What Does ‘Steam’ Mean in Sports Betting?
“Steam” is a slang term for a sudden, drastic change in the betting odds that happens across almost every sportsbook at the exact same time.
It’s the betting equivalent of a stock market crash or surge. One minute the line is stable, and the next minute it’s moving everywhere.
Why Does It Happen?
Steam is almost always caused by “Sharp Money“ (professional bettors or syndicates).
When a group of pros decides to bet big on a team, they don’t just bet at one place. They hit multiple sportsbooks simultaneously with maximum-limit bets.
- The “Steam” Hits: The pros bet huge money on the Cowboys -3.
- The Reaction: Sportsbooks see this massive influx of smart money and panic. They instantly move the line to Cowboys -4 to protect themselves.
- The Result: Because every book does this at once, the line moves universally. That momentum is the “steam.”
The Strategy: “Chasing Steam”
Many bettors try to “Chase Steam.”
This means they watch the screen for a steam move (e.g., the Cowboys moving from -3 to -4 at the big sportsbooks) and then frantically check smaller, slower sportsbooks to see if they can still find the Cowboys at -3 before they change their lines.
It’s a race against the clock to get the “old” price before the steam catches up.