What is a Straight Bet in Football?

The concept of straight bets is no longer a stranger to sports betting players. It is the simplest type of bet and is directly related to the game's outcomes. If you still do not fully understand it and how it works, today's article will explain in detail to you its definition and its common applications in the sports betting industry.  

What is a Straight Bet? 

Straight bets are the easiest way for players to bet on a sporting event. It allows you to bet on any outcome of the match, and all you need to do is correctly predict the outcome of that one bet.

For example, you can bet on the winner of the match, on the total number of points scored, or on the moneylines. Those are all bets directly related to the final score of the match and are part of straight bets.

The reason that the term straight bets are used is to distinguish between placing a single bet versus those that include multiple bets in a single ticket. These include parlays, if bet, or teaser, which includes multiple bets on one slip.

A Detailed Example of Straight Bet

Thus, you can understand placing a straight bet as an alternative way of saying placing a bet on the outcome of a game. Therefore, an Over/Under bet on an NBA game can be considered a straight bet. Let's consider the following example:

• Golden State Warriors vs LA Clippers: Total 45 points.

Whether you bet on Over or Under, your bet is still governed by the final outcome of the match. So placing a straight Over/Under bet means you are trying to determine the probability of one of two outcomes based on the odds set by the odds providers.

Straight Bet Using a Point Spread With Examples

Point Spread bets are especially popular with intermediate bettors, or in other words, those who want a more even match. This type of bet gives the weaker team a slight advantage or an imaginary start to balance the situation before the match begins. In sports parlance, that advantage is called a handicap, or spread points.

The point spread indicates how many points the bookmakers predict each team will win or lose by, depending on whether you're betting an underdog or a favorite. If you bet on the underdog, they must win or lose less than the spread for you to win your bet. If you bet on the favorite, they are forced to win the game by more than the spread for you to win. Let's look at the example below for a better understanding.

• Los Angeles Lakers -11.5 (-110)
• Sacramento Kings +11.5 (-110)

The way for those who believe in the Los Angeles Lakers to win bets is that the team must win against the opponent by 12 points or more. Conversely, if you are a supporter of the Sacramento Kings, their mission is only to lose to your opponent by no more than 12 points for you to win. If the Sacramento Kings win the game outright, those who bet on them will, of course, win. And that's how you place a straight bet with point spread betting.

Straight Bet Using a Moneyline With Examples

Moneyline is a form of betting directly on the winner of a sports match. This type of bet does not apply any imaginary advantage to the underdog to ensure fairness in the game. Instead, you just need to choose the exact winner to win the bet.

To compensate for the usual imbalance of sports, the odds for the two teams will be adjusted. Here, the odds for the favorite team will yield lower payouts than those who bet on the underdog. Let’s consider the following example:

• New York Knicks -210
• Washington Wizards +160

As you can see, the New York Knicks are considered by the odds providers to have more chances of winning. That's why the person who bet on them can only win $100 with a bet of $210. On the opposite, Washington Wizards bettors are less likely to win, but in return, the payouts for them, if they win, are more impressive. They will get a $160 profit from a $100 stake. 

Straight Bet Using an Over/Under Bets With Examples

If you don't find yourself leaning towards a certain team on either side of the bet as the match draws near, or simply want to watch the match for fun, bet Over /Under works great for you. This category is one of the most popular bets in sports betting and is a clear example of a straight bet. 

The definition of an Over/Under bet involves whether you believe the total points of both teams at the end of the match to be more or less than the amount specified by the odds provider. To be more specific, you should consider the following example of a game between the Chicago Bulls and the Indiana Pacers, where the operator believes the total score of the game will fluctuate around 200 points. 

• Chicago Bulls vs Indiana Pacers Over 200:  -110
• Chicago Bulls vs Indiana Pacers Under 200:  -110

If you believe that the total score of both teams at the end of the game is more than 200, for example, the Chicago Bulls beat the Indiana Pacers 110-98, then you would choose Over. Conversely, if you have reason to believe that neither team will score much in the game, you would bet on Under. 

Conclusion

The straight bet is a simple concept and not too confusing for newbies. We hope this article will help you become more familiar with this type of bet, and use it as a foundation to explore the more complex types of bets in the sports betting world. If you want to learn about any kind of advanced bets, such as parlays, if bets, or teasers, we have a wide range of in-depth how-to articles on our website for your reference.