In sports betting, just like in all other aspects of life, it pays to shop around.
Sportsbooks often offer different odds on the same games, for two main reasons. Certain sportsbooks cater to certain types of customers (for example, Bodog and Sports Interaction attract mostly recreational players who like to bet favourites and overs), so they adjust their odds accordingly. Also, sportsbooks will usually move their odds in order to ensure they have equal action on both sides, and the action on each side will differ by sportsbook.
Generally speaking, Pinnacle Sports and 5Dimes offer the most accurate lines in the industry. In fact, Pinnacle Sports prides itself on having the sharpest lines in the business because it welcomes the biggest and best sports bettors in the world. If good bettors are betting at your sportsbook, it’s not difficult to quickly determine where the smart money is going on each game.
This makes it fairly common to find some real discrepancies in odds offered at your sportsbooks, and also makes it essential to have accounts at multiple sportsbooks. Even a difference of half a point on a game, or five cents on the moneyline, can make a big difference in the long run. Why would you pay $10 for a steak when you can get the same steak for $9 at a different grocery store, especially when you can buy that steak from the comfort of your computer chair?
With that in mind, we decided to take a look at the NFL season win totals for the 2012 season. You’ll quickly see that the sportsbook(s) you should use for season win totals betting depends on what bets you are looking to make.
NOTES:
• o7.5 means over 7.5, u7.5 means under 7.5
• our recommended sportsbook for each bet is in bold
• when win totals vary, we figure 0.5 wins is worth about 50 cents in juice, making o6 -120 a better bet than o6.5 +110 (30 cents difference)
• in the case of the Houston Texans, the odds on under 10 wins more than offset the juice on the over 10 wins at 5Dimes (-125). That 10 cents difference opens an arbitrage opportunity, where you could bet both sides and guarantee a small profit (around 1% return).
| TEAM SPORTSBOOK | PINNACLE | 5DIMES | SPORTS INTERACTION | BODOG |
| Arizona Cardinals | o7 +126 u 7 -148 |
o7 +140 u7 -160 |
o7 +120 u7 -150 |
o7 +120 u7 -150 |
| Atlanta Falcons | o9 -159 u9 +136 |
o9 -156 u9 +140 |
o9.5 -110 u9.5 -120 |
o9 -150 u9 +120 |
| Baltimore Ravens | o10 +107 u10 -125 |
o10 +105 u10 -125 |
o10 -120 u10 -110 |
o10 +100 u10 -130 |
| Buffalo Bills | o7.5 -174 u 7.5 +148 |
o7.5 -175 u7.5 +155 |
o7.5 -180 u7.5 +150 |
o8 +100 u8 -130 |
| Carolina Panthers | o7.5 -133 u7.5 +114 |
o7.5 -145 u7.5 +125 |
o7.5 -140 u7.5 +110 |
o7.5 -150 u7.5 +120 |
| Chicago Bears | o9.5 -106 u9.5 -110 |
o9.5 +110 u9.5 -130 |
o9 -130 u9 +100 |
o9.5 -105 u9.5 -125 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | o8.5 +148 u 8.5 -174 |
o8 -110 u8 -110 |
o8 -130 u8 +100 |
o8 -120 u8 -110 |
| Cleveland Browns | o5.5 +131 u5.5 -154 |
o5.5 +125 u5.5 -145 |
o5.5 +120 u5.5 -150 |
o5 -130 u5 +100 |
| Dallas Cowboys | o8.5 -137 u8.5 +117 |
o8.5 -135 u8.5 +115 |
o8.5 -140 u8.5 +110 |
o8.5 -145 u8.5 +115 |
| Denver Broncos | o8.5 -149 u 8.5 +127 |
o8.5 -155 u8.5 +135 |
o9 -125 u9 -105 |
o9 -120 u9 -110 |
| Detroit Lions | o9.5 +134 u9.5 -157 |
o9.5 +135 u9.5 -155 |
o9.5 +125 u9.5 -155 |
o9 -120 u9 -110 |
| Green Bay Packers | o12 +110 u12 -128 |
o12 +100 u12 -120 |
o12 -125 u12 -105 |
o12 -115 u12 -115 |
| Houston Texans | o10 -126 u10 +108 |
o10 -125 u10 +105 |
o10 -165 u10 +135 |
o10 -130 u10 +100 |
| Indianapolis Colts | o5.5 +156 u5.5 -184 |
o5.5 +160 u5.5 -185 |
o5 -105 u5 -125 |
o5 -130 u5 +100 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | o5.5 +111 u5.5 -130 |
o5.5 +115 u5.5 -135 |
o5 -120 u5 -110 |
o5 -130 u5 +100 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | o8 -129 u8 +110 |
o8 -120 u8 +100 |
o8 -110 u8 -120 |
o8 -115 u8 -115 |
| Miami Dolphins | o7.5 +149 u7.5 -175 |
o7.5 +160 u7.5 -185 |
o7.5 +155 u7.5 -185 |
o7 +100 u7 -130 |
| Minnesota Vikings | o6 +109 u6 -127 |
o6 +120 u6 -140 |
o6 +125 u6 -155 |
o5.5 -125 u5.5 -105 |
| New England Patriots | o12 -108 u12 -108 |
o12 -110 u12 -110 |
o12 -140 u12 +110 |
o12 -115 u12 -115 |
| New Orleans Saints | o10 +134 u10 -157 |
o10 +135 u10 -155 |
o9.5 -145 u9.5 +115 |
o10 +120 u10 -110 |
| New York Giants | o9.5 +151 u9.5 -178 |
o9.5 +155 u9.5 -175 |
o9.5 +135 u9.5 -165 |
o9 -105 u9 -125 |
| New York Jets | o8.5 -137 u8.5 +117 |
o8.5 -140 u8.5 +120 |
o8.5 -150 u8.5 +120 |
o8.5 -150 u8.5 +120 |
| Oakland Raiders | o7 -113 u7 -103 |
o7 +105 u7 -125 |
o7 -105 u7 -125 |
o7 +100 u7 -130 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | o10 -120 u10 +103 |
o10 -135 u10 +115 |
o10.5 +105 u10.5 -135 |
o10.5 +100 u10.5 -130 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | o10 -102 u10 -114 |
o10 -105 u10 -115 |
o10 -120 u10 -110 |
o10 -115 u10 -115 |
| San Diego Chargers | o9 +104 u9 -121 |
o9 +100 u9 -120 |
o9 -120 u9 -110 |
o9 -115 u9 -115 |
| San Francisco 49ers | o10 +110 u10 -128 |
o10 +115 u10 -135 |
o10 -120 u10 -110 |
o10 -110 u10 -120 |
| Seattle Seahawks | o7 -171 u7 +145 |
o7 -170 u7 +150 |
o7 -160 u7 +130 |
o7 -150 u7 +120 |
| St. Louis Rams | o6 +101 u6 -118 |
o6 +100 u6 -120 |
o6 -125 u6 -105 |
o6 -115 u6 -115 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | o6 -114 u6 -102 |
o6 -125 u6 +105 |
o6 -125 u6 -105 |
o6 -130 u6 +100 |
| Tennessee Titans | o7 -139 u7 +119 |
o7 -145 u7 +125 |
o7 -150 u7 +120 |
o7 -150 u7 +120 |
| Washington Redskins | o6.5 +117 u6.5 -137 |
o6.5 +130 u6.5 -150 |
o6.5 +100 u6.5 -130 |
o6.5 +110 u6.5 -140 |