Over/under betting, also known as betting the “total,” is a popular way to wager on sports by predicting the combined final score of both teams in a game. Sportsbooks set a specific number, called the total, and bettors decide whether the actual score will go over or under that line.
This type of bet is popular because it lets you focus on the flow of the game rather than who wins or loses. If you take the over, you’re hoping for plenty of scoring. If you bet the under, you’re cheering for tight defense and low scores. For example, in baseball, an over bet means you’re cheering for big innings and home runs—no matter which team is at the plate.
If you’ve searched for “O/U meaning” or “what does over/under mean in betting,” this guide will give you a complete explanation of how it works and when to use it.
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what does over under mean in Betting?
Using Super Bowl 58 as an example, the most common over under available for that Chiefs - 49ers game was 47.5. If a bettor predicted the game to be low-scoring, they could “bet the under” and hope that the total combined score of both teams would be 47 points or less. Or, if they thought the game had more scoring potential, they could “bet the over” and hope there were 48 or more total points scored by both teams.
In every sport, overtime still applies to the total, so the nine points scored by the 49ers and Chiefs after the four quarters do count toward the over under.
The final score of Super Bowl 58 was Chiefs 25-22 (47 combined points), so if you bet the game on a sports betting app that offered an over under of 47 (instead of the 47.5 in the example above), then that bet would have “pushed,” meaning you didn’t win or lose money and you’d get the original wager back. Of course, on totals that end in .5 it’s not possible to push because teams can only score in whole numbers.
- 47.5 OVER -110
- 47.5 UNDER -110
How to Read Over Under Odds
In general, the over is about as likely to hit as the under in a standard over under wager. In other words, even when a really strong team like the Kansas City Chiefs play a weaker team like the New York Giants, betting sites take into account each team's tendencies and create a total that theoretically is about as likely to pay out over bettors as it is for under bettors.
When looking at over under odds, you'll see a number like -110 or -115 next to the total. This number represents the “juice” or “vigorish” charged by the sportsbook. The most common juice you’ll see is -110 because it’s an industry standard for wagers that have a 50/50 chance of winning. The -110 means you’ll need to wager $110 to win $100 and -115 means a $115 wager wins $100, so -110 is a better deal than -115. The reason betting apps won’t let you wager $100 to win $100 on a bet that has a 50/50 chance of winning is because that -110 juice is a 10% fee that you’re being charged by the sportsbook and it's how they make their profit.
How to bet Over Under
Beginners who are over under betting tend to have a bias toward overs. Betting unders is generally considered less entertaining and psychologically it's more fun to root for points than defense. Professional bettors often fade the public and attack unders and, while pros also bet overs, it's because they've found an edge and not because they want to high-five friends after touchdowns.
Injuries to offensive playmakers or bad weather in a football game can be a good time to bet unders, but keep an eye on line movement because if you're betting the under after the market has already adjusted, you're not doing yourself any favors. If the wind is blowing out to center field for an MLB game, overs are often the way to go.
While forecasting an over under bet, it's helpful (especially later in the season with more data available) to consider each team’s high-water mark and low-water mark for the season. Also don’t forget to factor in injuries. For instance, if a team’s high-water mark for the season is only 17 points but they’ve been playing with a backup QB and their elite starter is coming back vs. a soft defense, it's appropriate to increase your expectations.
A lot of bettors rely on trusted sports pick sites to help them identify over under bets with good value. Whether you take this approach or not, we strongly recommend shopping around at different betting sites when betting totals because three sportsbooks will often have three different totals and you'll want to target the lowest total if you're betting over and the highest total if you're betting under.
Our sports betting sites guide breaks down the pros and cons of all the best sportsbooks. If you're signing up for the first time, do yourself a favor and check out our sportsbook promotions page to make sure you get a juicy sign-up bonus.
Over Under Odds by Sport
Below is a chart of the average point totals during the last two regular seasons for the four major professional sports. While looking at this chart, keep in mind that point total trends tend to change over time. For instance, NBA games are much higher scoring than they were 10 years ago, while NFL teams have been scoring less over the past few seasons. MLB saw an increase in runs scored immediately after instituting the pitch clock and extra innings rules which promoted scoring. The NFL saw a bump in scoring after the kickoff rule changes.
Average Point Totals in each league
NFL
With popular final scores like 23-20, 24-20, and 27-17 it’s easy to see why the average NFL game finishes around 43.5 total points. Don’t forget to factor in windy weather especially later in the season as it tends to produce lower scoring games.
NBA
This isn’t your grandfather’s NBA. Heck, this isn’t the same NBA from 10 years ago and that’s reflected in the final scores of games. We’ve seen teams score 20 points per game more than they did during the 2000-2001 season.
NHL
Goal scoring appears to be up slightly on the ice. From the 1996-1997 season to the 2017-2018 season there was only one season teams averaged over 3 goals per game. From 2018-2019 to 2023-2024 there’s only been one season teams averaged under 3.0 goals per game.
MLB
A lot of MLB games finish with totals around 9, but consider how hitter-friendly or pitcher-friendly a ballpark is before placing a wager. Two fly-ball starting pitchers in a small ballpark with the wind blowing out is a nice recipe for an over
Avg. Point Total by Sport
| Sport | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| NFL | 43.5 points | 45.8 points |
| NBA | 228.4 points | 227.4 points |
| NHL | 6.2 goals | 6.02 goals |
| MLB | 9.2 runs | 8.6 runs |
Also keep in mind that, depending on the sport, playoff games tend to be lower scoring. This has been true in the NBA where defenses are known to play a more physical style once the regular season ends.
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How are Over Unders Made?
Just like with point spreads, totals often fluctuate before a game starts based on public betting patterns, injuries and the discretion of oddsmakers. This fluidity in the market is known as "line movement." For instance, a football total may be set at 41.5 and drop to 40 after news that one team’s starting QB will miss the game. Similarly, a baseball total may increase from 8 to 8.5 based on news that the wind will be blowing straight out at 20 MPH.
While totals are moving up and down before a game, it’s possible bettors may notice the vigorish change as well. For instance, Sportsbook A may increase a hockey total from over 5.5 (-110) to over 6 (-110) while Sportsbook B keeps the total at over 5.5 and increases the vigorish from -110 to -125. The move by Sportsbook B is often because that betting app accepted more bets on the over and is trying to decrease its liability. When this happens, it’s sometimes a precursor to that betting site increasing the total.
Past performance is one of the biggest factors sportsbooks consider while determining a total. For instance, if two NFL teams both have high-powered offenses and terrible defenses, betting sites will likely price that over under higher than a game with two teams with struggling offenses that historically played low-scoring games.
Some of the factors that go into how totals are made depend on the sport. For instance, tempo is a large factor in college basketball totals, but zero factor in MLB betting. Similarly, weather is a serious consideration for NFL totals, but obviously has no impact on NHL or NBA games. Motivation, momentum, and the perception of each team are other factors oddsmakers consider when setting a total.
What are Alternative Over Unders?
Alternative totals or “alt totals” are another popular way to bet. Betting an alt total is the same concept as betting a standard over under bet, but bettors can increase or decrease the total points which adjusts the vigorish. For example, if the total was 217 points (-110) for an NBA game and you move the line to 218 (-125) and bet the under. The further a bettor gets away from the actual total set by the bookmaker, the larger the change in the juice.
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Over Under Prop Betting
Bettors who enjoy prop betting will be happy to hear they can enjoy over under betting football props too. Game prop over unders follow the same principles as betting the over under on the final score, but instead bettors are focused on a total related to some other aspect of the game. For instance, over under 270 passing yards for a football team or over under 2 home runs hit in a baseball game.
Player prop over under bets are similar, but the wagers are related to one specific player’s performance. For instance, in the NFL, C.J. Stroud’s over under for rushing yards might be set at 18.5 yards, while Nick Bosa has a player prop for over under .5 sacks. In the MLB, Aaron Judge might have an over under 1 hit player prop vs. the Red Sox, while Sonny Gray's next start may feature an over under 6.5 strikeout prop. For NHL bettors, it’s common to see an over under saves player prop for goalies or over under assists/points player prop for a skater. NBA bettors can wager on LeBron James’ going over or under 21.5 points or a specific rebound or assists total in a game.
Over Under Futures Betting
Futures betting also includes some over under options as well. “Season win total” bets are one of the most popular forms of over under betting in the futures market as bettors wager on whether a team will win a certain amount of games during the regular season. For instance, over under 9.5 wins for the Atlanta Falcons or over under 81.5 wins for the San Diego Padres.
There are also player props with over under options in the futures market, for instance will Juan Soto hit over under 41.5 home runs this season or will Saquon Barkley rush for over under 935.5 rushing yards? These markets are fun to bet and are a great way to spread the action out throughout a season, but beware of players who are an injury risk when betting season-long overs.
