Types of Sports Bets Explained: Complete Guide to All Betting Types

A moneyline bet is the most straightforward bet type available: you select which side will win, with no points handicap involved. In the American odds format used on most major online sportsbooks, the favourite is listed with a negative number (e.g., -150), indicating you must wager INR 150 to profit INR 100. The underdog carries a positive number (e.g., +130), meaning a INR 100 stake returns INR 130 in profit if successful. The larger the negative number, the stronger the favourite. To calculate your return on a favourite bet, divide 100 by the odds and multiply by your stake. For underdog bets, divide the odds by 100 and multiply by your stake. Moneyline betting works across all sports but is most effective in cricket, tennis, football (soccer), and MMA, where draws either do not apply or are handled as a separate three-way market. Our team recommends moneyline as the first bet type any new bettor should use on Indian sports betting apps.

Point spread betting is designed to level the contest between two unevenly matched teams by assigning a run or goal handicap to the favourite. The favourite must win by more than the spread for a bet on them to succeed; this is called covering the spread. A bettor backing the underdog wins if that team wins outright or loses by fewer points than the spread. For example, if Team A is listed at -7.5 and wins by exactly 7, the spread bet on Team A loses. If the margin is 8 or more, it wins. Most spread bets are priced near -110 on both sides, meaning you risk INR 110 to profit INR 100, which is how sportsbooks build their margin. Point spread betting is most commonly found in NBA basketball and NFL American football markets, though Indian online sportsbooks increasingly offer run-line spreads on IPL and international cricket fixtures.

A totals bet does not require you to pick a winner. The sportsbook sets a combined score line for both teams, and you wager on whether the actual total will exceed (over) or fall below (under) that number. For an IPL match, a sportsbook might set the total runs line at 330.5. If both teams combine for 331 or more, the over wins; 330 or fewer, the under wins. Key factors influencing totals outcomes include pitch conditions, weather, team batting order, pace of play, and recent scoring averages. Payouts follow the same structure as point spreads, typically priced at -110 on both sides. Totals betting is available across cricket, football, basketball, and tennis on most Indian betting sites, and is a format our team considers particularly useful for bettors who follow statistics closely without wanting to commit to a match result.

A parlay combines two or more individual bets into a single wager. Every selection in the parlay must win for the bet to pay out. The appeal is a multiplied return: on a three-leg parlay with each selection priced at -110, the combined payout is roughly +596 (about 6x your stake) versus the flat -110 you would get on each individual bet. Adding a fourth leg pushes the theoretical payout above 10x. The risk is proportional. One losing leg cancels the entire parlay, regardless of how many other legs won. For Indian bettors, parlays on cricket, kabaddi, and football are widely available on major licensed platforms. Parlays are not a strategy for consistent profit; they are a high-risk format that produces large payouts at low frequency. We advise limiting parlay stakes to a small percentage of your overall betting bankroll.

A same game parlay (SGP) lets you combine multiple betting markets from a single match into one parlay wager. For example, on an IPL game, you could combine a team moneyline, a top batsman runs over line, and a team total into one SGP ticket. Sportsbooks adjust the odds to account for correlated outcomes, since markets within the same game are not statistically independent. A common combination bettors use is pairing the favourite’s moneyline with the over on team runs, since dominant batting performance often drives both outcomes together. SGPs have grown popular with recreational bettors on Indian platforms because they allow a larger potential payout from a single match while keeping the overall stake small. However, the correlation discount applied by sportsbooks reduces the true odds, meaning SGPs typically carry a higher built-in margin than standard single-game wagers.

A teaser bet allows you to adjust the point spread or totals line in your favour across two or more selections, in exchange for reduced odds. In NFL betting, a standard 6-point teaser lets you move each spread 6 points toward your selection. If a team is originally listed at -7, a teaser brings them to -1. The opposing team moves from +7 to +13. This gives each leg a wider margin for error, but the payout is significantly lower than a standard parlay at the same number of legs. A two-team, 6-point teaser is typically priced around -120, meaning you risk INR 120 to profit INR 100. Teasers are most commonly available in NFL and NBA markets. The value in a teaser comes from moving spreads through key numbers, specifically 3 and 7 in football, which are the most common winning margins at the NFL level. Our team recommends teasers only for bettors with existing spread betting experience.

A pleaser bet is the inverse of a teaser: instead of moving the line in your favour, you move it against yourself in exchange for substantially higher odds. In an NFL pleaser, you might accept a 6-point shift away from your pick on each leg. A team originally listed at +7 becomes +1 after the pleaser adjustment, narrowing your margin and making the bet harder to win. In exchange, the payout for a two-team pleaser is typically in the range of +600 or higher, compared to a standard two-team parlay’s roughly +260. The appeal is clear: the multiplied odds create an outsized return on a correct ticket. The risk is equally clear: both legs must overcome a line that the sportsbook has moved further into their favour. Pleasers are a niche format, available on select sportsbooks, and our team advises treating them as high-risk, low-frequency bets with strict stake limits.

A round robin bet lets you select three or more teams and automatically generates every possible two-team parlay combination from that group. With 3 selections, you get 3 separate two-team parlays. With 4 selections, you get 6 combinations. With 5, you get 10. You place an equal stake on each combination, so the total amount wagered increases with each additional leg. The structural advantage over a standard parlay is partial coverage: if one selection loses, only the parlays containing that leg are affected, while the others remain active. This makes round robins a hedge against a single bad result that would otherwise void an entire parlay ticket. Round robins are available on most major online sportsbooks operating in India. They are best suited for bettors who identify 3 to 5 strong selections but want downside protection without eliminating the parlay-level upside.

An if bet connects two or more wagers in sequence, with each subsequent bet only activating if the previous one wins. You place an if bet when you want to limit your total exposure across multiple selections. If the first leg loses, the remaining bets are never triggered and only the initial stake is at risk. A reverse bet takes the same structure but runs every possible if bet combination in both directions across your selections. For a two-team reverse bet, you are placing two simultaneous if bets: one where Team A must win before Team B is activated, and one where Team B must win before Team A is activated. This doubles the stake compared to a single if bet but ensures both directions are covered. If bets suit bettors with a limited bankroll who want sequential action without risking the full combined stake upfront. Reverse bets suit those who are confident in both selections but want full coverage regardless of which result comes first.

Player prop bets focus on individual athlete performance rather than the game’s final score. Common markets include a batsman’s total runs (over/under), a bowler’s wicket count, a basketball player’s points and assists combined, or a football striker’s shots on target. Sportsbooks set these lines using a combination of historical averages, recent match performance, opponent defensive stats, and situational factors like home or away setting and fatigue from a congested schedule. Lines are adjusted throughout the week as injury reports and lineup confirmations are released. For Indian bettors, IPL player props such as top run scorer, most sixes, and leading wicket-taker are widely available on platforms like Bet365, Betway, and 1xBet. Handicapping player props effectively requires comparing the sportsbook’s line against your own projection derived from at least the last 10 to 15 matches of relevant data.

Team prop bets target collective team performance metrics that are not directly tied to the match result. Common markets include total runs scored by one team (team totals), first team to score, number of extras conceded, total boundaries hit, or number of corners in a football match. These markets are distinct from standard game lines because they isolate one team’s performance rather than the head-to-head result, which means you can back a strong batting team’s scoring potential regardless of whether you expect them to win the match overall. Factors to assess when handicapping team props include recent team scoring averages, opponent bowling or defensive quality, venue dimensions, and weather conditions. Team totals in T20 cricket are among the most actively traded team prop markets on Indian sportsbooks, with lines typically set between 155 and 200 runs depending on venue and opposition pace attack depth.