How do you .....

[NEAL]

How do you read the Vegas odds for a sports game. This is a very bad example because it shows the favorite. But sites like Bodog confuse the hell out of me.

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#0033cc colSpan=8><CENTER>National Football League </CENTER></TD></TR><TR bgColor=#e5e5e5><TD>Time</TD><TD></TD><TD align=middle>Stardust (http://www.vegas.com/resorts/stardust/index.html)</TD><TD align=middle>Caesars (http://www.vegas.com/resorts/caesars/index.html)-

Hilton (http://www.vegas.com/resorts/lvhilton/index.html)
</TD><TD align=middle>MGM (http://www.vegas.com/resorts/mgm2/index.html)-

Mirage (http://www.vegas.com/resorts/mirage/index.html)
</TD><TD align=middle>Stations (http://www.vegas.com/resorts/sstation/index.html)</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR><TD noWrap>Jan. 21</TD><TD noWrap bgColor=#e9edf8>New Orleans</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR><TD noWrap>12 a.m. </TD><TD noWrap bgColor=#e9edf8>at Chicago</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR bgColor=#e5e5e5><TD colSpan=2>Favorite</TD><TD noWrap align=middle></TD><TD noWrap align=middle>CHI</TD><TD noWrap align=middle>CHI</TD><TD noWrap align=middle>CHI</TD><TD noWrap align=middle></TD><TD noWrap align=middle></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>Point spread</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle>-2½</TD><TD align=middle>-2½</TD><TD align=middle>-2½</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR bgColor=#e5e5e5><TD colSpan=2>Total</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle>42½o/u</TD><TD align=middle>42½o/u</TD><TD align=middle>43o/u</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>Total money line</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle>-110</TD><TD align=middle>-110</TD><TD align=middle>-110</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=8><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD noWrap>Jan. 21</TD><TD noWrap bgColor=#e9edf8>New England</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR><TD noWrap>3:30 p.m. </TD><TD noWrap bgColor=#e9edf8>at Indianapolis</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR bgColor=#e5e5e5><TD colSpan=2>Favorite</TD><TD noWrap align=middle></TD><TD noWrap align=middle>IND</TD><TD noWrap align=middle>IND</TD><TD noWrap align=middle>IND</TD><TD noWrap align=middle></TD><TD noWrap align=middle></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>Point spread</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle>-3½</TD><TD align=middle>-3½</TD><TD align=middle>-3½</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR bgColor=#e5e5e5><TD colSpan=2>Total</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle>47½o/u</TD><TD align=middle>47o/u</TD><TD align=middle>47½o/u</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>Total money line</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle>-110</TD><TD align=middle>-110</TD><TD align=middle>-110</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=8><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD noWrap>Feb. 4</TD><TD noWrap bgColor=#e9edf8>AFC</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR><TD noWrap>3:25 p.m. </TD><TD noWrap bgColor=#e9edf8>at NFC</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR bgColor=#e5e5e5><TD colSpan=2>Favorite</TD><TD noWrap align=middle></TD><TD noWrap align=middle></TD><TD noWrap align=middle></TD><TD noWrap align=middle>AFC</TD><TD noWrap align=middle></TD><TD noWrap align=middle></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>Point spread</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle>-6½</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR bgColor=#e5e5e5><TD colSpan=2>Total</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle>47½o/u</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>Total money line</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle>-110</TD><TD align=middle></TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[Billyb0b81]

You should just give me your money and save the hassle of placing bets. :D

[Swag]

It means that Chicago is favored to win by 2 1/2 points (Spread: -2.5). The over/under is the total amount of points in the game that will be scored. You either bet that both teams will combine for over 42.5 points, or combine for under 42.5 points. The money line means you have to place a bet of $110 to earn a profit of $100 if Chicago wins by at least 2.5 points and the total is either over/under based on what you bet.

Lost yet? Try searching around on wikipedia, I'm sure they have something on it. You could also watch the 2005 movie "Two for the Money." If you have HBO on Time Warner, it's listed in the On Demand section. Watched it last night, good movie!