Moneyline Betting
A moneyline bet is the simplest wager in sports: pick the team or player you think will win, straight up. No spread, no point total — just the winner.
How American Odds Work
Maine sportsbooks display moneylines using American odds. A negative number (e.g. -150) is the favorite — it shows how much you must risk to win $100. A positive number (e.g. +130) is the underdog — it shows how much you win on a $100 stake.
When to Bet the Moneyline
- Heavy underdog spots. If you believe the underdog has a real shot, the moneyline pays better than a spread bet.
- Low-scoring sports. In hockey and baseball, spreads (puck line, run line) are fixed at 1.5, so most action is on the moneyline.
- You only care about the result. If predicting margin feels like guesswork, just pick the winner.
Moneyline in Maine: Caesars vs DraftKings
Both Caesars and DraftKings post moneylines on every game across NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, college sports, soccer, and UFC. Line shopping — comparing the same game between the two books — can swing your effective payout by 5–15 cents on the dollar over time.
Common Mistakes
- Always betting heavy favorites (-300 or worse) — long-term ROI is brutal.
- Ignoring the implied probability. -150 implies a 60% win rate. If your read is closer to 55%, the bet has negative expected value.
- Forgetting that ties in soccer don't pay the moneyline — you need the Draw No Bet market or a 3-way moneyline.
Next up: Point Spread Betting →
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