What Does ‘Public Money’ Mean in Sports Betting?
“Public Money” refers to the money being bet by the majority of casual, everyday bettors—regular folks like you and me, rather than professional gamblers.
You’ll also hear this group called “The Public,” “The Squares,” or “The Consensus.”
How to Spot “Public Money”
The public is notoriously predictable. Because casual bettors watch sports for entertainment, they almost always bet with their heart or their gut, not with math.
“Public Money” usually floods onto:
- Favorites: People like betting on winners, not losers.
- Overs: People want to see points and touchdowns, not a defensive struggle.
- Popular Teams: Teams with huge fanbases (like the Cowboys, Yankees, or Lakers) always get more public money than smaller-market teams, regardless of the stats.
Public Money vs. Sharp Money
This is the most important battle in betting.
- Public Money: Represents the number of bet tickets. (e.g., “80% of the bets are on the Chiefs”).
- Sharp Money: Represents the actual cash amount. (e.g., “But 60% of the money is on the Raiders”).
If a sportsbook sees that 80% of the bets are on the Chiefs, but the line moves against them, that tells you the “Sharps” (pros with big money) disagree with the “Public” (average joes with small money).
The Strategy: “Fading the Public”
Many bettors use a strategy called “Fading the Public.”
The logic is simple: “Sportsbooks build massive casinos because the public usually loses. Therefore, I should bet on whatever the public hates.”
If everyone and their mother is betting on the Packers to win big on Monday Night Football, a bettor “fading the public” would bet on the opponent, simply because the crowd is often wrong.