What Does -1 Mean In Football Betting: A Quick Guide

When betting on football, you’ll often see numbers like -1, -1.5, or 1/2, and they can be a bit confusing at first. That’s why we’ve decided to explain exactly what these numbers mean whenever they show up in different types of bets like moneylines, spread bets, and even player props.

We’ll cover what does -1 mean in football betting, what does minus 1.5 mean in betting football, what does 1/2 mean in football betting, and also how they affect your chances of winning, and what to watch out for with each type of bet. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll feel way more confident placing your bets!

Basically, if you place a $100 bet on the Panthers at -1:

• If the Panthers win by 2 points or more, you win the bet and earn your payout.
• If the Panthers win by exactly 1 point, your $100 is refunded.
• If the Panthers lose or win by less than 1 point, you lose your $100 bet.

Imagine the Cowboys are playing the Eagles and you want to place a $100 bet on the Cowboys with a -1 point spread. Once again, whenever you see -1 in football point spreads, it means that the team (in this case, let’s say the Cowboys) is favored to win by more than one point.

To win your bet, the Cowboys have to win by more than 1 point. If they only win by exactly 1 point, it’s called a push, and you get your money back. If they lose or win by less than 1 point (which is basically impossible in football since there are no half points in scores), you lose your bet.

Here’s how that 100 bucks bet plays out:

These are your Payout Scenarios for $100 on the Cowboys with a -1 point spread

In other words, if the Cowboys win by 2 points, you’re in the green! If they only win by 1 point, no harm done, you get your bet back. But if they lose or just scrape by with a less than 1-point win (again, not really possible in football), you lose your bet. That’s how the -1 point spread works.

So just to get it out of the way, in the context of Over-Under Totals bets, -1 doesn’t directly apply to the total score but might refer to the odds given by the sportsbook. Over-Under bets are all about predicting whether the total points scored by both teams will be over or under a certain number (which is always set by the sportsbook).

For instance, if you see Over 45 points (-1), it means that the odds are slightly leaning towards the Over outcome. In this context, the number usually looks more like a -110. Let’s stay with our last Cowboys vs Eagles example and simulate an over-under totals bet.

Let’s also say that the sportsbook sets the total points line at 45 points. Here’s what that would look like:

In Over-Under Totals Bets -110 means you need to bet $110 to win $100. Keep in mind that-1 is very rare to see: a -110 or -105 is a far more realistic number.

So, if you bet on the Over 45 points (-1), you’re expecting the combined score of both teams to be more than 45 points. If it is, you win! If it’s less, you lose. If it’s exactly 45, your bet is refunded.

Just like with over/under bets, for Football Player Props Bets, -1 usually refers to the odds rather than the bet itself. That number is closer to the hundreds (like -110 or -150)

Player prop bets focus on specific player performances rather than the outcome of the game. Some common prop bets are how many touchdowns a quarterback will throw or how many rushing yards a running back will gain throughout the game, regardless of which team wins.

Let’s say we’re betting on a player prop bet for that game between the Cowboys and the Eagles and, you want to bet on whether the Eagles’ quarterback, Jalen Hurts, will throw more than 2 touchdowns.

The sportsbook offers the following:

If youre betting on whether the Eagles’ quarterback, Jalen Hurts, will throw more than 2 touchdowns, these would be your outcomes for that plater prop bet:

Future bets are fairly unique, since you’re predicting something that might happen further down the line during a season. This could be anything, like, which team will win the Super Bowl, who will be the league MVP, or which team will win their division.

Once again, for Football Futures Bets, -1 typically refers to the odds rather than a point spread or over-under, so that number is more likely to be seen in the hundreds than in single digits. Still, the principle stands: a negative number shows that a specific team or player is a favorite to win that future event.

Let’s say you’re betting on which team will win the Super Bowl in the upcoming NFL season. A sportsbook might offer the following futures bets:

When you see -1 in a futures bet, it’s a shorthand notation for the team being a slight favorite. These odds are used to show which teams or players are more or less likely to win based on expert analysis and public betting trends.

Based on that last chart the odds tell you the following:

• -110: You need to bet $110 to win $100. If the Chiefs win, a $100 bet will return $190.91 ($90.91 profit + $100 initial bet).
• +150: Bet $100 to win $150. If the Packers win, a $100 bet will return $250 ($150 profit + $100 initial bet).
• +300: Bet $100 to win $300. If the Cowboys win, a $100 bet will return $400 ($300 profit + $100 initial bet).
  

What happens if the match ends exactly with a one-goal difference?
Your bet on the -1 line results in a push, meaning you get your initial stake back.

How does the -1 line compare to betting on the moneyline?
The -1 line offers better odds than the moneyline but requires the team to win by at least two goals to profit.

Is betting on the -1 line more profitable than other types of bets?
It can be more profitable if your team wins by more than one goal, but it carries more risk than a standard moneyline bet.

Can the -1 line be used in live betting?
Yes, the -1 line can be used in live betting, with odds adjusting based on the match’s progress.