Moneyline Betting Explained

A moneyline bet is the simplest wager in sports betting: pick which team or player you think will win. There’s no point spread to worry about, no totals — just a winner and a loser.

How moneyline odds work

Moneyline odds are shown as either a negative number (favorite) or a positive number (underdog).

• −150 means the team is favored. You must wager $150 to win $100 in profit.
• +130 means the team is the underdog. A $100 wager wins you $130 in profit.

The bigger the favorite, the larger the negative number — and the more you must risk to win a smaller amount. The bigger the underdog, the larger the positive number — and the more you win on a small stake.

Calculating payouts

For favorites (negative odds): Stake × (100 / odds) = profit

• Example: $50 at −200 → $50 × (100/200) = $25 profit, plus your $50 back ($75 total return)

For underdogs (positive odds): Stake × (odds / 100) = profit

• Example: $50 at +180 → $50 × (180/100) = $90 profit, plus your $50 back ($140 total return)

Most Missouri sportsbooks calculate this for you in the bet slip — but understanding the math helps you spot good prices.

When moneyline betting makes sense

Moneylines are best for:

• Heavy favorites when you’re confident in the outcome and can absorb the lower payout (e.g., Chiefs −300 at home).
• Live underdogs with a real shot — paying +200 or higher.
• Sports without natural spreads, like baseball, hockey, soccer, and tennis.

Moneylines are less useful in NFL or NBA when the game is expected to be close — there, point spreads usually offer better value.

Three quick tips for Missouri bettors

1. Shop the line. A team might be −150 at DraftKings and −145 at Circa. Over time, those small price differences add up.
2. Avoid heavy favorites in parlays. Stacking multiple −300 favorites barely moves the payout while compounding risk.
3. Watch for live moneylines. If a favorite falls behind early, you can sometimes grab them at +110 or better — strong value if you trust the underlying matchup.