Betting on sports in a casino sportsbook is not the same as betting with an illegal bookie. It is done for the thrill of the game and to make money as well. At first, you may think that betting on sports is almost impossible, especially in today’s competitive world. But doing it is actually fairly simple. You just need to understand the basics and find a local or online sportsbook to bet at.
One of the sportsbooks you can bet at is a Las Vegas sportsbook. However, it can be intimidating if you’re new to legal sports wagering or betting. Even experienced sports bettor at home may not be familiar with how the process works as well in a casino because it’s not quite the same.
If you want to further understand how to make sports bets, then you’ve come to the right place. Today, we are giving you some useful information on how to make sports bets in Las Vegas.
Understand the Different Types of Bets
Different types of sports bets are being added to the menu every new season for a sport, but here are the basic wagers that most people bet on.
- Point Spread
On this type, you are betting on a team winning or losing by a certain number of points set by the sportsbook. For example, West Virginia is -7 against North Carolina. Your bet on the favorite, West Virginia, is that they will win by 8 points or more. A bet on the underdog, North Carolina, would be that they lose by 6 or fewer points. The bet is a push and you will get your money back if West Virginia wins by exactly 7 points.
- Money Line
On this type of bet, you will simply choose which team will win. However, the payouts for this type of bet is not as simple. On a baseball game, for example, the Boston Red Sox are favored at -190 against the New York Yankees who the underdog is +170. A $190 wager on the Red Sox would return $100 plus the original bet when they win. A $100 bet on the Yankee would return $170 plus the original bet when they lose.
- Totals
This one is an over/under bet. You will not be betting on a team rather you are betting on whether the total points, runs, or goals scored by both teams is over or under the total provided by the sportsbook. To win, you need to choose whether the total points scored will be over or under for the defined period or game.
Most sports bets will be on the point spread, total, or a team to win but there are also other sports betting options you can find in casinos. Here are some other types of wagers or sports bets:
- Propositions
This one is a bet made that something will or will not happen during a game or event. It could be individual players or teams. These are single-game bets for specific results. For example, you can bet on a certain player to have over or under a point total for a basketball game. This type of bet can add a little thrill to a game instead of just betting on a team.
- Futures
This is a bet on an event to happen in the future. It can be soon or at the end of a season of a certain sport. For example, you can bet on the New York Yankees to win at 75-1 odds at the World Series. To collect, you will need to wait for the season to end. You can actually place future bets for all teams in all major sports.
- Parlays
Parlays are one of the most popular sports bets in casinos as these offer the chance at bigger wins compared to most individual game bets by grouping multiple teams into one large bet. To create a parlay, you combine two or more teams up. Each team that you add to a parlay will increase the return if all of the games are winners.
- Parlay Cards
You can also use a parlay card provided by the sportsbook. These cards come in different variations with alternative point spreads and rules. For example, there’s the teaser card that gives each team you choose extra points, and there’s the pleaser card which is exactly the opposite. It’s easy to win with a teaser card but it pays less than a traditional parlay. A pleaser card, on the other hand, makes it more difficult to win but it pays better.
Choosing the Sport and Picking a Wager
Not all sports bets are the same as one another. For example, most bets for football and basketball are made using a point spread while baseball and hockey use a money line. There are other events which might offer straight odds for a winning wager. To give you an idea, here are the basic ways to wager on matches and events for each major sport.
- Basketball: Point Spread
- Baseball: Money Line
- Football: Point Spread
- Soccer: Money Line
- Hockey: Money Line
- Tennis: Money Line
- MMA and Boxing: Money Line
- Auto Racing: Odds
- Golf: Odds
Alternatives and point totals are available for most money line and point spread sports. You can also use other types of wagers or betting on each sport but the example above is usually the starting point for most sports bettors.
Learn Rotation Numbers
Rotation numbers are the numbers you see before the team name and odds in the sportsbook. Outside the sportsbook, these numbers are meaningless, but it is still important to take note of them as they will make placing a bet quicker and easier for you and the ticket writer taking your bets.
Each day, a rotation number is assigned to each team playing that day and the number is the same in all casinos. The ticket writer enters this rotation number into the computer when you place a bet. If for example, you walk up to the counter and ask for a team to win, the ticket writer will look up the rotation number to place your bet. When you know the rotation number, the betting process will go quicker.
No matter how you place your bet, it’s important to check your ticket to make sure that everything is correct before leaving.
How to Place Sports Bets
Once you know which event you want to bet, it’s time to place the wager. In Las Vegas sportsbook, ticker writers can usually understand any terminology they are given, but it can make their life easier when you use the basic information for the bets that you’d like to place. Here are some things you need to remember when making sports bets:
- The rotation number that matches with the team or athlete for the bet. This is the 3 or 4-digit number to the left of each event.
- The amount of the wager or bet.
- Listen carefully when the bet is read back to make sure it is correct.
- Check the printed ticket twice to make sure that it is correct.
When placing sports bets, you can tell the ticket writer the rotation number and the amount of your bet. For example, you can tell the ticket writer that you’d like #300 New York Yankees for $100. After placing your bet, the ticket writer will read back the wager to confirm if they have the correct information. When you approve, they will print the ticket and you will exchange money for it. Always double-check the ticket you are given to make sure that all the information written are correct.
Mobile Sports Betting
Aside from going to casinos, some sports bettors no longer have to stand in line to wait and place a bet. It’s because mobile sports wagering has been introduced as well. Since this has been introduced, sports bettors can wager on any games available from a sportsbook anywhere in the state. There are now sports wagering apps and websites where many people place their bets. This can also be less intimidating if you are a new sports bettor because bets are made without other people around. If you want to try making sports bets, you can visit www.efirbet.com and dive into the depths of sports betting and bookmakers.