What Is an Over/Under Bet? Totals Betting Explained

An over/under bet is a bet on the combined score of a game. The sportsbook sets a number, called the total, and you bet whether both teams together will score more points than that (the Over) or fewer (the Under). It doesn't matter who wins. If the total is 47.5 and the final is 27-24, that's 51 points, and the Over wins.

Over/under betting is one of the three main types of bets in sports betting, along with the point spread and the moneyline, and every bookmaker offers it on almost every matchup. Below are the odds and payouts, what happens on a push, whether overtime counts, and what moves the line.

How over/under betting works

Every over/under bet starts with a total, the sportsbook's estimate of the total score the two teams will put up. When you place a bet, you make one choice:

• Over: you win if the combined score is higher than the total.
• Under: you win if the combined score is lower than the total.

Your wager only depends on the total points scored, not on which team wins. A bettor on the Over roots for both offenses, and one on the Under roots for both defenses, which is why totals are a popular way to bet on a game when you don't have a strong opinion about the result.

An over/under bet example

Say the Chiefs play the Bills and the sportsbook sets the total at 47.5, with both sides at -110:

The last game was a 14-point blowout and still went Over, because a totals bet ignores the margin.

Over/under betting lines, odds and payouts

Most totals are priced at -110 on both sides. That means a $110 wager wins $100, or $11 wins $10. A $10 bet wins $9.09, and you get your $10 back as well. The extra you pay over even money is the vig, the sportsbook's cut. Our guide to what -110 means in betting covers it, and the bet slip shows the full payout before you confirm.

The two sides aren't always even. If more money comes in on the Over, a sportsbook might move the price to Over -120 / Under +100 instead of changing the number. If you're not sure how to read those prices, see how to read American odds.

What happens if the total lands exactly

If the total is a whole number, like 47, and the game ends with exactly 47 points, the bet is a push: nobody wins and your stake is returned. That's why most sportsbooks set totals with a half point, like 47.5. A half-point total always has a winner, because a game can't end with half a point.

Does overtime count?

In sports like football and basketball, yes. Over/under bets are graded on the final score, and that includes overtime in the NFL, NBA, NHL, college football and college basketball, and extra innings in baseball. Overtime is great news for Over bettors: a tie game at the end of regulation often goes Over in the extra period. Soccer is the exception: a soccer total covers 90 minutes plus stoppage time, not extra time or penalties.

How sportsbooks set the total

The bookmaker sets an opening number from its models: how fast each team plays, how well each offense and defense has played, injuries, the venue and the weather conditions. Then the line moves with the betting volume. If most of the money comes in on the Over, the total goes up to attract Under bets, and the other way around.

A few things move totals more than others:

• Weather: strong wind and heavy rain cut scoring in football and baseball, and totals drop when the forecast is bad.
• Injuries: a starting quarterback or a star scorer out can move a total by several points.
• Pace of play: in basketball, two fast teams mean more possessions and a higher total.
• The pitcher: in baseball, the starting pitchers have more effect on the total than anything else.

Totals bets in different sports

Every sport has an over/under, but the numbers look very different:

• NFL: usually somewhere in the high 30s to low 50s.
• College football: a wider range, from the 30s to the 70s.
• NBA: often 210 to 240 points.
• MLB: about 7 to 10 runs.
• NHL and soccer: low totals like 5.5 or 6.5 goals in hockey, and 2.5 goals in soccer (3 or more goals in the match wins the Over).

In low-scoring sports the price matters more than the number, because one goal or run changes everything. A hockey total might be 6.5 with the Over at +105 and the Under at -125.

Team totals and other over/unders

The game total isn't the only over/under. A team total is an over/under on how many points one team scores. You can also find totals for the first half or the first quarter, and player props like a quarterback's passing yards over or under 249.5. They all work the same way: pick higher or lower than the number.

Over/under vs the spread and moneyline

The point spread asks who wins and by how much, and the moneyline asks which team will win. The total asks how many points the two teams score together. For the same game you could bet one of each, and they can all win or lose independently. A side and the total of the same game are also a common pair in a parlay.

Tips for betting totals

• Check the weather for outdoor football and baseball games before you bet an Over.
• Watch for late injury news. Totals react fast to a missing quarterback or star.
• Shop the betting lines. Over 44.5 is better than Over 45.5 for the same price, and in the NFL, 41, 44, 47 and 51 are common final totals.
• Be honest about why you like the Over. Many bettors enjoy rooting for points, and sportsbooks shade their totals with that in mind.

Bet over/unders for free on Paid2Bet

You can practice totals betting with a free balance on Paid2Bet. Open any game on the Bet page, tap the Over or Under in the total column, and the bet slip shows exactly what you'll win before you place it. Totals can also be Streak picks and Contest bets.

You must be 21 or older to play. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.