Alternate Lines Betting: What is it and How Can You Do it?

Sportsbook gambling can be a complicated endeavor. Picking winners is no mean feat, even for experienced gamblers, while many newbies need help understanding the jargon and betting terminology used by major sportsbooks. Do you know the difference between moneyline bets and parlays? Do you have a strong understanding of how spread betting works? Don't worry - Whop is here to make sports betting simple.

Today, we focus on alternate lines betting, how it works, which sports it applies to, and how you can use it to target a profit.

We explain everything you need to know, from how the odds work to examples and more. Let's get started.

What are Alternate Lines in Sports Betting?

Betting on the alternate lines gives sports backers a great chance to shift the landscape in their favor. But what exactly are alternate lines? As is the case with any type of betting, you must fully understand the market before risking your hard-earned cash.

Alternate lines in sportsbook gambling concern moving the points spread or totals to a level that suits you. Instead of gambling on the total points set by a bookmaker in an NFL game or sports fixture, you can decide your lines.

The perfect alternate line gives you the best possible chance of making a profit and offers the least risk to your stake. If the total points line in a game is 40, for example, and you expect a high-scoring game, you can move it to 50 to increase the odds.

The same is true when betting on the totals in a soccer game. If the totals is under/over 2.5 goals, but you expect a nervy, tight, and low-scoring match, you can move it to under/over 1.5 goals, and the odds will improve.

Can You Use Alternate Lines on all Types of Bets?

The alternate lines market is popular, but it’s not yet widely available. It's usually reserved for the most popular sports like football, soccer, and basketball. You’ll also find it in baseball on the number of runs or in professional championship boxing on the total number of rounds, such as the bout lasting more or less than eight rounds.

Alternate lines are available at most betting apps, but the bigger the bookie, the more markets are available. The top sportsbooks offer alternate lines on several sports markets, including futures and props, but these are less common.

How Do Odds Work With Alternate Lines Betting?

Traders working at major sportsbooks create the odds on handicaps, totals, and points. They will stick to the most popular lines, such as 2.5 goals in soccer, but you can move those lines. When shifting the betting lines, you can choose to make it more difficult in search of better odds or edge the dial in your favor, making it easier to land a winner with shorter odds attached. 

For example, you might fancy playing the unders in a Premier League game but move the line to under 3.5 goals as opposed to under 2.5 goals. As the new market is easier to call, the odds are shorter. When experimenting with moving the lines, you want to get a good mix of setting an achievable line and getting a price worth winning.

How Do Bookies Price Alternate Lines Bets?

The leading online sportsbooks use mathematical algorithms and statistical models to arrive at odds on alternate line betting. The models used rely on several crucial factors, which include the recent form of both teams, the head-to-head stats, injuries, weather, the officials, and more. The main aim when creating odds as a sportsbook trader is to find the perfect balance on both sides of the line to stack the market and odds in their favor.

Bookmakers also use the implied probability of a bet to create the odds. If the standard line has a 50% probability, the alternate line might have a 60 or 70% chance in the bettor’s favor, hence, the odds will reduce.

Alternate Line Betting Examples

Now we understand what alternate line betting is and how to use it, let’s look at some working examples. We’ll use a hypothetical NFL game involving New England and Miami. In this example, we’ll take the standard line at Patriots -3 points at odds of -110. Here are some examples of what the alternate line might look like ahead of this game.

• Patriots -2.5 at odds of -130: A more favorable line for the bettor, as the Patriots need to win by just three points to cover.
• Patriots -4 at odds of +110: Less favorable, as the Patriots must win by more than four points.
• Patriots -7 at odds of +200: Less favorable, requiring a win by more than seven points, offering a higher potential payout due to increased risk.

Is Alternate Line Betting Worth It?

After reading this article, you may be interested in tying the alternate line betting. But is it worth it? There’s certainly a time and a place for alternate line betting, especially if you believe the line is incorrect and you could do better for a crack at higher odds. But in games where you are unsure of the outcome, moving the line in your favor and increasing your chance of winning at lower odds is advisable. 

Here are some of the pros and cons relating to alternate line betting:

Pros

• Flexibility
• Potential for higher payouts
• Strategic advantage

Cons

• Increased Risk
• Lower Payouts

Find Betting Advice and Education on Whop

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