{"id":98535,"date":"2024-05-14T16:46:56","date_gmt":"2024-05-14T16:46:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scoresandstats.com\/?post_type=gambling-news&p=98535"},"modified":"2026-09-25T16:50:00","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T20:50:00","slug":"what-does-pk-mean-in-betting","status":"publish","type":"expert-betting-guide","link":"https:\/\/www.scoresandstats.com\/expert-betting-guide\/what-does-pk-mean-in-betting\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does PK Mean in Betting? Pick’em Spreads Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

PK in betting stands for pick’em: the point spread is zero, so your team only has to win the game. If the game ends in a tie, a pick’em bet is a push and your stake is refunded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A sportsbook lists a game at PK when it sees no favorite. You will see it written as PK, Pick, Pick’em or a plain 0 where the spread would normally be, with a price next to it such as -110.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How a PK bet settles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A PK line removes the margin from the bet. Whether your team wins by 1 point or by 30, the result is the same. Here is how a made-up game listed at Team A PK -110 and Team B PK -110 would settle:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Example final score<\/th>Team A PK bet<\/th>Team B PK bet<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Team A 24, Team B 23<\/td>Wins<\/td>Loses<\/td><\/tr>
Team A 17, Team B 31<\/td>Loses<\/td>Wins<\/td><\/tr>
Team A 20, Team B 20<\/td>Push, stake returned<\/td>Push, stake returned<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The tie row is where a PK line differs from a 3-way moneyline. With a spread of zero, a tie means neither side covered, so the book hands every stake back. Ties are rare in the NFL and impossible in the NBA, because both play overtime, and the spread normally includes overtime points. Check your sportsbook’s rules on overtime, especially for other leagues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to read the price on a PK line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

PK tells you the spread; the number after it tells you the price. At -110 you stake $110 to win $100, or put another way, a $100 bet wins $90.91. A winning $100 bet at -110 returns $190.91 in total, your stake plus the profit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The price does not have to match on both sides. A book can list Team A PK -115 and Team B PK -105, which means it still sees the game as close to even but leans slightly toward Team A. Turn each price into a break-even rate to see how far:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Example side<\/th>Price<\/th>Break-even rate<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Team A PK<\/td>-115<\/td>53.5% (115 divided by 215)<\/td><\/tr>
Team B PK<\/td>-105<\/td>51.2% (105 divided by 205)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The two rates add up to 104.7%. The 4.7 points above 100 are the sportsbook’s margin, and a matched -110 on both sides carries 4.8. Either way, you need to win more than half your PK bets to break even.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PK against the moneyline<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When the spread is zero, the moneyline and the spread ask almost the same question: who wins? The difference is what happens on a tie and what price you get.<\/p>\n\n\n\n