Day: 26 December 2022

The half-point of a non-whole number spread in sports betting is called the hook. The hook can be added to a handicap, spread betting, and over/under markets, and its objective is to ensure that there’s a winner in each bet.

The concept of the hook existed to the benefit of sportsbooks, which doesn’t want to refund stakes as much as possible. Bookmakers would rather price a market that lures fair betting on both sides, so it profits from the event regardless of the result, and a refunded stake equals no profit.

With the presence of the hook, the over/under three goals market in soccer is replaced by over/under 2.5 goals, which now makes it impossible for the stake to be refunded.

HOOK POPULAR IN NBA, NFL GAMES

It is, in the US-spread betting where the hook originated, while UK bettors know it as handicap betting. Marquee matches between popular teams in the NFL and the NBA where a favorite is picked often have hooks in spread betting.

For example, sportsbooks will give a handicap to Golden State should the Warriors play the Los Angeles Lakers, as most bookies will find it difficult to attract interest with the Lakers since the Warriors are most likely to win due to their more consistent play and winning record. Sportsbooks will then give a head start to the Lakers.

With the Lakers given a 14-point head start based on the previous example, bettors can now take a risk on LA, while stakes are refunded if the Warriors win by 14 points exactly. The hook has since been introduced with this situation, making the new market look like this:

*Golden State Warriors (-14.5%) @1.95
*Los Angeles Lakers (+14.5)@1.95

MOVE THE LINE TO GET MONEY BACK

In bets involving NFL matches, bettors buy the hook to get their money back. A punter who wants to bet on the Miami Dolphins +3.5 against the New York Jets will move the line to +3 to get assurance that he gets his money back even if the Dolphins lose by three points (or by a field goal.).

Another example would be if a bettor placed his money on the New England Patriots -7.5, or seven and a hook, against the Buffalo Bills, he would buy the half-point and turn that into -7. If a punter takes the Patriots bet at -7.5 and they win by seven points, he’s out of luck.

Buying a hook can be an effective strategy in NFL matches, where spreads are near the common numbers like 3,7, 10, 13, or 14. A bettor buying the hook raises their chances of getting their money back despite the reduction of the payout.

BRACE FOR RISKS WHEN BUYING THE HOOK

High rollers are often going to buy the hook because they are capable of dealing with the risks of losing money, as they must be ready to pay a premium price to get a better line.

This strategy is not advisable to upcoming punters, who might not afford to waste some money in their bankroll if they lose by the hook. Risk-taking bettors must pick their spots wisely and shop around before making a commitment to buying the hook.

Creative bettors can also create accounts on three of the top five sportsbooks of their choice before finding the best numbers to place their money on. It may be a tedious process, but there’s less risk for conservative bettors compared to buying the hook on almost every game with fewer guarantees of winning.

Bettors who are into low-scoring sports like soccer and hockey should be patient enough when they place their money on spread betting as landing goals may come in few and far between.

This is the reason why the most common wager is punters betting on the moneyline compared to the spread. But punters who still place their money on betting the spread in hockey are called betting on the puck line.

For new bettors who are inclined to make a habit of placing their money in hockey matches in the NHL, they should be on the lookout beyond the stats and data about the top teams but also be mindful of the puck line. Check out the ways bettors can get the better of winning puck line bets and remain patient when the big payouts that can come their way.

PICK PUCK LINE, TOTAL OR MONEY LINE

A puck line is basically the spread betting option in hockey, where the favorite is marked witH A -1.5 goals puck line and +1.5 for the underdog in every match. A team (underdog) will have 1.5 goals added to one team’s total, while the other team (favorite) will have 1.5 goals taken away.

Punters who place their money on how many goals they think will be scored in a game are those who engage in “total” bets. If the line was set at 6.5 goals in a match featuring two high-scoring teams, bettors are urged to bet on the “Over.”

Bettors who are placing money on who they believe will win the game straight up are betting on the money line.

FINDING WAYS TO THRIVE ON PUCK LINE

Bettors should lay -1.5 goals at a more reasonable price point instead of laying -200 or -250 on a strong favorite, as laying larger prices with the top NHL teams often turn off most casual punters.

Punters can place their money on an underdog if they are getting a +1.5 goal head start instead of them betting on a +200 underdog which is likely to lose the match 60% of the time.

Far better odds are offered in the puck line along with a higher potential payout that gives value for bettors compared to the moneyline.

PERIOD, REVERSE, ALTERNATE PUCK LINES EXPLAINED

Period puck lines allow bettors to place their money on individual periods in a hockey match. A -0.5/+0.5 is displayed on a period puck line, with punters who bet on the favorite needing their teams to outscore their opponent in that period,

The favorite will get a +1.5 head start while an underdog gets the -1.5 role under the reverse puck lines. This lures bettors who look at an underdog that they think will win by 2+ goals at a very juicy price.

The point spread gets bumped from 1.5 to 2.5 goals under the alternate puck line. With this kind of bet, the favorite needs to win the match by three or more goals, while the underdog may lose the game by two goals but bettors can still cash a bet based on the alternate puck line.

STATS, GOALTENDING, TRAVEL SKEDS ARE VITAL METRICS

Any bettor who is determined to win puck line bets should be mindful of the coaching strategies of teams he is betting on, as well as goaltending and injury updates. These factors, along with key statistics such as quality of chance, possession, and shot totals can be used as vital metrics to determine the right puck lines.

A home team usually becomes the favorite to win a match over a visiting squad despite a better record by the latter. But bettors should also take note if the hosts are coming off a tight schedule where they played four games in five nights or if the road team is weary from a double-overtime match and will come off a long trip from the East Coast to the West Coast.

There are also teams that thrive in the spotlight despite having a bad record. If there’s a Monday Night Football in the NFL, there’s a “Hockey Night in Canada” where the Toronto Maple Leafs come to life and play like the defending champions to benefit Canada’s sports betting regulars back in the mid-2000s and the early 2010s.