Imagine that you’re interested in betting a few totals, so you take a look at the odds of your sportsbook. Imagine that you can add or deduct as much as ten points or more to the over or under and still place your bet. To borrow a line from Bob Ryan in Entourage, “Is this something that you might be interested in?”
The situation we just mentioned is “alternate totals” and is available for any sport that has an over or under to bet on.
Table of content:
- So What Is An Alternate Total?
- How To Place An Alternate Total Wager?
- Placing An Alternate Total Bet On A Sportsbook (In-Person)
- How To Bet On Alternate Spread
- What’s An Alternate Spread?
- What Sports Are Alternate Spreads Available For?
- How Place An Alternate Spread Bet?
- How to Bet the Alternate Handicap
So What Is An Alternate Total?
Alternate totals are lines provided by oddsmakers that vary from the original over/under for a game. More than 10 points may change some alternate totals.
Alternate totals have the prospect for much better, or much worse, payouts than the initial over/under. The more points one decides to raise the over and still bet the over for an alternative spread, the more their profit will be. Conversely, if one prefers an alternate spread with a higher sum than the original and bets under, the payout will be smaller because there is less risk involved.
How To Place An Alternate Total Wager?
Placing an alternate total bet online (or a mobile device)
- Sign in to your sportsbooks account
- Find the game(s) you’d like to bet on
- Click on the subheading that reads “Game Props” or “More Wagers.”
- Find the text that says “Alternate Totals” or “Alternate Lines.”
- Take a look at all the alternate totals and find the most agreeable one.
- Review odds/potential returns
- If you are happy, enter your bet amount and click “confirm the bet.”
Placing An Alternate Total Bet On A Sportsbook (In-Person)
- Approach the cashier window and tell them which game you want to bet on.
- Inform the cashier that you want to make an “alternate total” bet.
- If you already know the alternate totals offered, tell the cashier what you want to bet on. Otherwise, the cashier will show all available alternate available to you on the computer.
- Say your bet amount to the cashier
- Review the odds/potential returns
- If acceptable, give your money to the cashier. Take your betting slip and keep it in a safe place.
How To Bet On Alternate Spread
No matter if you’re a novice or seasoned sports bettor, you’ve probably experienced the following instances when you bet against the spread.
Imagine that you see a spread in a game that you have to analyze what the right side is. Maybe if the spread were just one or two points higher or lower in whichever direction, then you’d have the confidence to bet it.
Or, imagine you saw a spread that seemed like a no-brainer. Even if the spread were drastically different, you’d still feel comfortable betting on the same side. In both of these scenarios, it would be wise for sports bettors to take advantage of the “alternate spreads” offered by most sportsbooks.
What’s An Alternate Spread?
Alternate spreads are the lines that sportsbooks offer that vary from the initial game spread. More than 10 points may change some alternate spreads.
Alternate spreads have a payout potential that is much better—or much worse—than the initial spread. The more points one decides to put on the favorite with an alternate spread, the more their payout returns. Conversely, if one chooses an alternate spread where the favorite places fewer points than the original spread, the payout returns would also be less, as there is less risk involved.
What Sports Are Alternate Spreads Available For?
Depending on the sportsbook, most sporting events that have spreads would also have alternate spreads available to bet on. A basketball game’s alternate spreads function pretty much the same way it does in football.
In ice hockey and baseball, the spread is more generally referred to as “puck line” or “run line.” No matter which teams play, the favorite the puck line or run line is usually-1.5. However, many sportsbooks will offer other variants of these lines as alternate spreads. For instance, one will be able to bet the favorite in a 4.5-run baseball game.
As baseball and hockey scoring vary significantly from other sports, the alternate spreads odds would adjust accordingly.
How Place An Alternate Spread Bet?
Placing An Alternate Spread Bet Online
- Sign in to your sportsbook account.
- Find the game(s) you’d like to bet on.
- Click on the subheading that says ‘Game Props’ or ‘More Wagers’
- Find the text that says “Alternate Spreads” or “Alternate Lines.”
- Take a look at all the alternate spreads and choose one that is most satisfying.
- Review and verify the odds/potential returns.
- If you are happy, enter your bet amount and hit “confirm bet.”
Making An Alternate Spread Wager At A Sportsbook (In-Person)
- Walk up to the cashier window and inform them which game you’d like to bet on.
- Inform the cashier that you’d like to make an “alternate spread” bet.
- If you already know the alternate spreads offered, let the cashier know what you’d like to bet on. Otherwise, the cashier will show all available alternate spreads to you on the screen.
- Tell your bet amount to the cashier.
- Find out the odds/potential returns.
- If acceptable, give your money to the cashier. Collect your betting slip and secure it in a safe place.
How to Bet the Alternate Handicap
Depending on where you are from, impairment betting is handled the same as spread betting. The term’ handicap betting’ is more common in Europe and sometimes replaces the term ‘spread.’ As a result, handicap bets work the same way as spread in the sense that the underdog gets a ‘head start’ before the game starts.
In soccer matches, a traditional handicap is a goal granted to the underdog. This number may change depending on how big the favorite one is. But what if you were so sure on one side that you were tempted to gamble on a bigger handicap?
Like alternative spreads, many sportsbooks provide alternative handicaps with higher payouts that bettors can take advantage of.
What’s the Alternate Handicap Bet?
Although spreads are very popular in sports such as American football and basketball, they are not applicable in football. That’s mainly because a soccer match can end in a draw, and it does not always produce a definite winner. Thus, when you bet on a moneyline in a football match, you will always be able to bet on a draw as a third option.
As far as handicap bets are concerned, sportsbooks can be innovative in their offerings.
How to make an Alternate Handicap Bet?
Follow these steps on your mobile device or app:
- Sign in to your sportsbooks account.
- Find the game and the league you would like to bet on.
- Search for a headline that says “More Wagers” or “Game Props.”
- Find the headline that says “Spread Props” or some variation of it.
- Look for the “Alternate Spreads” option.
- Please enter the amount for your wager.
- Check the odds and click on “Place Bet.”
When placing an alternate handicap bet in person at a sportsbook, make sure that your wordings are very precise. Tell the cashier that you’d like to make an “Alternate Handicap” bet. After telling the cashier which game you want to bet on, they will show you all available alternate handicap lines. Determine which alternate handicap you would like to bet on. If the odds are reasonable and the cashier has entered your bet correctly, tell the cashier your bet amount. Finally, give your money to the cashier and get your betting ticket.
