While not as popular as betting against the point spread in sports gambling, betting the “over/under” isn’t that far behind. Sometimes you may see this as O/U, over-under, over under or simply referred to as “the over” or “the under.”

What does over under mean in betting?

'Over Under' refers to the betting line on the total number of a certain statistic — usually points or goals scored — in a sporting event, with action taken on whether there will be more (the. Bets on the total (over/under) In addition to the spread bet, a very common 'side bet' on an event is the total (commonly called the over/under or O/U) bet. This is a bet on the total number of points scored by both teams. Suppose team A is playing team B and the total is set at 44.5 points. Although the Over/Under and Totals might be utilized interchangeably for scoring, also, there is another route to making the Over/Under wagers. The Over/Under wager can be a prop (proposition) bet where there is a bet made on a certain occurrence. The boxing match is a great example because scoring is not the same as major sports. When betting totals, you aren’t betting on just one team. You are wagering on the combined points scored in the game. For example, if the over/under in the Green Bay-Chicago game is 42.5 and you bet on the over, you need at least 43 points scored in the game to win. Conversely, if you bet the under, and the score exceeds 42 points, you lose. Totals betting also known as Over/Under betting is applied to most esporting events that bookmakers cover. Some popular markets for over/under betting is CSGO, Fortnite, PUBG, and Fifa 18 betting. This form of betting has gained popularity in the last decade and has alternatively been applied to other scenarios within a match such as the number.

Simply stated, it is the total of the points scored by both teams. While all sports employ an over/under betting option, by far the most money wagered on this bet is in football and basketball. Sports like baseball and hockey offer over/under options, but the vast majority of bets on those sports in based on the established “money line” to pick a winner at a set price.

Unlike a point spread bet in which you are aligning yourself with one team, you’re betting on both teams – either their offenses or the defenses – when betting the over/under. Sports books set over/under scores on games based upon numerous factors.

In the NFL, most over/under scores are set in the low-to-mid 40s.In college football, over/under scores are usually in the high-40 to low 50s – in the Big 12, the land that defense forgot, it can hit the 60s.In the NBA, a typical over/under tends to hover in the 210 range. In college basketball, a standard over/under is between 140 and 155.

The hidden factors that come into play in determining a point spread vary by sport, but have common themes. Recent team history is a primary factor that sports books like to exploit. Sports by their nature are a reflective business based on developing trends from previous games (“getting on a roll”) and, if a football team has scored 40-plus points in three straight games, the over/under is going to be higher because sports bettors tend to believe that trends are going to continue. It’s human nature…until they don’t.

What Is Over Under Odds

Betting Over Under Explained

If a critical player – a quarterback in football or a dominant scorer in basketball – is out or playing injured, the over/under will drop.

Other factors critical in setting the over/under number include weather (where applicable), an undefinable history between teams (you know Steelers-Ravens games are going to be physical bloodbaths) and injuries that may not jump out to casual fans that mean a lot sports books are all factors that go into creating and setting an over/under line that will draw an even number of fans to both sides of the number.

The key to betting the over/under is to look at a slate of games without knowing what the over/under is and set what you believe it should be based on your knowledge of those two teams. The ones that differ the most from what you think should be are the ones to place your bets on.

Betting Odds Explained Over Under

One final note that has been a mantra of those who bet the over/under with some consistency – every game is under until it goes over.

Over And Under Betting Explained

If you’re new to sports betting, start with picking and choosing games you’re convinced should go under and get an understanding of how late-game fireworks can botch your plans.