What is an over/under (totals) bet?
A total is one bet on the combined score of both teams: does it finish over or under the number the sportsbook posts?
Beginner · 2 min read
The short answer
- A number ending in .5 can't tie. A whole number can — that's a push, and your stake comes back.
- Both sides usually cost -110, so a total has to win about 52.4% of the time to break even.
- Weather, scoring pace and lineup news move totals a lot, and overtime counts toward the number in the NFL, NBA and NHL.
Over, under, and the number
The over wins if the two teams' combined final score finishes above the posted number, the under if it finishes below. Who wins is irrelevant — 27-21 and 24-24 both total 48.
Both sides are usually priced near -110: you risk $110 to win $100, and the extra $10 is the sportsbook's cut.
Example
Total 47.5: the over wins at 48 points or more, the under at 47 or fewer. A number ending in .5 can't be hit exactly, so there is always a winner. A whole number like 48 can land exactly there — a tie, called a push, and your stake comes back.
What moves a total
Books start from how fast the two teams play, how efficiently they score and — outdoors — the weather, then post a number they expect to draw money on both sides.
After that, news moves it as much as money does: wind or rain, a starting-pitcher change in baseball, or a key injury can shift a total a full point or more, so the number you see in the morning is often not the number you bet.
Common mistakes
- Betting the over because a team is good — a strong offense can play slow and grind out a low-scoring game.
- Treating a total you rate as a coin flip as a fine bet at -110. At that price it isn't.
Common questions
Do totals include overtime?
Yes in the NFL, NBA and NHL — part of why unders lose in the closing minutes more often than people expect. Baseball totals include extra innings by default, and some books also list a nine-inning version, so check which one you're betting.
How accurate is the posted total?
Over thousands of games, closing totals land close to even — overs and unders cash at roughly the same rate. Any single game can still miss the number by ten points or more, so being right on average doesn't make one game predictable.