<h2>What Does Line Mean In Betting?</h2> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <p>Line betting is when a handicap (point spread) is applied to a bet between two teams to even the odds.</p> <p>For example, if the bookmakers determine the point spread to be 5, the favourite must win by more than the spread (6+), while the underdog only needs to lose less (&lt;5) than the spread or win outright to ‘win’.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>What Sports Is Line Betting Popular?</h2> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <p>Line betting is one of the most popular ways to bet on sports and is offered across a large variety of sports and competitions including <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/australian-rules">AFL</a>, <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league">Rugby League</a>, <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/basketball-us/nba">NBA</a>, and <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/soccer/united-kingdom/english-premier-league">EPL</a>.</p> <p>It may also be referred to as spread betting especially when involving American sports. Seeing as you can put it on a piece of toast with a knife, we prefer the term line down under.</p> <p>The purpose of line betting is to allow punters to back any team at healthy odds regardless how much of a favourite or underdog they are in the Head-to-Head (H2H) market.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Example Of How Line Betting Works</h2> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <p>While you can find a line betting market on almost any game, you can usually find the most value in occasions where one team is outmatched.&nbsp;</p> <p>An extreme example of line betting can be taken from the most recent Rugby League World Cup. Minnows Jamaica were taking on powerhouses New Zealand and in the H2H market betting on New Zealand to win was suspended.</p> <p>Jamaica were paying<strong> $251 </strong>to spring an upset, such was the level of their underdog status. Despite this difference H2H, both sides of the line were paying <em>$1.90 </em>and was a whopping <strong>74.5 points</strong>.</p> <p>If you were to bet on Jamaica with the line, that means they would have a head start of 74.5 points, which is a fairly significant margin in a Rugby League game.</p> <p>Determining the result of your line bet is very straightforward. Depending on which side of the line you placed your wager, simply add or subtract the margin from your team’s score and if their score is higher than that of their opponent, congratulations, you’re a winner!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>How is The Line Decided?</h2> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <p>Just like H2H odds, the line can change in the lead up to a game.</p> <p>Various circumstances can change not only the price of the line but also the handicap between the two teams. An injury to a superior team’s leading scorer could drastically affect their ability to score points even if they still have enough overall quality to comfortably win their game. This would obviously then affect the projected scoring margin between the two teams even if it had little bearing on the overall result of the contest.</p> <p>Let’s have a look at a less extreme example of backing the line.</p> <p>While both sides of the line will usually pay similar amounts, they aren’t always identical. Case in point being a match between the Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder.</p> <p>In the H2H market the Clippers were paying <em>1.33</em> while you could back the Thunder at <em>3.35</em> making them a significant underdog. The line was set at <strong>6.5 points</strong> with the Clippers side paying <em>1.85</em>, with the Thunder coming in at <em>1.96</em> on the other side of the line.</p> <p>Regardless which side of the line you take, it’s ultimately a straightforward way to bet, especially if you feel like backing an underdog at a reasonable price.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>How To Pick A Team To Line Bet On</h2> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <p>Every punter has their own way they go about tipping, whether you’ve been studying up on every form guide leading into a match or it’s purely on gut feeling, there’s no set way to pick a team to line bet on.&nbsp;</p> <p>That said, if you are looking for expert tips and predictions we are dropping these frequently on the <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle">Huddle</a>. Check out expert tips for <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/nrl">NRL</a>,<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/afl"> AFL</a>, <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/horse-racing/tips">Horse Racing</a>, <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/nba/tips">NBA</a>, &amp; More!&nbsp;</p>