What Does ‘Odds Boost’ Mean in Sports Betting?
An “Odds Boost” is a special offer where a sportsbook temporarily increases the odds—and therefore the potential payout—for a specific, pre-selected bet.
Think of it like a “flash sale” or a “daily special.” The sportsbook is trying to get you interested in a popular game by offering you a better-than-normal price on a specific outcome.
How an Odds Boost Works: An Example
Let’s say the Kansas City Chiefs are playing, and you want to bet on Patrick Mahomes.
- Original Odds: Patrick Mahomes to throw over 2.5 touchdowns is +120.
- A $10 bet would win $12 profit.
- The Odds Boost: The sportsbook offers a “Daily Boost” on that exact bet.
- Patrick Mahomes to throw over 2.5 touchdowns is Boosted to +180.
- Now, the same $10 bet would win $18 profit.
You don’t have to do anything special other than select the “boosted” option instead of the regular one.
The Most Common Types of Boosts
Sportsbooks rarely let you boost any bet you want. Instead, they will offer a daily menu of specific bets they have chosen to boost, which are often:
- Player Props: (e.g., “Jalen Hurts to rush for a touchdown”)
- Parlays: (e.g., “The Cowboys, Eagles, and 49ers all to win on Sunday”)
- Same Game Parlays (SGPs): (e.g., “Lakers to win + LeBron James to score over 25 points”)
⚠️ The “Catch” to Watch For
There is almost always one main restriction on an odds boost:
A Maximum Stake Limit.
The sportsbook will limit how much money you can place on the boosted bet (e.g., $10, $25, or $50). This is to protect themselves from losing too much money on a promotional offer.
In short, it’s a marketing tool to offer you a more tempting payout on a specific bet, but it usually comes with a cap on how much you can wager.