# What Does \+1\.5 Mean in Betting? An In\-Depth Guide for Beginners - Canonical: https://33rdsquare.com/what-does-1-5-mean-in-betting-an-in-depth-guide-for-beginners/ - Published: 2023-11-02 - Author: Nelson Ayers - Categories: [Basic knowledge & Meaning](https://33rdsquare.com/category/games/meaning/) --- Hey buddy, are you new to sports betting? Have you seen +1.5 spreads but don‘t really understand what they mean and how to bet them? Well, you came to the right place! As your resident betting expert who eats, sleeps and breathes point spreads, I‘m going to walk you through everything you need to know about the extremely popular +1.5 bet. I‘ll explain what it means, when to use it, and how to maximize your profits. Stick with me, and you‘ll be an expert on betting on underdogs catching +1.5 in no time! ## A Quick History on Point Spreads To understand +1.5 spreads, you first need to know how we got to them in the first place. Back in the early days of sports betting, your only option was the moneyline – betting on a team to win straight-up. If the Packers were facing the lowly Lions, Green Bay might be massive -600 favorites, meaning you‘d need to bet $600 to profit $100. The Lions might be +450 underdogs, paying out $450 on a $100 wager. As you can see, those moneyline odds create a big problem – they aren‘t balanced at all! Everyone would just slam the chalk and the books would get killed. To fix this, sportsbooks pioneered the point spread, balancing the action by giving the underdog team an advantage or “handicap”. And thus what we now know as standard “sides” betting was born, with options like Packers -7.5 and Lions +7.5. Much more balanced! Over time, sportsbooks realized the most balanced and fair point spreads landed on key numbers like 3 and 7 in football and 1.5, 3.5 and 7 in basketball. Enter our good friend +1.5, one of the most magical numbers in all of sports betting! ## What Exactly Does +1.5 Mean? When you place a wager on a team at +1.5, you are giving them a 1.5 point head start to work with against the spread. For the underdog team to “cover the spread”, they only need to either: **A)** Lose by 1 point **B)** Win the game outright This gives them a tremendous advantage over the favorite, who conversely has to win by 2+ points to cover a -1.5 spread. I‘ll use a real example to illustrate. Say the 12-2 Packers are -1.5 home favorites against the 6-8 Lions. For you to win your bet on the Packers, they need to win by 2 or more points. But if you bet the Lions +1.5, they can lose by 1 point or win straight up and you‘d cash the ticket! Now you can see why +1.5 lines are so popular – they give an appealing betting option in lopsided matchups between good and bad teams. ## Why Sportsbooks Love Setting +1.5 Lines There are a few big reasons why sportsbooks default to using +1.5 spreads whenever they can: **1. Balances the action on both sides:** Having equal money on both teams allows books to rake in the vig without any risk. **2. Limits their payout exposure:** Underdogs don‘t cover +1.5 as often as bigger spreads, reducing potential losses. **3. Appeals to public bettors:** Joe Public loves backing underdogs catching points. +1.5 feeds right into that tendency. **4. Provides a competitive betting option:** Keeps games between mismatched teams interesting from a gambling perspective. Essentially, +1.5 hits the sportsbook “goldilocks zone” – not too hot, not too cold but just right! ## How Much Are Typical +1.5 Payouts? Payouts on +1.5 underdogs are lower than moneyline dogs or bigger point spread underdogs. After all, they have an easier task covering a smaller spread. Here are the average payouts on $100 bets for +1.5 underdogs across major US sports: - NFL: +115 odds = $115 payout - NBA: -105 odds = $95 payout - MLB: +140 odds = $140 payout - NHL: +160 odds = $160 payout But here‘s a dirty little secret those shady sportsbooks don‘t want you to know… ## How the Vig Reduces Your +1.5 Profits Wagering on +1.5 lines may seem simple – take the points and cash your ticket when your team hangs close or pulls the upset. Easy money! However, there‘s a hidden force eating away at your profits – the dreaded vig or juice. This built-in commission takes away around 5% of every bet you place over time at standard -110 odds. Let‘s look at an example: - You bet $110 to win $100 on +1.5 NFL underdogs all season at -110 odds - You place 100 of these wagers, 55 cover the spread while 45 lose - Your expected profit at +100 odds would be $500: 55 wins x $100 - But with the vig reducing every win to $91 profit, you only make $5005 or $455 - That‘s a huge 9% of your profits sucked away by the juice! See why it‘s so vital to shop for the best possible odds and minimize paying vig? Those few percentage points add up fast. Okay, now that you know the tricks of the sportsbook trade, let‘s get back to beating them at their own game! ## Different Ways To Bet on +1.5 Lines While spreads are most common for sides between two teams, you will also see +1.5 lines in totals betting too. For example, an NFL game total could be set at Over/Under 38.5 points. A lower-scoring matchup might land on Over/Under 1.5 touchdowns or 19.5 points instead. With such a low total, an Over 1.5 bet wins if 2 or more touchdowns are scored, while Under 1.5 cashes with 0 or 1 touchdown. +1.5 lines also come into play with first half wagers, team totals and other prop bet markets too. Lots of versatility! ## 7 Pro Tips for Crushing +1.5 Wagers Now that you‘ve got the basics down, let‘s talk strategy. Here are my top tips for consistently cashing tickets betting on +1.5: **1. Bet home underdogs catching +1.5** Teams play much better at home. The +1.5 spread gives them more of a boost. **2. Target divisional matchups** Familiar opponents lead to close battles. Grab the points in rivalry games. **3. Find obvious “letdown spots”** Good teams tend to look ahead after big wins against weak opponents. **4. Back dogs off blowout losses** Teams respond well after getting embarrassed the previous week. **5. Shop for the best +1.5 line** Getting +1.5 at -105 is better than -110. Every edge counts! **6. Buy extra +0.5 on key numbers** Moving from +1 to +1.5 or +2.5 to +3 is worth it. **7. Monitor lineups and injuries** Make sure your +1.5 dog doesn‘t lose key players right before the game. ## Final Thoughts on This Profitable Bet Type Thanks for sticking with me through Sports Betting 101 my friend! I hope this breakdown gives you the confidence to start attacking sportsbooks with +1.5 underdog wagers. Just remember, it‘s all about finding spots where +1.5 provides value – not just backing every dog blindly. Do your homework, shop for the best line, and only bet when you have a statistical or situational edge. There‘s no better feeling than seeing your scrappy +1.5 team stick right with the favorite all game long knowing you are in a great position to cash. And when they pull off the outright upset? Pure ecstasy! Okay, get out there and let me know when you finally win some big bucks thanks to this +1.5 betting guide. Just be sure to buy me a beer with some of your winnings! --- Source: [What Does \+1\.5 Mean in Betting? An In\-Depth Guide for Beginners](https://33rdsquare.com/what-does-1-5-mean-in-betting-an-in-depth-guide-for-beginners/)