Push In Football Betting
Sports Betting PUSH Totals bets are popular in football and basketball because they allow you to wager on the total combined number of points scored by both teams. Quite simply, a push is what happens to your bet when the event you wager on results in a tie. As bettors or competitors, we build up wins and dread losses. We’re all familiar with creeds such as “the thrill of victory and agony of defeat.” You’ve probably heard that “winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”.
If the total of this game was 54.0 points and the final score added up to exactly 54 points (38-16, for example) the bet would be a “push” and bets would be refunded. Like all kinds of sports betting options, totals bets have expanded.
Point spread betting is the most popular form of sports betting. The vast majority of sports wagers use a point spread thanks to the popularity of football and basketball. Even though this type of betting is so popular, it may take awhile to understand.
The point spread is sometimes known as an equalizer for sportsbook operators. All teams aren’t created equally, so sportsbooks can create a point spread for a game so that each team playing has an almost even chance of winning the game. In a way, the point spread will even the field for both teams.
The point spread gives a reason for bettors to risk money on both teams. The better team playing in the game is considered favorite. They have to win by the point spread offered by the sportsbook. The favorite in a game is listed as being minus (-) the point spread.
The worse of the teams playing in the game is called the underdog. The bettor wins if this team wins the game outright or loses by an amount smaller than the point spread. The underdog in a game is listed as being plus (+) the point spread.
Let’s use this past Super Bowl between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs as an example.
Using this example, the Chiefs were 3-point favorites over the Buccaneers. The Chiefs needed to win by 4 or more points to cover the spread.
Likewise, the Buccaneers were 3-point underdogs. That means the Buccaneers needed to win the game outright or not lose the contest by 4 points or more. At Chiefs -3, if they won by exactly 3 points, the betting result would have been a “push” and bettors for both sides would have gotten their wagers refunded.
The Buccaneers pulled off the upset, winning by a score of 31-9, and rewarded bettors who backed them at +3.
Point spread betting odds
Point spreads are usually set with -110 odds, but pricing often fluctuates at online sportsbooks. This is the sportsbook operators’ house edge. The odds guarantee the sportsbook operator will see a little money over time. When the odds are set at -110, the bettor must wager $110 to win $100 (or $11 to win $10).
The odds on a point spread are most commonly known as the vigorish or “vig” for the sportsbook. You might hear this small profit margin for the sportsbook called the “juice” by some sports bettors.
Point spread FAQs
What does ‘pick em’ or ‘pick’ mean in NFL betting?
A “pick em” (sometimes seen as “pick”) is when the teams have a point spread of zero, meaning neither team is favored. In this instance, you’re essentially picking moneyline and your bet will be determined on the winner alone.
What does -7 and +7 mean in NFL betting?
A spread of minus-seven (-7) means that a is favored to win the game by a touchdown (technically, a touchdown and the extra point). A team favored by -7 must win the game by eight or more points to win the bet. If the team wins by seven, the result is a “push” and the bet is refunded.
A spread of +7 means the team must win the game or lose by fewer than seven points to win the bet. A loss by seven would result in a push.
What does -3 and +3 mean in NFL betting?
A -3 spread means that the favorite must win by more than a field goal to win the wager. A three-point win would result in a push and the sportsbook would refund the wager.
A spread of +3 means the team listed as the underdog must win the game or lose by fewer than three points to cash the bet. A three-point loss would be graded as a push by the sportsbook and the bet would be refunded.
Why are point spreads in the NFL so much lower than in college?
In 2019, the Baltimore Ravens led the NFL in point differential per game at +13.7 points; the Miami Dolphins ranked last in the NFL in point differential per game at -11.7. Even Kansas City– known for their explosive offense– had an average point differential in 2019 of just 9.7 points. The net point differential in the NFL is -14.1, or -0.9 points per game. Basically, the talent differential in the NFL is so minute that even mismatched teams often draw games within a score of each other.
NFL spreads are most commonly between one point and four, with six being a heavy favorite and extremes coming out around 15-20 point favors. (For those wondering, the 1941 Chicago Bears hold the NFL record of point differential at +15.7 points per game. Conversely, Ohio State had a +33.1 average point differential in 2019.)
Point spread and odds movement
Sportsbook operators often aim to have equal money on both sides of a point spread. When the money is exactly split the sportsbook operator will see the exact vigorish as their profit margin. If all things are equal over time this will maximize how much money the sportsbook operator can make.
In an effort to have equal money on both sides of a wager, the sportsbook operator will move the point spread to attract money on the side that customers aren’t betting on. The odds for a point spread might change before the actual point spread. There are certain point spread numbers, like 3 and 7 in football, the sportsbook operators would like to avoid moving away from since the final score margin falls on these two numbers most often.
For example, if a lot more money is wagered on the New England Patriots -3, the vig may shift from -112 to -115 and -120 before the line moves to -3.5.
Europe Football Betting
Run and puck lines
Football and basketball games are mostly bet using a point spread. The less popular major sports, baseball and hockey, are mostly bet using a moneyline. In an effort to make baseball and hockey more appealing to point spread bettors, the sportsbook operators offer run and puck lines, respectively.
These alternative lines give point spread bettors a chance to wager on other sports using a more familiar method of betting. Since points (runs and goals) aren’t as easy to come by in baseball and hockey, the odds with the lines may have a wider spread than a football or basketball game.
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Wondering what a push is and how it will affect your sports bets? Quite simply, a push is what happens to your bet when the event you wager on results in a tie.
As bettors or competitors, we build up wins and dread losses. We’re all familiar with creeds such as “the thrill of victory and agony of defeat.” You’ve probably heard that “winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”
But sometimes, sporting events are neither a win nor a loss. Overtime and shootouts have minimized the number of ties in many sports, but sometimes things still end in a draw. So, how do sportsbooks deal with these situations?
In this guide you’ll learn:
- The definition of a push
- How sportsbooks deal with ties
- Ways to avoid pushes
And the Winner Is…Nobody!
Pushes happen in sports betting relatively frequently.
Say you’re betting on the NFL point spread in a match up between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants, and the spread is set at +/-3. Whether you bet on the Cowboys -3 or the Giants +3, there is a distinct possibility of the game ending at 17-14, 20-17, or 24-21 Dallas. Each of those scores result in a push.
Totals also result in pushes with some frequency. If the Dodgers and Nationals are playing with Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer on the mound, the over/under might be six. A 4-2 LA win is a victory for the Dodgers, but a push regardless of whether you had the over or under.
There are some exceptions, but most sportsbooks will take the same approach when faced with a push.
Your Bet Is a Push, Now What?
Straight wagers (also known as single bets) that result in a push are refunded. Simple and to the point, regardless of juice, if you have the Buccaneers +7 at New Orleans and the Saints win 28-21, both sides get their cash back.
If the total on Tampa Bay and New Orleans is 49, both over and under are a push and bettors who took either side will be refunded.
Moneyline bets push in the case of an actual tie. If the Patriots are -250 against Jets while New York is +240, should the teams play to a 20-20 draw, both bets are refunded.
Push In Football Betting
Things get slightly more complicated when parlays and teasers are involved.
Football Betting Super Bowl
How Sportsbooks Deal with Ties in Multi-Event Wagers
Bettors can get 6/1 odds if they win a three team parlay and 12/1 for a four teamer. What happens if you win three legs of a four team wager, but the fourth bet pushes?
Most sportsbooks will simply remove any ties from a parlay or teaser and pay the bet out as if it was a multi event wager with one fewer leg. So a four team parlay with three winners and a push will pay out the same as a winning three team parlay. While you were aiming for 12/1 odds, you receive 6/1 with the push dropped from the bet.
While this policy seems like the fair and equitable way of dealing with ties, some sportsbooks treat ties included in parlays and teasers as losing bets. This is particularly common on parlay cards produced early in the week that remain available for betting all the way up to kickoff on Saturday or Sunday.
The bottom line is that you should always read the small print. Know exactly how your sportsbook deals with pushes before you place a bet.
Of course, you’re more likely to be faced with a push in your parlay if you include a higher number of legs in the wager. A 10 team parlay has 10 chances for a push, whereas a two team parlay involves only two games that could possibly tie.
What Do You Get Out of a Push?
If you’re always in it to win it, it is possible to avoid pushes completely. If you spent time to watch a long sporting event and put a few bucks down, it can feel like a waste to get refunded if the game ends in a tie. On the flip side, a tie certainly beats a loss if you are a high volume better primarily concerned with ROI.
The easiest way to avoid pushes is to bet on spreads that include a half point, also known as a hook. There will never be a push with a 2.5 or 3.5 spread or a total of 47.5. If you can’t find a spread or total with a hook, you can usually buy a half point. You might pay a small price in juice, but it usually makes sense to take -125 to get -2.5 instead of -110 when laying three.
While moneyline bets occasionally push, it doesn’t happen a lot. There are no ties in the NBA, NHL, or MLB these days. The NFL had one tie last year, two in 2018, and none in 2017. The chances of a push when playing the moneyline in major sports is very small.
Finally some sports, particularly soccer, offer three way betting. You can bet on either team to win or on a tie. Just remember that if you pick a team to win on a three way moneyline, a push will result in a loss rather than a refund.
Go for the Win, Settle for the Push
College Football Betting Lines Today
In the end, a push is not a bad result. It gives you a free data point to consider and learn from. Of course, that only holds true if your sportsbook refunds your bet in the case of a push. Read the terms and conditions carefully before placing any wagers.
Is A Tie A Push In Betting
Knowing is the key to success when betting on sports. You can find all the basic info you need to get started on the right foot in our sports betting 101 guides.