Alternate total points are extra over/under lines that a sportsbook posts above and below the main total for a game, each with its own price. Move the line in your favor and the payout shrinks; move it against you and the payout grows.
If the main total is 45.5, for example, a book might also list 38.5, 41.5, 48.5 and 51.5. The bet settles exactly like a standard over/under. Only the number you picked and the price you took are different.
How alternate totals are priced
The main total is set so that both sides are close to an even bet, usually around -110. Every alternate line moves the chance of winning away from that middle, and the price moves with it. Here is a made-up football game with a main total of 45.5:
| Example line | Over odds | Profit on a $100 stake | Implied chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Over 38.5 | -300 | $33.33 | 75.0% |
| Over 41.5 | -190 | $52.63 | 65.5% |
| Over 45.5 (main) | -110 | $90.91 | 52.4% |
| Over 48.5 | +140 | $140.00 | 41.7% |
| Over 51.5 | +200 | $200.00 | 33.3% |
The implied chance is the break-even rate. At -190 you need to win 65.5% of the time just to stay level, because 190 divided by 290 is 0.655. At +200 you need 33.3%, because 100 divided by 300 is 0.333.
That column is the one to read. An alternate total is worth taking only when your own estimate of the chance beats the break-even rate, and a bigger payout on its own does not make a line better.
How the bet settles
An alternate total uses the same final score as the main total. Add both teams’ points together and compare the sum with your line. Take a made-up final of 27-20, a combined 47:
| Example bet | Result |
|---|---|
| Over 45.5 | Wins, 47 is above 45.5 |
| Over 48.5 | Loses, 47 is below 48.5 |
| Under 51.5 | Wins, 47 is below 51.5 |
| Under 44.5 | Loses, 47 is above 44.5 |
A half-point line can never push. A whole-number line can: bet Over 47 on that same game and the total lands exactly on your number, so the bet is a push and your stake comes back.
Overtime and extra time are where books differ, so check your sportsbook’s rules for each sport. In the NFL and NBA, totals normally include overtime, which is bad news for an under ticket in a tied game. Soccer totals usually count regulation plus stoppage time and leave out extra time and penalties. Hockey is the one to read carefully: some books add one goal to the total for a shootout win, while others count regulation and overtime only.
Alternate totals and the main total are one bet
It helps to think of the whole ladder as one market. Moving from Over 45.5 at -110 down to Over 41.5 at -190 is the same as paying extra for four more points of cushion. Moving up to Over 51.5 at +200 is the same as selling six points for a bigger return.
Some books also let you “buy” half-points on the main total, which does the same job one step at a time. Compare both routes before you bet, since the price for the same number can differ. The same idea applies to spreads, where alternate lines move the margin a team has to win by. Our guide to winning margin bets covers the market that splits that margin into bands.
When an alternate total is worth it
There are three good reasons to move off the main number:
- You think the main total is wrong by a lot. If the book says 45.5 and your own estimate is 52, the main Over at -110 underpays you. Over 48.5 at +140 pays more for a result you already expect.
- You want to build a parlay with a safer leg. Shorter lines are common in parlays, and the math shows what they cost: two legs at -300 each pay a combined $77.78 on $100 (1.333 times 1.333 is 1.778), against $264.46 for two legs at -110.
- Scores bunch on certain numbers. In football, points come in 3s and 7s, so final totals are not spread evenly. A half-point move across a common number is worth more than the same move across a rare one, and prices do not always reflect that.
The poor reason is the payout alone. A line at +200 looks exciting, but if your honest estimate of its chance is 28%, you are paying for the excitement: at 28% you lose $16 for every $100 bet over time (0.28 times $300 returned, minus $100 staked).
How it works across sports
The same market exists wherever there is a total, with the gaps between lines matched to how the sport scores:
- NFL and college football: totals in points, where a single point can matter because scores come in 3s and 7s.
- NBA: totals usually above 200 points, so alternate lines sit several points apart.
- MLB: alternate run totals, usually one run apart.
- NHL and soccer: alternate goal totals such as 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5.
Because basketball scores so often, one point on an NBA total moves the price far less than one point on an NFL total. Keep that in mind when you compare ladders from different sports. For current games and totals, see our NFL predictions and NBA predictions.
Books post alternate player totals too, such as points, yards or rebounds for one player, and they work the same way. Our guide to prop bets covers those.
Common mistakes
The ladder makes it easy to pick a line without checking what it costs. Each of these four errors shows up in the arithmetic above:
- Reading the payout and ignoring the break-even rate. Convert every price before you bet. Our guide to how betting odds work shows the method.
- Laying heavy prices on “safe” lines. Over 38.5 at -300 needs a 75% win rate. One loss wipes out the profit from three wins.
- Forgetting the overtime rule. An under that looked safe with a minute left can lose in extra time if your book counts it.
- Picking a whole number by accident. A line of 47 can push; a line of 47.5 cannot. Check which one is on your slip.
FAQ
What is the difference between alternate total points and the regular over/under? The regular over/under has one line, priced close to even. Alternate totals are the other lines around it, each with a price that reflects how likely it is to be reached.
Can alternate total points push? Yes, when the line is a whole number and the combined score lands on it exactly. The stake is returned. Half-point lines cannot push.
Do alternate totals include overtime? In NFL and NBA markets they normally do, and they settle on the same score as the main total. Hockey shootouts and soccer extra time are handled differently from book to book, so read the rules for each sport.
Can I use alternate totals in a parlay? Many books allow it, including in same-game parlays. Each leg’s price is multiplied into the parlay, so a short leg adds very little to the payout.