Total Points Betting on US Sports

When you are placing your bets on the total point line, you should always try to utilise the bookmaker accounts that you have. The lines you are betting on are created by the bookmakers using their opinion of what they think will happen in the game. This means that some bookmakers will vary from the rest due to having a different opinion and by betting with those giving you the best line for your bet, you are increasing your chances of winning.

For example:

The majority of bookmakers think that NFL games will be high scoring so they set their line on the game at 53.5 points. However, another bookmaker doesn’t believe the game will be that high scoring, so they set their line at 51.5 points. The difference between the two lines is only two points, which is very little in an NFL game, but here is how it can affect your bet.

If you fancy over the line in the game, and there is 52 or 53 points scored in the game then if you back on the 53.5 line you will have a loser, but if you back on the 51.5 line, your bet will be a winner. You can apply the same principle to backing under the line if you back under on the 53.5 line and there is 53 or 52 points you will have a winner, while if you place your bet on the 51.5 line you will have a loser.

You may think that the chances of this happening are slim, but actually, they are very good. When a bookmaker sets their line they will set it on exactly where they think the points total will be, so if bookmakers are setting their line at around 51-53 then that is because they think that is where the points total will land. We are talking about very fine margins here, but these margins are going to be the difference between you backing a winner or a loser from time to time, so they are worth looking at and it is always worth looking around for the very best line.

Betting on NHL

Ice hockey total points betting is very popular and it is based on the number of goals scored in a game. If you are betting on this line then be sure to look out for teams that have explosive offensive players and those who are known for scoring a lot of goals. If you are looking to back under the line then look out for top goaltenders and teams who have good defensive records that they will be looking to maintain.

Goal lines on ice hockey do not vary too much, and you will usually see lines of 5.5 and 6.5 on offer as a rule. This is the one US sport where there is little difference between the bookmakers due to the low numbers, but it will still pay to look around.

Official NHL website for more information: https://www.nhl.com/

Betting on NBA

The total points line in basketball is one of the most common lines to use on the sport due to the high nature of scoring in the sport. This makes it a fun and exciting way to bet, used by many punters on a regular basis.

By having such a high scoring rate, there can be a big difference between the bookmaker's lines on basketball, and if you only shop around for the best line on one sport make sure it is basketball. You can see anywhere between 150-230 points in a basketball game, which is a range that you will not see in any other sport and the reason why bookmakers can often have big differences in their lines.

The rules of total points betting are similar for every sport, look for teams that have big scoring star players if you are looking to back over the line and look for games that look set to be tight with few opportunities if you are looking to go under.

Official NBA website for more information: https://www.nba.com/

The NFL total points betting falls somewhere in between ice hockey and basketball, and generally speaking, you can expect to see anywhere between 30 and 70 points in an NFL game. You should see a difference in the lines on offer because of this, so shop around and you should be able to find yourself a couple of points that will benefit you in some way and give you more chance of winning

When you are looking at the NFL teams, some are set up to be offensive minded and they have all of their best players on that side of the ball, while others focus on defending and spend a large chunk of their wage bill on that side. Games between two attacking teams can often turn into shootouts and result in a lot of points being scored as the team's trade scoring chances, these are often great games to watch.

If you want to know betting not only for total points, check this: Three Simple NFL Betting Lines for Beginners

Official NFL website for more information: https://www.nfl.com/

Check out our best bookmakers for betting on US sports