How Do Moneyline Bets Work

That’s just how these odds work. American Odds show how much you’ll win with a $100 bet (odds with +) or how much you need to bet to win $100 (odds with -) In other words, the lower the number, the more likely they are to win, and the less money you win. WInning a bet marked at -220, means that you would win an extra $100 if you placed $220. A moneyline is a straight up bet on the outcome of a game. The favorite is always indicated by a minus sign (-), and the underdog is indicated by a plus sign (+). In the case of the favorite, the moneyline is the amount a bettor would have to wager to win $100. For the underdog, the moneyline is the amount a bettor stands to win if they were to.

The Super Bowl is the most wagered-on singular sporting event each year in the US, and the 2021 version will be no exception. This year’s matchup features Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs taking on Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kansas City will be looking to become the first back-to-back NFL champions since the Patriots accomplished the feat in 2003-04, and the Buccaneers will be looking to hoist the Lombardi Trophy for the first time since the 2002 NFL season.

Here is everything you need to know about this year’s game.

The odds

Here are live odds for Super Bowl LV, with line comparisons of the top US sportsbooks.

Want to bet on the game? Simply click on the odds above and you’ll be directed to the sportsbook and qualify for our exclusive sign-up bonuses!

Search Super Bowl props

Already have an idea of what you want to wager on? Search for a team or player below and we’ll direct you to the best betting odds for every possible way to bet on them. Happy shopping!

The Teams

Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs have dominated like few other teams in modern sports with only one loss (40-32 vs. Raiders in Week 5) since Week 11 of last season. We’re not counting a 2020 season Week 17 loss to the Chargers in which few Chiefs starters played.

• Last postseason, KC averaged 39 PPG and were 14 points shy of the all-time record of 131 points set by the 1994 San Francisco 49ers. This season, the Chiefs finished fifth in PPG (29.4) but were first in total YPG (418.3) and were second in Drive Success Rate as determined by metrics from Football Outsiders.
• The Chiefs failed to cover the spread in eight of their last nine games before pulling away for a 38-24 win over the Bills in the AFC Championship. They were just 1-5 against the spread (ATS) in division games and were 7-5 against non-division foes. The Chiefs were dead even against the Over with a 9-9 record in the regular season and postseason.
• While KC needed some miraculous offense to erase multiple deficits in the playoffs last year, they’ve been in control throughout most of their games this postseason. A defense that’s vastly improved, particularly in the secondary, deserves credit for the Chiefs dominance.
• Kansas City held opposing QBs to the fourth-lowest completion rate (62.3%) and forced an interception on 2.8% of passes. Their secondary held the high-scoring Bills to just 4.9 yards per attempt in the AFC title game and their defensive line is generating a solid 6.5% sack rate over their last three games.
• The Chiefs are vulnerable in rush defense and struggle to stop opponents in the red zone, but have benefited from game flow and forced opposing teams into obvious passing situations, where Tyrann Mathieu and their ball-hawking secondary can thrive.

ALSO READ: 10 Ways to bet on the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

It didn’t take long for Tom Brady to take the Tampa Bay Buccaneers franchise to the next level. After struggling at times during the first half of the season, Brady hit another gear down the stretch. He comes into his 10th Super Bowl appearance rocking a 110.8 passer rating with a 19:4 TD:INT ratio over his last seven starts.

• Brady is surrounded by talented receivers in Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, and Scotty Miller. His old running mate Rob Gronkowski has lost a step as a receiver, but is still a force as a blocker, and Cameron Brate is manning the middle of the field.
• Tampa is even stronger on the defensive side of the ball. Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles led an aggressive unit that allowed the fewest rushing YPG (81.4) at a 3.7 YPC clip. With Shaq Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul screaming off the edge, Tampa finished 10th in sack rate (6.8%) this season and got past the Packers by sacking Aaron Rodgers five times in the NFC Championship.
• The Bucs lean on the pass under HC Bruce Arians. They have the third-lowest rush-play percentage (37.5%) and average the second-most passing YPG (287.1) this season. However, Leonard Fournette has injected life into their dormant rush offense and they’re averaging 115 rushing YPG in the playoffs.
• Tampa Bay went 4-1 ATS this season when listed as underdogs. They were 9-2 on the road, but will play the Super Bowl in their home stadium in front of a widely neutral crowd. The Bucs were 3-1 against the AFC West, with their sole loss coming against Kansas City (27-24) in Week 12. They were missing starting CB Jamel Dean in that matchup and will hope that starting safeties Jordan Whitehead (shoulder) and Antoine Winfield Jr. (ankle) are active for the Super Bowl.

ALSO READ: 10 Ways to bet on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV

Super Bowl LV betting breakdown

The Players

Super Bowl LV is all about the quarterbacks. Mahomes, the reigning Super Bowl MVP, and Brady – who has won four Super Bowl MVPs with six championships.

Operators at BetMGM report that there is over three times as much money down on Mahomes to win Super Bowl MVP versus Brady. Mahomes is even money and Brady is getting 2/1 odds at most books.

“Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady are the most popular picks by bettors to win Super Bowl MVP,” said Darren Darby, Sports Trader at BetMGM. “Mahomes is an even money favorite, with nearly half of all BetMGM’s handle on the Chiefs quarterback to win the award.”

The matchup certainly necessitates a big game from Mahomes considering how the Bucs defend the run. While it’s Mahomes pulling the trigger, he’s at the helm of one of the most uniquely dangerous offenses in NFL history. Andy Reid is an offensive genius and instinctive play caller who is 23-5 after a bye week, including playoff games.

Tampa has struggled in pass defense at times and rookie CB Carlton Davis was abused by Tyreek Hill in their Week 12 matchup. Hill erupted for 200-plus yards and 2 TDs in the first quarter alone with Davis left in single coverage against the speedster. Bowles adjusted by sending more help his way in the second half and should have a plan in place to try and prevent another eruption from Hill.

If Tampa shades coverage towards Hill and the Chiefs other speedy receivers, Travis Kelce will likely be free to work in single coverage. Kelce set a record for receiving yards (1,416) in a season by a TE and has 8 or more receptions in eight of his last nine games. Tampa allowed the seventh-most receptions (86) and TDs (9) to TEs during the regular season. Kelce and Hill have relatively low odds (+250) to score multiple TDs at DraftKings Sportsbook. Kelce’s receiving prop is 94.5 yards at DK and Hill’s prop is just 92.5 yards with -124 odds to go Over that number.

What Is A Moneyline Bet

• On paper, the Chiefs are more vulnerable against the run – so Leonard Fournette is an intriguing option in Daily Fantasy contests. His rushing prop sits at 48.5 yards at DK and you can even bet on him logging Over or Under 11.5 attempts. Fournette is getting +120 odds at DK to score a TD and +1050 odds to be the first TD scorer of the game.
• The Bucs individual receivers draw some very difficult matchups. Mike Evans lines up opposite Bashaud Breeland, who ranks ninth in coverage rating with the third-lowest catch rate (50.8%) allowed this season. Chris Godwin will see a lot of L’Jarius Sneed, who ranks seventh in coverage rating and has 2 interceptions with only 2 TDs allowed all year.
• The Chiefs primary slot CB, Charvarius Ward, is the weakest link by association, but he’s still 37th overall among CBs and allows just 0.81 yards of separation per target.
• Godwin has been the most targeted receiver for Brady but has only secured 14-of-28 targets this postseason. He has a good chance to top 77.5 receiving yards with the Bucs likely to be in comeback mode. Evans has a receiving prop of 63.5 yards, but he’s more of a low-volume red zone specialist. He’s getting +125 odds at DK to score a TD and +1100 odds to score the first or last TD of Super Bowl LV.

Where to bet

The top sportsbooks for states that allow online gambling include DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook,
PointsBet, BetMGM,FOX Bet and BetRivers.

If you are unsure of whether or not you can bet on the Super Bowl in your state, go to our state-by-state list here.

All of these books offer intriguing promotions and odds boosts for the big game.

• DraftKings recently boosted the odds of Brady to record a rushing or receiving TD from +450 to +525. He’s a master of the QB sneak and could certainly pull one off in the Super Bowl.
• FanDuel offers multi-sport parlay insurance for bettors who take five results in different sports. If four of those outcomes come to fruition, but the fifth doesn’t hit, you get $25 back. For Super Bowl 55, new users get ridiculous 55-1 odds to back the Chiefs or Bucs on the moneyline as their first FanDuel wager.
• New users at PointsBet who place their first wager of $20 on the Chiefs or Bucs on the moneyline or spread and earn $155 in free bets if the team they back scores.
• FOX Bet is running a similar promotion where new users can bet $10 on the Chiefs or Bucs and net $100 in free bets if the team they back scores.

Betting the spread on the Super Bowl

The Chiefs opened as 3.5-point favorites on the point spread, meaning that they would have to win by 4-plus points for that bet to be successful. The Bucs received a lot of early action as 3.5-point underdogs, and the line moved to an even 3 points in some places.

The spread is currently Chiefs .

The point spread usually hovers around a key number, such as 3, because that is the most likely difference in a close game. It’s possible to get off a key number, or “hook,” by buying points at the expense of your odds. For example, if you want the Chiefs at -2.5 but your sportsbook of choice has them at -3.5, you might be able to buy a point and bet them at -2.5 with -140 odds.

Betting the moneyline on the Super Bowl

Betting the moneyline is a simple way to pick a winner. The final score doesn’t matter with the moneyline, just the victor. The Chiefs have been masterful at pulling out close games in recent seasons and are getting odds on the moneyline. While over 75% of bets and handle at DK is on the Chiefs to cover the spread, only 63% of money is on the Chiefs moneyline, since those odds are less appealing.

Betting the total on the Super Bowl

The total for Super Bowl LV opened at 57.5 points, which is tied for the highest total in SB history along with the Rams-Patriots Super Bowl two years ago (New England won, 13-3, in a surprisingly low-scoring result).

Betting Under that total would cash if both teams combine to score fewer than 57 points, with a final score of 27-24 functioning as a win. The Over would hit if both teams combine for 58 or more points, as would occur in a 31-28 game.

Note that the total has moved down to 56.5 points in many spots with the public attacking the Under, following a trend with three of the last five Super Bowls going Under the implied total.

The current over/under for this year’s Super Bowl is .

Betting Super Bowl props

When it comes to the Super Bowl, there are no shortage of proposition bets or “props.”

These bets can be an Over/Under regarding a player’s performance, a Yes/No proposition on that player scoring a TD, or a bet on the Super Bowl MVP. There are also Kickoff Specials, First Play Specials, and props on the number of Coaches Challenges used.

Many books offer a wide range of novelty props that have nothing to do with the competition, such as the length of the National Anthem, or the color of the Gatorade dumped on the victorious coach.

How to watch the Super Bowl

The Super Bowl is annually the most-watched TV program in the US. Last year 102.1 million people tuned in to the big game. As for what time does the Super Bowl start and end, kickoff will be at 6:30 p.m. ET and should wrap up just before 10 p.m..

• TV Channel: CBS
• Live stream: CBS All Access
• Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Tony Romo (analyst), Tracy Wolfson (sideline reporter), Evan Washburn (sideline reporter), Jay Feely (sideline reporter)

One of the most common types of sports betting lines when wagering on a game is the moneyline. You will see moneyline odds for every game and every sport played for the most part. While some games that have a very large spread but stray away from offering a moneyline, it is still one of the most popular styles of betting. A moneyline is a type of straight wager where the bettor wagers simply on who will win the contest, straight up – without any spread involved.

How Do Moneyline Bets Work In

The easiest way to think of moneyline betting odds is that you are only betting on who wins the game. It does not matter how many points or goals they win by, all that matters is who wins. If you see a - (negative) symbol then that team is the favorite and the team with the + (plus) sign is the underdog. Keep reading below to understand how moneyline odds work or visit the homepage of ExplainBettingOdds.com to read about odds in general.

Understanding How Moneyline Betting Odds Work

The moneyline is used exactly the same no matter what sport you are betting on. All you must do is select who you believe will with the matchup without any other thought behind you. By taking the favorite, a bettor would have to risk more money than what their expected return would be. Because there is no point spread involved to handicap the game, the oddsmakers and books handicap the payouts to ensure their book stays balanced. Betting on the underdog will result in a much better payout, as the oddsmakers have deemed this team less likely to lose. As you take action on either the favorite or the underdog and select the moneyline, a ratio of $100 is used to represent the payouts.

Seems pretty easy right?

Well, it's definitely easier than betting the point spread, in which a team has to cover a spread installed for a match up however you should know that moneyline wagers do not payout the same as a wager against the spread. Keep reading to learn more about payouts when betting on the moneyline.

Understanding Payouts When Betting On The Moneyline

The biggest differences on the moneyline though, aside from no point spread, is the payout. The idea behind a point spread is to bring the two teams in a match up to a more even playing field. If a team is better than the other, the points given by the favorite brings the underdog to a more even field. That is not the case on the moneyline.

Simply put, you will have to risk a whole lot more money on a favorite to profit. On the flip side though, if you bet on the underdog, the potential profit is a lot bigger on the moneyline than betting on the point spread. That is because the likelihood of the underdog winning is slim on the moneyline.

Explanation Of How Moneylines Work In MLB

• Atlanta Braves -300
• Philadelphia Phillies +200

This is an example of a moneyline you could see in Major League Baseball. The Braves are matching up with the Phillies, with Atlanta set as the favorite. You can tell Atlanta is the favorite because of the minus symbol. It is indicative of the amount that must be risked to return a profit. At -300, a $1 profit is made for every $3 risked on the Braves to win the game. On the other side, at +200, that is the same as saying 2/1. That means, for every $1 risked on Philadelphia to win the game, a $2 profit is returned. Moneylines are simply straight-up betting lines with no spread involved, which is why they can range quite significantly.

Article: How To Read MLB Betting Odds

Understanding The Moneyline In Football

• Denver Broncos -300
• Jacksonville Jaguars +300

Here in this example, the Broncos have been set in the role of the favorite, going off at -300 on the betting line. That means, for every $3 risked on Denver to win, a $1 profit is returned. So if you wager $30 on Denver to win, you stand to win $10. On the flip side, the Jaguars are set as a +300 underdog. That means for every $1 risked on Jacksonville, a $3 profit is returned. So if you were to wager $10 on Jacksonville to win, you would profit $30. So you can certainly see the disparity on the payout and why someone might want to take the Jaguars over the Broncos. Also, taking underdog moneylines in parlay bets can be huge for your payouts!

Article: How To Read College Football Betting Odds - How To Read NFL Betting Odds

Understanding The Moneyline Odds In The NBA

• Los Angeles Lakers +200
• Miami Heat -200

Here in this moneyline example for the NBA, the Lakers are matching up with the Heat. Miami has been set in the role of the betting favorite, going off at -200 on the betting line. As such, a $2 wager is needed to profit $1. So if you were to wager $200 on Miami, as $100 profit is returned if the bet is won. On the other side of the equation, the Lakers are in the underdog role. at +200, that is the same as 2/1. So, for every $1 risked on L.A to win, a $2 profit is returned. You can see a wide range of profits for a moneyline, because the underdog and favorite can be far apart straight up with no point spread.

Article: How To Read NBA Betting Odds

Bovada Sportsbook - Best Sports Betting Site For Betting On The Moneyline

Moneylines are one of the most popular bets that players get involved in. There are always teams that are expected to beat other teams. The margin of victory may be pretty wide. The big thing that sticks out here is how big of a favorite some teams are.

There plenty of moneylines that might show a team being a heavy favorite and if players bet against them, that is a very huge profitable opportunity. Upsets are always going to happen so this is where a lot of bread can be won. There are also toss-up games as well that many players take a stab at as well and end up cashing big on Bovada. This is the place to get when it comes to Moneyline bets regardless if its blowouts or close games.

BetOnline Sportsbook - Best Sportsbook With Great Moneylines

It's clear that BetOnline is one of the best sportsbooks for players and the moneylines that are offered are one of the main reasons why. There is news coming out all the time about teams prior to games and as soon as news drop that effects a team, it also affects the Moneyline on BetOnline.

This is what gives BetOnline a bonus over other sportsbooks because of the consistent update of Moneyline and always moving. Place your bet early could also be a great idea because of the news that could swing later on that week or day before matchup. BetOnline has it set up to where if any changes need to have done that is possible.

SportsBetting's Sportsbook - Lots Of Betting Odds When Betting On Moneylines

There are a number of things that SportsBetting sportsbook offers that makes it one of the better online sportsbooks for players. When it comes to picking some of these games with favorable matchups, the Moneyline does really determine how much players want to put down on these games. Most of the time, these games have the favorite that doesn’t really see players win a lot unless they put a lot of money down. When it comes to upsets, however, this is where players can have their lives change by just one pick.

Players with SportsBetting account have seen the Moneyline and have taken advantage of that the line because of the possible big payout. When you see a team like the Lions be underdogs against the Arizona Cardinals pull out the victory, only one thing is happening and that is big money is being handed out to all the players who took the chance on SportsBettting.

MyBookie Sportsbook - Money Line On MyBookie One of The Best

It is hard to find any sportsbook that has better moneylines that MyBookie. The way Moneyline works is very simple and most of the time it changes depending on what players are playing and are not. This often changes and sometimes in the favor of a player's bet. MyBookie is known for having a lot of people cash big when picking the Moneyline and the reason why is simple, their lines are better.

See the underdog betting like at (+115) is not bad but MyBookie will have that same under down with a Moneyline of (+130) which would win players more money if they were to bet on that underdog team. This is why shopping for lines is so important for all players. You can like a team to win a game and have decided you want to place a wager on them but once shopping around for lines, there is a big chance that you will find that MyBookie has the best moneylines.