Over/Under Betting

To explain over under betting in baseball, let’s say a game between Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians is set at 9.5, i.e. if the teams’ combined total is below 9.5, a bet on the under pays off, and conversely, if it is higher than 9.5, bets on the overpays. 

As a bettor in baseball, it is important to consider some factors that affect your over under bets, e.g. pitchers, scoring trends, weather conditions, etc. For instance, a game with two top starting pitchers could have an O/U number as low as 6, while teams with pitchers that are more susceptible to allowing runs will see higher O/U number.

Football Over/Under Betting

For the National Football League [American Football] and for most sportsbooks generally, a flat bet rate of -110 for both the Over and Under is usually. This means that for every 1 USD you wish to win, you must risk 1.10 USD [110 USD to win 100 USD].

So, let’s assume that the final score is higher than the bookies total. It means that a bettor who wagered on the OVER will get back their stake [110 USD] plus 100 USD in winnings, leaving a 10 USD profit for the bookmaker.

Basketball Over/Under Betting

Basketball is another game where players can make over under bets. Unlike football where under over betting totals are usually between 1-3 on the average, basketball number totals can range from 159 to 220.

Hockey Over/Under Betting

In the National Hockey League [NHL] over and under betting, for each game, sportsbooks set a total number, commonly between 5.5 and 6.5. Because of the nature of hockey, the end of the game can be intense. If trailing, teams often pull their goalies to get an extra skater leaving empty nets. This creates offensive opportunities for both sides, meaning massive betting excitement, as OVERS are never dead in the NHL Over/Under betting.

Tennis Over/Under Betting

Over or under betting in tennis has various betting markets. You can place an over under bet on the total number of games either within the match or a specific set, total sets, total number of games that will be won by an individual player, total tie breaks, and a lot more.

Soccer Over/Under Betting

For football bettors, the bookie will predict a number of goals that both teams may score combined. So, if the bookie sets the number at 2.5 goals for a football match between Inter vs AC Milan, those who bet OVER win if the total combined goals scored are at least three. And, if it is a total of 2 or lower, those who bet UNDER win.

Boxing/UFC Over/Under Betting

For combat sports like Boxing/UFC, over/under betting is focused on the number of rounds a bettor expects a fight to last. When it comes to boxing, the championship bouts have 12 rounds, while UFC title fights are five rounds. Non-title fights are usually ten rounds or less in boxing and three rounds in the UFC.

When a fighter or both are known to knock out opponents the over under number given by the bookmaker will be lower. And, if one or both fighters are ones who usually go on to the final bell, the O/U need will be higher.

Payouts in Over/Under bet?

Regarding payout on an Over Under in betting, the most common flat rate payout is a vig of -110. What this means is that for every 100 USD you want to win, 110 USD must be wagered. That is to say, for every 1 USD wagered, there is a 91 cents payout. 

How Do You Determine Over/Under?

The over/under betting line number is determined by the bookmaker. With skill garnered by experience, and careful observation of key factors of the teams and game, the sportsbook sets the odds.

If an Over-Under Is Exact, What Happens?

If the over under sports betting number set by the bookie is exacted in the game, then it is termed a PUSH. In this case, because there is no win nor loss, all bettors’ stakes are refunded.

Why Are There Changing Totals in Over-Under Betting?

Change occurs in Over/Under in order to entice one side of the betting party. For example, if bettors are wagering more funds on the Over, the bookmaker could increase the total in order to entice betting on the Under. And if more funds are being wagered on the Under, the bookmaker could decrease the total so as to draw money on the Over.

How are Totals Gotten for Over-Under Betting?

In making totals for over and under betting odds, a lot of consideration goes into it, and this varies by sport. Sportsbooks and bettors use many inputs such as the speed of play of each team, offensive and defensive efficiency, weather conditions, etc, to create a total.

Author’s Conclusion

Part of what fuels the excitement in sports betting is the availability of numerous odds and betting types. And one of the most popular of them is over and under betting. In this article, we have looked at what does over under mean in sports betting, how to read over under odds, how over under work, over under betting explained and terms in relation to this.

By understanding what is over under in betting, we see that in this bet type, the aim is not to get the correct score at the end of a game or correctly guess the winning team, but to correctly predict whether the total combined points of the two teams is higher or lower than that the odds number of the sportsbook.

Totals are used in games like football, baseball, basketball, hockey, boxing/UFC, soccer and many more sports. To make totals and to bet on them, it is vital to skillfully observe the teams to play, their stats, in terms of form, star players, where the game is played, coach, weather and factors that can affect the overall game result.

FAQ

What is an over-under bet example?

An over/under bet example is a bookmaker setting the bet for the game between AB Cats and the YZ Lions in an NFL match, and the total is 54. This means that you’re betting on the teams combining to score more than 54 points or less. So, if your bet is on OVER, then you predict and hope that the teams combine for at 55 points or more. On the other hand, if your bet is on UNDER, then you need the teams combined total to be 53 points or lower.

What does it mean when someone says over-under?

Over under meaning is that bets can be placed on a game to predict that the combined points earned or goal scored by the two teams will either be more or less than the bookmakers predicted number.

What is spread and over-under?

Spread betting is where bettors wager on a team to win or lose a game. One team is set as the favorite and the other as the underdog. The spread subtracts from the favorite’s points total to level the playing-field. Over/Under is a wager on the total number of points in a game, that is, whether or not the combined total will be higher or lower a total determined by the bookmaker.

What does it mean when the post is over-under?

It means that for a particular game, you can stake a bet on it using the over or under betting type.

In football, how does over/under meaning apply in extra time?

Some bookmakers will specifically state that for a match of 90 minutes, O/U applies, while any goal scored after that doesn’t count. On other occasions the bookie might decide to count goals scored irrespective of additional time.

What are the benefits of O/U betting?

Some of the benefits are that a match winner doesn’t need to be picked, you don’t need to get an exact number of points, and there are several ways to place an over/under bet.

Over/Under meaning in betting/What’s over under mean/What’s the over under meaning/What does the over under mean in betting/O/Umeaning?

Over or Under is a bet type where the sportsbook set a combined points total of a game, and bettors can decide to bet above that number or below it.