What Does ‘Sell Points’ Mean in Sports Betting?

In sports betting, “Selling Points” (usually found under “Alternate Lines”) means you voluntarily choose a worse point spread (making your bet harder to win) in exchange for a much bigger payout.

It is the exact opposite of “Buying Points.”

• Buying Points: You pay a fee to get a safer line.
• Selling Points: You accept a riskier line to get a bigger reward.

How It Works

You are basically telling the sportsbook: “I am so confident my team will crush this spread that I don’t even need all these points. Take some back, and give me better odds instead.”

🏈 Example: Selling Points on a Favorite

• Official Line: Chiefs -3.5 (-110 odds).
  • (Standard Bet: Risk $110 to win $100).
• The Move: You think the Chiefs will blow them out, so you sell points to move the line to -7.5.
• The New Bet: Chiefs -7.5 (+180 odds).
  • (Now, the Chiefs must win by 8 or more, but you only have to risk $100 to win $180).

🏈 Example: Selling Points on an Underdog

• Official Line: Giants +7.5 (-110 odds).
• The Move: You think the Giants will keep it very close, so you don’t need the full touchdown cushion. You sell points to move the line to +3.5.
• The New Bet: Giants +3.5 (+150 odds).
  • (Now, the Giants have less room for error, but your payout is significantly higher).

Why Do It?

Bettors sell points when they predict a blowout or a mismatch that the oddsmakers missed. If you think the standard line is way off, selling points lets you attack that weakness for a larger profit.