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What Does ‘Straight Bet’ Mean in Sports Betting?

what-is-a-straight-bet

A straight bet is a single bet on a single outcome. That’s it.

It’s the exact opposite of a parlay. Instead of combining multiple bets, you’re just betting on one thing to happen. If you win that one thing, you win your bet.

This is the bread and butter of sports betting.

The 3 Most Common Straight Bets

When you place a straight bet, you’re almost always betting on one of these three options:

  • The Point Spread: You’re not just betting on a team to win, but by how much.
    • Example: You bet on the Cowboys -7. You win if the Cowboys win the game by more than 7 points.
  • The Moneyline: This is the simplest of all. You’re just picking the team you think will win the game outright, regardless of the score.
    • Example: You bet on the Lakers moneyline. If the Lakers win by 1 point or 20 points, you win your bet.
  • The Total (Over/Under): You’re not betting on who wins, but on the total combined score of both teams.
    • Example: The Over/Under for a game is 48.5 points. You bet the “Over.” You win if the final score is something like 28-21 (a combined 49 points).