If you want to mitigate the risks involved in sports betting, you should consider such an option as a teaser bet. It looks like a parlay, which is to say you are expected to place it against several selections (commonly not less than two). The difference is in the additional points on the betting line. You can choose the points that you like and get a higher chance of winning. However, you should know that teaser betting comes with lower payouts but also with lower risks compared with parlays.
Let’s gain insight into this subject to understand whether it makes sense to decide on a teaser bet.
Quick Jump ⇣
- What Is a Teaser Bet & How Does It Work?
- How to Place a Teaser Bet?
- When & Where to Make a Teaser Bet Online?
- What Are the Most Common Types of Teaser Bets?
- Teaser Betting Rules
- Teaser Bets Odds
- Teaser Bets Payouts with Example
- Teasers Bets at Online Betting Sites
- Teaser Betting Strategy: Tips for Winning Teaser Bets
- Advantages & Disadvantages Of Teaser Bets
- Are Teaser Bets Worth it?
- FAQs
In teaser bets, football and basketball are commonly used, including the NFL, NBA, and NCAA. Once again, just as in the context of a parlay, here you involve multiple selections (two or more bets) in a single wager. All of them are expected to win so that you can get payouts. If a single one does not live up to your prediction, you will lose your money. The teaser allows you to alter the point by choosing the most convenient range in the line designated by a sportsbook.
Moving the line in your favor means you have more chances to succeed. For instance, let’s consider a 6-point teaser. When you suppose that the total will be 9, you can add or subtract 6 points to or from this total, and in this way you’ll extend the range of points, increasing the likelihood of each bet. But you should be aware that the payout ratio will differ from the profit that you could get on a parlay – it will be smaller. Still, you can win a lot and at the same time manage the losses.
First, you are to log in to the account of the online sportsbook you’ve chosen. Go to the page with the main football or basketball teams. And select the ones that you are going to bet on. At this stage, you do all that you are required to do when you construct a parlay, using point spreads, totals, or combinations. If you are a beginner, you are recommended to start with a two-team teaser. Needless to say that you can decide on teaser bets featuring over 10 teams if you are able to predict their performance in the considered games.
When you are ready, open the bet slip, find the “Teasers” section, and click on it to see the number of points. You can move the spread for every team as you like. The more points you choose, the smaller profit you’ll get provided that all your selections pay off. Now enter the amount of your bet. Most online sports betting platforms calculate the potential winnings.
The best sport for teaser betting is still football. However, you can bet on basketball games too. You can find this betting type on any reputable online sportsbook. Almost all of them provide their customers with diverse features, as this is a very popular option now. Just compare their terms by looking through the list of leagues and teams, comparing the offers, and registering on the online platform meeting your requirements. For instance, these three services are worth noticing:
- 22Bet – this is a European online gambling website. It was launched in 2018 to provide users with a stunning betting experience. They are available all around the world. Here you get access to crucial sports events and numerous features. There are special bonuses, including a 100% bonus for the first deposit. You can count on tons of payment options, high payouts, and mobile applications. Unfortunately, there is no live streaming on this platform.
- 888sport – this popular online betting service, founded in 2008, has been improved recently and can boast of advanced opportunities. There are a lot of offers on players, teams, games, seasons, and betting lines on this platform. Here you can make some free and risk-free bets. If you are not an experienced bettor, you can benefit from their instructional content, which teaches you how to bet on sports.
- WilliamHill – they are really big and old, having been founded in 1934. Their headquarters are located in London, but there is an international division with a hub in Malta, covering users from all over the world. Here you will find the most recent industry solutions and exclusive software for poker. Keep in mind that games are not only about gambling but also about your mental development. Read this article to learn more.
The above operators are a drop in the ocean, several among many sites that provide teaser bets. You can practice your teaser betting skills on any of them! Choose a fully licensed, legal, and reputable service. And, we’ll do our best to give you a comprehensive idea of teasers and answer common questions on the subject, so that you can increase your prospects of success.
You get several types of teaser bets, which differ from each other a little bit. Knowing the peculiarities, you’ll be able to get the most out of teaser betting.
This is a teaser bet, which we have described above. You can adjust the point spread within the suggested range. The most common choice is a two-team 6-point teaser on a football game or a 4-point teaser on a basketball game. It means that both football teams should correspond to your predicted outcome shifted by 6 and 4 points of the line, respectively.
Example. Let’s say the forecast for the parlay is -9.5 and +2.5 for the above football teams. When you place the two-team 6-point regular teaser, you’ll get -3.5 (-9,5 + 6) and +8.5 (+2,5 + 6) respectively. If either fails to meet the prediction, the regular teaser will lose, but this is next to impossible.
A reverse teaser means that a bettor adjusts the spread and totals lines against himself but in favor of a sportsbook. It is rather difficult to handle, but it is worth the effort as it provides larger payoffs due to a higher risk. This betting type is also known as a pleaser bet. All other conditions are similar to regular teaser betting. You have to make multiple bets as one wager, and you will get your payouts when all selections win.
Example. Let’s say the forecast for the parlay is -9.5 and +2.5 for the above football teams. When you place the two-team 6-point reverse teaser, you’ll get -15.5 (-9,5 – 6) and -3.5 (+2,5 – 6) respectively. If either fails to meet the prediction, the reverse teaser will lose.
You may come across sports betting sites that allow you to set your own point spreads and place a custom teaser bet on a single game and team. Also, they can allow the creation of a parlay. You can shift these alternate point spreads up and down. This is an additional option to benefit from teasers.
When there are examples, it is easier to understand the above information. Let’s consider NFL betting on two teams: the Jets and the Patriots.
The original spread for Jets vs. Falcons is +2.5, but when you place a 6-point regular teaser bet, it will be +8.5. The original spread for Patriots vs. Texans is -7, but when you place a 6-point regular teaser bet, it will be -1.
The teams can fail to cover the original point spread, but they must cover it in a teaser so that you can get your payouts. Let’s assume that the price for this teaser is -120. It means that you can lose $120 wagering on these teams if one of them (or both of them) does not cover your specified spreads. But if your prediction proves true, you’ll get a profit equal to $100.
When you decide on teaser betting, you should know the variables that you will have to deal with. They are:
- The number of options (games, teams, and so on) – commonly, a teaser cannot include less than 2 and more than 10 selections. But, again, there are particular requirements on various online platforms.
- The number of points you are going to move the line by – they are usually common. For football matches, these are 6, 6.5, and 7 points; for basketball games, these are 4, 4.5, and 5 points. But we are not speaking about strict limits. The offer is flexible. And you can find other options.
- Payout amounts – if you get more favorable conditions to win, you will get smaller payouts as you reduce the risk. In other words, if you choose a 5-point basketball teaser, you will earn less compared with a 4-point teaser. The number of selections also impacts your payouts. If you complicate your betting by adding more selections to a teaser, you’ll increase the risk (that at least one of them may lose) and drive up the payouts as a consequence.
It is not allowed to mix different sports in the same teaser, but professional and college games of the same sport can be included in one teaser bet.
Before you start, we recommend learning the most important betting rules.
When you prefer a teaser, it means that you are looking for better chances to win. The sportsbooks offer various prices for you to gain, which also include their margin. These prices are known as teaser bet odds. They are calculated by analysts of sportsbooks, aimed at the most accurate prediction of the final outcome.
The lower the odds are, the more winning chances the team has. Considering the fact that there are various factors impacting the value of bet odds, you are recommended to investigate the market and find the most beneficial ones.
There are various formats for these prices. When it comes to teaser bets, we deal with the so-called American odds, which are whole numbers like 120, 150, 250, and so on. The odds can be marked with “+” and “-“. Minus shows the favorite. The figure shows the amount on which a bettor is expected to bet if he wants to earn $100. There are also other formats known as European odds (3, 5) and English odds (5/2).
Teaser payouts depend on such variables as sport, number of selections, and number of points. Sportsbooks use different calculation methods. That is why payouts can vary from one sportsbook to another. However, the scheme below is quite common.
This table shows payouts for various numbers of teams and various points. Here you can see both the American and English formats of bet odds.
| Football | 2 teams | 3 teams | 4 teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Points | -110 (10/11) | +180 (9/5) | +300 (3/1) |
| 6.5 Points | -120 (5/6) | +160 (8/5) | +250 (5/2) |
| 7 Points | -130 (10/13) | +140 (7/5) | +200 (2/1) |
Example:
A 6-point four-team teaser bet costs +300 (3/1). You have to bet $100 to gain $300.
A 6-point two-team teaser bet costs – 110 (10/11). It means you have to bet $110 to gain $100.
Teaser betting is available at almost all online betting sites. It makes sense to look through some of them to choose the one that meets your requirements or sign up for several accounts to get access to all possible options.
Keep in mind that these sites come with various features and payouts. You should ensure that a platform is secure and licensed, providing you with a rich choice of payment methods. Pay attention to transaction limits and available promotions. Helpful and reliable customer support does matter.
You should consider a range of factors influencing the outcome, including the motivation of the players. Still, there are some hacks you may rely on. For instance, you can benefit from betting on:
- a football game by moving the line in accordance with likely scores. You should know the key numbers of points, which result in the required finish of the game. They are 3 and 7 points.
- a basketball game by moving the line with likely scores. Here, the most frequent points of victory are 5 and 7.
Pros:
- better point spreads, increasing the likelihood of winning over bets at the original line;
- relatively low costs with a high payout potential;
- the variety of odds, offered by various online sportsbooks, allows bettors to manage gains;
- effective approach providing a bettor with winning though it may be difficult to win big.
Cons:
- all games or teams must win so that the teaser bet wins;
- you have to pay an extra premium in accordance with the number of points you move the line by;
- you get lower payouts compared with parlays due to lower risks.
By understanding the sport, what is over/under in betting, keeping the number of selections of your teaser bet low (two or three teams, for instance), and moving the line by lucky points (those key numbers mentioned above), you make winning almost unavoidable. And that means teaser bets are worth it! However, teasers with more than three outcomes can be quite hard to predict and benefit from betting.
FAQs
What is an open teaser?
This is a type of teaser bet that increases betting options. While one of the bets involved is undecided and there are no losing bets in the teaser, you can add new bets to an existing teaser.
Where can I find teaser bets? Do all sportsbooks offer teaser bets?
Almost any reputable and legal sportsbook provides its users with this popular betting option. However, the terms and rules can be different, so a bettor can manage his winnings by choosing favorable conditions.
Are Over/Under (totals) bets allowed when you place teaser bets?
Yes, there is such an option. In particular, if you are involved in NFL betting, you can place over-under teaser bets combining the scores of two teams in the same game, for instance. In this case, you are expected to predict that the total will be higher or lower compared with the predetermined value for that game.
Can a teaser bet push?
It is possible. If one of the selections is pushed, it is just removed from the teaser and you continue betting with the remaining selections. But, you should learn more about pushes within a teaser at the sportsbook you use. The requirements may differ.
What should I expect from the situation when one selection of a 2-team 6-point teaser bet pushes?
If you know the parlay rules, you know the answer. Your bet will be considered a 1-team 6-point teaser bet, and you will get a lower payout.
What is a “sweetheart teaser”?
This is another name for a regular teaser which is used when a bettor moves the betting line by a lot of points up to 12. You will certainly win but get fewer payouts.
Are parlay and teasers the same?
No, they are not. Teasers can be considered to be a variation of parlay as a wager should be constructed with two or more selections. This is a common feature. But, teasers allow you to move the line by a certain number of points in your favor to mitigate risk.
️