What Is a Moneyline Bet?
A moneyline bet is the most straightforward wager in sports betting: you simply pick which team or player will win the game. There is no point spread involved — it doesn't matter whether they win by 1 point or 50 points. If your team wins, your bet wins.
Moneyline bets are available for virtually every sport: basketball, football, baseball, hockey, soccer, tennis, MMA, and more. They are especially popular in baseball and hockey where games are typically decided by small margins, making point spreads less relevant.
How Moneyline Odds Work
Moneyline odds use positive (+) and negative (−) numbers to indicate the favorite and underdog.
Negative odds (favorite): The number shows how much you need to bet to win $100 in profit. For example, −150 means you wager $150 to profit $100 (total return: $250).
Positive odds (underdog): The number shows how much profit you earn on a $100 bet. For example, +200 means a $100 bet returns $200 in profit (total return: $300).
Even odds (+100 or −100): The game is considered a pick'em — no clear favorite. A $100 bet returns $100 profit.
How to Calculate Moneyline Payouts
For negative odds: Payout = Stake × (100 / |Odds|) + Stake
Example: $50 bet at −130 → $50 × (100/130) + $50 = $88.46 total ($38.46 profit)
For positive odds: Payout = Stake × (Odds / 100) + Stake
Example: $50 bet at +180 → $50 × (180/100) + $50 = $140 total ($90 profit)
Or simply use our free payout calculator to get instant results for any odds and stake amount.
Moneyline vs. Point Spread
The moneyline asks "who wins?" The point spread asks "who wins by enough?"
With a spread of −6.5, the favorite must win by 7+ points. With the moneyline, they just need to win. This makes moneyline bets on favorites less risky but also less rewarding — you'll see shorter odds (bigger negative numbers) on strong favorites.
Moneyline bets are often the better choice when: the margin of victory is unpredictable (MLB, NHL), you strongly believe a moderate underdog will pull the upset, or you want a simpler bet.
Tips for Moneyline Betting
1. Watch for value on underdogs. The biggest moneyline profits come from correctly picking underdogs. A +250 underdog only needs to win about 29% of the time to be profitable long-term.
2. Avoid heavy favorites. Betting −400 or worse means risking $400 to win $100. One upset wipes out four successful bets. The juice rarely justifies the risk.
3. Line shop across sportsbooks. Moneyline odds vary significantly between books. Finding −140 instead of −155 on the same team makes a meaningful difference over time.
4. Consider live betting. If a favorite falls behind early, their live moneyline often offers better value than the pre-game line.