Vincent: Created page with "In sports betting the '''favorite''' is the side of a betting market that has a greater perceived chance of winning. Abbreviated ''fav'', the favorite carries a negati..."

2020-01-01T21:05:08Z

Created page with "In sports betting the '''favorite''' is the side of a betting market that has a greater perceived chance of winning. Abbreviated ''fav'', the favorite carries a negati..."

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In [[sports betting]] the '''favorite''' is the side of a betting market that has a greater perceived chance of winning. Abbreviated ''[[fav]]'', the favorite carries a negative [[point spread]] and yields a smaller profit on the [[moneyline]] relative to initial risk. The other side of the same market with a lower perceived chance of winning is known as the [[underdog]].

== Moneyline ==

Favorites are perceived as having a greater chance of winning and therefore carry [[moneyline]]s with negative odds. Betting on a favorite's outright victory yields a smaller profit relative to risk. [[American odds]] displays favorite moneylines with negative numbers. A team with -300 odds of winning carries a 75.0% [[implied probability]] and would yield $100 profit off a $300 initial risk (for a total return of $400).

In the NFL match below the New England Patriots are the favored team. They have -180 moneyline odds which carry a 64.3% implied probability. An initial risk of $180 would yield $100 profit for a total return of $280.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; margin: auto;"
|- style="background-color:#eaecf0;"
|colspan="2"|'''Team'''
|'''Spread'''
|'''Total'''
|'''Moneyline'''
|-
|[[File:Patriots.png|25px]]
|New England Patriots
| -3.5 (-110)
| Over 44.5 (-110)
|style="background-color:#E2FFD3"| -180
|-
|[[File:Ravens.png|25px]]
|Baltimore Ravens
| +3.5 (-110)
| Under 44.5 (-110)
| +160
|}

== Spread ==

A point spread is used to balance the perceived skill difference between competing teams. The favorite is viewed as the stronger team and is given a negative spread. The point spread is applied to the final score to determine if the bet wins. Negative point spreads require that team to win by by a margin greater than the spread.

Using the same example the New England Patriots have a -3.5 point spread with -110 odds. Betting on this negative spread requires the Patriots to win by a margin of 4 or more points. Because point spreads are used to balance the perceived ability between teams the betting odds on either side is normally -110. This means an initial risk of $110 would yield $100 in profit for a total return of $210.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; margin: auto;"
|- style="background-color:#eaecf0;"
|colspan="2"|'''Team'''
|'''Spread'''
|'''Total'''
|'''Moneyline'''
|-
|[[File:Patriots.png|25px]]
|New England Patriots
|style="background-color:#E2FFD3"| -3.5 (-110)
| Over 44.5 (-110)
| -180
|-
|[[File:Ravens.png|25px]]
|Baltimore Ravens
| +3.5 (-110)
| Under 44.5 (-110)
| +160
|}

Favorite - Revision history

Vincent: Created page with "In sports betting the '''favorite''' is the side of a betting market that has a greater perceived chance of winning. Abbreviated ''fav'', the favorite carries a negati..."