What Does Negative Odds Mean In Betting

Almost every casino player, and especially the more experienced ones, uses a certain kind of betting system, no matter if the system is mostly consistent of making guesses what follows next. In addition, betting systems are used by a lot of players to make their game more exciting, while trying to beat the casino house edge.

Fixed odds: When a wager is placed, and a bookmaker accepts it, the line becomes fixed odds. If a bet is placed on Las Vegas at +3.5 odds and the line moves down to +3.0 prior to the game, players. American odds (aka moneyline odds or US odds) are popular in the United States. The odds for favorites are accompanied by a minus (-) sign, indicating the amount you need to stake to win $100.

There are different kinds of betting systems, but the most popular ones are the positive and the negative progression system. There are a lot of debates which of the systems is better, but in fact, there is no clear-cut answer. The truth is that skilled players will be able to gain a small edge over the casino by using a certain betting system, but everyone knows what is best for their gameplay.

As a matter of fact, most players, and especially the less experienced ones, prefer to stick to the positive progression betting system, which is not considered as risky as the negative progression system. The latter is regarded as more dangerous for players due to the fact that users are normally risking larger amounts of money after they have already lost a bet.

Negative Progression Betting Systems

First, in order to understand any kind of progression betting system, players need to be aware of the fact what the term “progression” means. In this case, the word is used in order to show that players increase their bets consecutively.

The negative progression system is all about increasing the player's bet after they have generated a loss, based on the hope of getting back to even after making a winning. As mentioned above, the negative systems are normally considered extremely dangerous, because of the fact that it is possible for them to lead to the player losing their entire bankroll after a long series of losses.

There are different negative progression betting systems used, but probably the most popular one is the Martingale betting system, which involves doubling the player's bet after every loss. Of course, the Martingale system is not the only negative progression system currently used. Other systems that are very popular among players all over the world are the Labouchere system, the Fibonacci system, and the D'Alembert system.

The negative progression is basically the opposite of the positive one. Systems of this type are based on the player's strategy to increase their wagers when losing, and reducing them when winning. The main theory that lies in the very basis of the strategy is that the player should generate a win eventually, and thanks to winning at higher bets than the money lost, the player should get at least even, or make money overall.

Unfortunately, there is no guarantee when the player's losing streak will be ended. This basically means, that the player may lose their entire bankroll without generating a win. This is exactly why players are recommended to not fully trust the widely-mistaken perception that previous outcomes of events that happen at random can somehow have influence on any future outcomes. This belief is more popular under the term “the gambler's fallacy” and has actually led to numerous losses for players all over the world. This is the reason why negative progression betting systems are usually considered as too risky – the constantly increasing stakes based only on the suggestion and hope that the player is to eventually generate a win is usually a recipe for disaster.

Another common misconception about the negative progression betting systems is that they are not able to return a profit. This is definitely not true. The only problem is that players are still relying on luck only, and no one can really guess the actual sequence of events. It is true that players can end up losing large sums of money, but it is also true that the winning stakes can get really massive.

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Popular Negative Progression Betting Systems

Here is a list with the most popular negative progression betting systems known. They have managed to attract thousands of followers worldwide and they have been proved as ones that actually work:

Fibonacci System

The Fibonacci System is one of the most popular negative progression betting system. It is not considered as part of the simplest betting systems, but it is not too complicated, either. As the name of the system suggests, it is based on the Fibonacci mathematical sequence.

The sequence starts with 0 and 1. After that, each subsequent number equals the sum of the previous two numbers. The fact that the system is a negative progressive one means that it is related to the player increasing their bet every time they lose, and decreasing it when they generate a winning.

D'Alembert System

The D'Alembert System is one of the simplest negative betting systems. According to experts, it has some similar characteristics of the Martingale system. As any other negative progression betting system, it involves increasing the wager after a loss is generated, and reducing the bet after a win.

What is specific for the D'Alembert is the fact that the stakes are boosted more slowly in comparison to other systems. This is great, as it guarantees that it is less likely for the stakes to get extremely high too quickly. Still, the advantage could be seen also as a disadvantage, as losses are recovered more slowly by using this system.

Labouchere System

The Labouchere negative progression system is considered as part of the most complicated ones. Still, it is currently one of the most-preferred ones among players all over the world. The main idea which the Labouchere system is based on, is that the player is supposed to recover several consecutive losses with a smaller number of winnings generated.

What is specific for the system is the fact that it is focused on recovering several losses with multiple wins.

Martingale System

The Martingale negative progression system is known as one of the oldest and most-preferred ones. The best part is that it is also one of the easiest systems to learn, as there are no complicated calculations for the players to make. The system is based on a certain theory that there is small probability of the player losing a large number of consecutive bets.

Once again, this is a negative progression system, which means that players increase their bets when losing, and decrease them when winning.

If you've never set foot in an actual sportsbook before or logged into an online sportsbook, the chances of you getting overwhelmed when you actually do is very high. In an actual Las Vegas sportsbook, there is typically a lot of commotion and the odds and lines are displayed on a massive digital board for everyone to see. When a novice sports bettor looks at the massive digital signage, they will see a bunch of numbers, both positive and negative, some two digits, some three digits. They also won't have a clue what any of it means. The same can be said for the online sportsbooks. It looks like a massive spreadsheet with negative and positive numbers beside each teams' name.

The easiest way for me to describe what all these numbers mean to you is to define it as point spread betting. Point spread betting is the most popular way to bet on the NFL and NBA, and it is a way for a sportsbook to generate betting interest on both sides.

Linemakers who work for the sportsbooks must put out lines that will entice the 'favorite' bettors to lay the points and take the favorite or entice the underdog bettors to take the points with the underdog.

As an example, let's say you are looking to place your very first wager on the Super Bowl. You look at the matchup either online or at a Las Vegas sportsbook and this is what you see:

Kansas City +4.5 (-110)
Carolina -4.5 (-110)

How Do Point Spread Bets Work?

Using the example above, the linemakers have determined that the Carolina Panthers are 4.5-point favorites over the Kansas City Chiefs. The favorite team can also be referred to as the chalk . The favorite will always be represented by a negative (-) number, while the underdog will always be represented by a positive (+) number.

Based on the line above and which team you decide to bet on, the Panthers must win by five or more points in order for those with a Panthers (-4.5) ticket to be declared a winner. As long as the Panthers win by five or more points, the final score itself does not matter. A 10-0 win is just as much a winner as a 56-50 win.

However, if the Panthers were to win the game by four or less points, then all Panthers backers can toss their tickets in the trash. A 17-14 or 21-17 Panthers win would cash the tickets with Chiefs +4.5 on them. A Falcons outright win as 4.5-point underdogs would do the same.

What is the -110 Line?

The standard price to pay when betting on point spreads is (-110). This is the sportsbooks way of ensuring a profit no matter which side covers the spread. The extra 10 cents is also known as the 'juice' or 'vig' . Paying the extra 10 cents is like paying a tax or commission to the sportsbook for brokering the bet.

The -110 line means that in order for you to profit $100 you must wager $110. Some sportsbook offer something called 'reduced juice' , which means that you can still profit $100 but the risk is a few dollars less.

For example, if you see reduced lines such as -7.5 (-105) that means that you must risk $105 dollars in order to profit $100. If you see -7.5 (-102) then you must bet $102 in order to profit $100. It may not seem like a big deal at the time, but saving a few bucks each time over the course of the season can really help your bankroll.

Which brings me to my next point. If you are serious about getting into sports betting, it is vital to have more than one sportsbook to make a wager at. Shopping around for the best lines will help your bankroll and you will be able to turn a bigger profit. If you see a pair of sneakers for $110 at one store, and the exact same pair is $102.99 at another store - which store are you buying them from?

What is a Push?

When betting the point spread, there is almost always a winner and a loser. However, in some instances sportsbook decide to put out a whole number such as -3 for bettors to bet on. If the final score ends with a differential of three points - no matter who wins - the bet is considered a 'push' and all money is refunded to both sides since neither team covered the spread.

What does Pick'em or PK Mean?

What Does Negative Odds Mean In Betting Terms

When two teams are evenly matched, and the sportsbook can't decide which team should be the favorite, they will release PK lines which means neither team is favorite. The team you wager on must simply win the game by any score in order for your ticket to be graded as a winner.

What Happens When the Point Spread Changes?

This is a very common occurrence throughout the sports betting industry. Sportsbooks have the right to shift the spread or odds for any given match prior to it starting. Many factors play a huge role in this decision, and they include injuries, weather, the volume of bets on one side, and anything in between. Depending on the time you place your wager, the bettor may also have an advantage or disadvantage based on which way the spread has shifted.

What Does Negative Odds Mean In Betting

For example:

Opening Line: Carolina -4.5 vs Atlanta +4.5

Thursday's Line: Carolina -2.5 vs Atlanta +2.5

What Do Negative Odds Mean In Betting

If bettors were quick to jump on the Atlanta line at +4.5 when it first came out, they would have a distinct advantage over those who waited closer to kick off and were stuck with +2.5. The opposite holds true for Carolina. Bettors that were quick to pull the trigger are now laying two more points than they would if they were patient and saw the line movement before making their move.

What Does Negative Odds Mean In Betting Mean

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