Beating Your Book With Alternative Lines
So the NFL is off and running and you've already had a nice week 1 to get your bankroll heading in the right direction. After a strong week with several blowouts, you are looking for another way to beat the top online sportsbooks for bunches of cash. You have the hang of this and you have a few games for the NFL this week that you are ready to fire on. You've gotten familiar with betting sides, totals, money lines, and halves, but have you ever heard of alternative lines? Alternative lines can be a great way to boost your bankroll with great odds often offered on your favorite teams.
What Is An Alternative Line?
Simply put, an alternative line is exactly what it says it is. It is a line that is offered that is different from the widely available line being offered on a particular game. The spread for team A could be -3.5 for a particular game on Sunday. Alternative lines will often list a variety of different lines with varying odds from that -3.5. This can allow you to get a variety of numbers on games you may have capped at higher or lower totals than what is listed in the traditional spread.
Which NFL Conference Wins Super Bowl LIV?
An example using our number of -3.5 above takes us to Bovada. Bovada is offering the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday as -3.5 point favorites against the Seattle Seahawks. Let's say you are certain Pittsburgh just had a bad first week against the Patriots and are going to show something this week at home. Bovada has several alternate lines ready for you to hammer. You can take the Steelers -9.5 at +175 or even -12.5 at a whopping +260. Why lay $110 to win only $100 when you are certain the Steelers are going to roll, that same $100 could earn you $260 with a Steelers romp.
When To Use Alternative Lines?
There are a variety of times when you can use these types of wagers. Week 2 in the NFL is a great time as the market will often reflect a lot of overreaction from what happened in week 1. Going to Bovada again to look at this weeks matchup between the Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots.
As most should know, the Dolphins were embarrassed versus the Baltimore Ravens while the Patriots dismantled their recent rival in the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Patriots are good, the Dolphins are not, so many will get on board with the Patriots rolling the Dolphins this week. The line opened at -14.5 and skyrocketed to its current point of -19. So there are two trains of thought to be associated with how this game plays out.
Alternative line wagering has something for each. In the first(and more popular group), you have Patriot backers who believe Tom Brady and company (and maybe even Antonio Brown) take up where the Ravens left off and just demolish a Dolphins team that's in a full tailspin. For those, the -19 will be an easy fly thru. If that is your thought, then why not take a look at the Patriots at -24.5/+165 or even -27.5/+280. That's a nice number for what could easily be a complete blowout.
For those that for some reason think the Dolphins keep it close and may not need the 19. After all, they usually play the Pats close at home. Why not look at the line Bovada is offering with the Dolphins only getting +9.5, it pays a nice price at +300.
Alternative lines in the NFL are not something you should always use but rather something you can selectively apply in your gambler's toolbox. Use it wisely and it can be a great bankroll booster or chance to take your shot.