Our wait is finally over, the NFL is officially back this week!
Football season is when a lot of sports bettors get back into the swing of things. From Monday and Thursday Night Football to CFB Saturdays and RedZone Sundays, there’s no shortage of action from September to February.
Between now and last NFL season, DraftKings Sportsbook has opened operations in multiple new states! Some of you may be joining us in one of those areas, or simply deciding to give sports betting a try for the first time.
Either way, if you’re looking for a straightforward sports betting 101 breakdown, you’ve come to the right place. This article will cover all that DraftKings Sportsbook has to offer, along with a few tips/betting basics every user should know.
Place your bets at DraftKings Sportsbook or by downloading the DraftKings Sportsbook app.
Covering the betting basics
Moneyline
As straightforward as it gets, a moneyline bet is a wager on which team/player you think will win the game/match. You’re picking an outright winner, and the potential payout is based on the odds determined by DraftKings Sportsbook. For example, if you bet $100 on the Bills to beat the Chiefs at +200 odds, your total payout would be $300.
Spread
Spreads are utilized by oddsmakers to determine the gap between a favorite and underdog in any type of contest. A point spread bet is a wager on which team/player will win the match/game by a specified gap. This gives bettors more breathing room to bet on underdogs as they can still lose, but as long as they stay within the point spread the wager will win. For example, if the Cowboys are +3.5 point underdogs against the Eagles, a 23-20 Philadelphia victory would still result in that spread wager winning, as the Cowboys lost by fewer than four points.
Total
A wager on the total or the Over/Under of a game is a bet on the number of points, runs, or goals in a contest. With this particular type of bet, you have those two options. However, there will be times when the total is set at a whole number. For example, the Over/Under of Dolphins vs. Bengals could be exactly 45 points. If you bet either side of that total and it ends up being 45, the bet results in a “push” and your wager is refunded.
Stay within your bankroll
If you want to regularly bet on any type of sport, it’s important to set limits and determine a game plan. The best bettors in the world may wager millions on any given weekend, but they’re working with a much larger bankroll. In the beginning, it’s crucial to manage expectations and place wagers with a reasonable “unit” size — your standard monetary amount for a single bet — considering your budget. Wagering 1-3% of your bankroll on a specific bet as a unit tends to be a smart strategy.
Understand the vig/juice
This is where understanding odds comes into play. If you’re placing most of your bets on favorites at “negative” odds, you will need to win a specific majority of those wagers to break even. For example, let’s say you place a wager on Chiefs moneyline against the 49ers at -110 odds. -110 means you would need to wager $110 to win $100. If you’re placing wagers at strictly -110 odds, you would need to win 52.3% of them to break even.
On the other side of the coin, you would not have to win a majority of your wagers if they are placed at “plus-money” odds (longer than +100). However, those wagers inherently come with more risk, as they are not typically favored to win.
Which sports are available on DraftKings Sportsbook?
DraftKings Sportsbook offers a wide selection of props on a myriad of sports. Football, tennis, soccer, rugby, darts, MMA, cricket… if you can think of it, DraftKings Sportsbook likely covers it.
Check out the homepage to browse the full selection of sports available.
Operating the app: tips and tricks
Use the search function
DraftKings Sportsbook is massive, so the search function is a great way to find specific markets. You can look up players, teams, leagues or events to find every available bet relevant to that subject.
Also, you can now access DraftKings Network articles directly through DraftKings Sportsbook using the search function.
Promos & Pools
At the top of DraftKings Sportsbook you’ll see a menu that features a variety of options, such as “Promos” and “Pools”. Both of these pages are resources that users should utilize consistently. New promos run constantly throughout the week, so keep an eye on them to see if anything piques your interest. Pools are a fixed price point form of betting where wagers are placed against other bettors who have entered the same event. Prizes are determined by the number of entries and total winners in each contest.
DraftKings Social
DraftKings Social is a social community that lets players interact with each other, find and share bets, create contests and more. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people and find inspiration for future wagers.
That’s your sports betting 101 breakdown! If you’re ready to give it a try, place your bets at DraftKings Sportsbook or by downloading the DraftKings Sportsbook app.
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.