Totals

by Betrics Co. Author Mike Noblin

Q: What’s this Totals business?

A: Totals (also known as Over-Unders) are also set for each game by the bookmakers for bettors to consider. The total is the exact number of points (or runs or goals) that the linemakers expect to be scored in the game.

Let’s use baseball as an example. Suppose the World Champion LA Dodgers are playing in Colorado against the Rockies. The books may set the opening total on this contest at 10 ½. If you think both offenses will do well, you may consider betting OVER the 10.5 runs. However, we will say it was a typical thin-air type of night in Colorado and the final score was 11-5. This means you would have easily cashed your OVER 10.5 wager!

Key Factors in Formulating Totals

Stats, Stats, and More Stats

Bookies rely heavily on statistical data when it comes to setting totals. Some stats they really pay attention to in football are points per game, yards per play, red-zone touchdown %, 3rd-down conversion rate, etc.

Weather

You may notice a total dropping like a rock during the middle of the week for no apparent reason. Often this happens if a bad weather report has been released for that game, such as hurricane-force winds or severe thunderstorms. It is more difficult to score many points in crappy weather, so always check the weather before placing a totals wager.

Injuries and other Variables

Like we mentioned above, injuries not only affect the point spread. They also affect the total set for the game as well. Also, there are always miscellaneous factors to consider when betting totals. For example, certain baseball umpires are known to have wide strike zones. This almost always leads to an edge for betting the Under due to fewer walks and more strikeouts!