What is a Moneyline Bet? How it Works in Sports Betting

Moneyline bets are the simplest wager in sports betting, and are available for all major games and events on bet365.

Moneyline betting is as simple as picking who is going to win a game, match, fight, or race, regardless of the final score or point spread.

Along with the point spread and over/unders, the moneyline is one of the most common, basic, and traditional wagers that a bettor can make.

How Does a Moneyline Work?

Moneylines are the most straightforward bet in sports betting, and allow bettors to choose which athlete or teams wins, no matter how the victory is determined.

Moneyline bets are placed on a game's outcome, and they are bets on which team will win a certain match.

In sports betting terminology, moneyline refers to the odds for each team to win a specific game.

How to Read Moneyline Odds

Odds determine the amount of money that you will make on a bet.

When using bet365 in the United States and Canada, odds are depicted using the plus (+) or minus (-) signs, and are based on bettors wagering $100.

The minus sign indicates the expected winner (favorite) and offers a lower payout than the wager itself. A plus sign indicates an underdog, and comes with higher payout.

When a minus is present, the number shows how much you need to bet to win $100. When a plus sign is present the odds show how much you would win on a $100 bet.

Example of a Moneyline

Teams	Moneyline
Seattle Seahawks	-200
New England Patriots	+150

In the case of Super Bowl XLIX in 2025, the Seattle Seahawks were favored to beat the New England Patriots. This was depicted in the Moneyline odds, because the Seahawks were -200, and the Patriots were +150.

A $100 bet places on the Seahawks would return $150. A $100 bet on the Patriots would return $250.

How to Place a Moneyline Bet on bet365

1. Navigate to the sport or league page on bet365, and select the matchup that you want to place a moneyline bet on.
2. Choose the team or person that you think will win outright (Moneyline).
3. Enter the amount of money that you wish to wager on the outcome. bet365 will automatically calculate the payout, and show it to you before the bet is placed.
4. Confirm your bet, but make sure to review your selection so you don't select the wrong team by accident.
5. Hit 'Place Bet', and enjoy the game!

When do you Know if Your Moneyline Bet Wins or Loses?

A moneyline bet is won or lost at the conclusion of the game, once a winner is determined.

If you bet the Seahawks moneyline against the Patriots in the Super Bowl, the bet would be settled as soon as the clock hits zero at the conclusion of the game.

Once the game is over, the bet will be settled as either a winner or a loser depending on which side you chose.

Pros and Cons of Moneyline Bets

Pros

The outcome is easily determined (Win or Loss). Moneyline bets have unmatched simplicity.

Underdogs hold lots of upside. Betting on underdogs and upsets yield higher returns.

There is no point spread so only the Winner matters. Moneylines eliminate 'bad beats' which happen when the outcome of a bet is affected in the meaningless minutes or seconds at the end of a game.

Cons

Low returns on heavy favorites. Odds are worse for teams that are favored to win.

High risk on underdogs. While higher payouts are attractive, the chance of winning is much lower for underdogs.

No margin for error. Moneyline bets are all or nothing, win or lose.

Moneyline Betting Strategy

While betting moneyline's is easy to understand, they still carry fundamental gambling risks.

Do Your Research

Odds can swing based on multiple factors such as injuries, starting players, and recent form. While most sports are impacted by injuries, baseball and hockey are significantly impacted by who the starting pitchers and goalies are in a certain game.

Make sure to check if the best players are healthy and starting, and always double check which pitcher is trotting out to the mound before placing a moneyline bet.

Home Field Advantage

Moneyline odds often fluctuate, and the odds will often shift in favor of the home team. If there are two teams evenly matched, the home team will likely become the favorite due to playing in their own stadium.

Be Careful of the 3-way Moneyline

In sports like soccer and hockey, the 3-way moneyline is a very common bet because of the possibility of a tie. Odds for a soccer favorite may look really good because there is more than just one other option.

3-way moneyline bets offer three outcomes compared to just two: Team A Win, Team B Win, or Draw.

Moneyline vs. Other Bet Types

Moneyline betting is simple compared to other bet types because it's easily determined.

Moneyline odds do not rely on point margins or statistics, and just focus on which team or individual will win a game.

While point spreads and over/under bets are typically adjusted to have close to even odds, moneylines can have much smaller or larger returns because it takes into account how likely a team is to win, no matter by how much.

Terms Glossary for Moneylines

• Favorite - A favorite is the team or individual deemed most likely to win a game.
• Underdog -An underdog is the team or individual that is expected to lose a game.
• 2-Way moneyline - A 2-Way moneyline is another term for a tradition moneyline, which offers two outcomes. Win or Lose.
• 3-Way Moneyline - The 3-Way moneyline market takes into account three different outcomes in a game: Win, Lose, or Draw. This market is popular in soccer and hockey, and offers significantly higher payouts for a team to win compared to a classic moneyline bet.
• Pick' Em - A Pick' Em game refers to a game where both sides are determined to have an equal opportunity to win according to bet3565. When both sides have the same moneyline odds, it indicates an evenly matched contest, or pick' em.

Always Gamble Responsibly with Moneylines

For more on responsible gambling, bet365 has a dedicated resource page that can be found at https://responsiblegaming.nj.bet365.com/us.

GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL OR TEXT 1-800-GAMBLER (AZ/CO/IL/IN/KS/KY/LA/MD/MI/NC/NJ/OH/PA/TN/VA) or 1-800-BETS OFF (IA). 21+ (18+ KY). Must be present in AZ/CO/IA/IL/IN/KS/KY/LA (select parishes)/MD/MI/NC/NJ/OH/PA/TN/VA.

Moneyline Betting FAQs

1. What is a 3-Way moneyline?

   The 3-Way moneyline market takes into account three different outcomes in a game: Win, Lose, or Draw. This market is popular in soccer and hockey.

2. What are 'even' odds?

   Even odds are when a team is listed at +100. This means that when you bet $100, you will make exactly $100 profit if your bet wins.

3. Does point spread matter for moneylines?

   No, point spreads do not matter for moneyline bets. Moneyline bets only take into account which team wins or loses a match.

4. What happens when a game goes into overtime?

   In moneyline betting, the outcome is determined by the final result, including overtime or extra time. The is not the case when betting a 3-Way moneyline.

5. Can I live bet moneylines?

   Yes, bet365 offers live moneyline betting on most sports. Odds will shift depending on the game script.