With our half point calculator, you can discover the value of buying or selling half points on the spreads and totals markets. Naturally, this makes it a popular betting option for NFL, MLB, NBA, and NCAA sports.
To use this tool, you just need to select your league, and bet type, then enter the spread and odds for both sides of the bet. Once that’s done, the calculator will show you the favorite price, the underdog price and the vig that you’ll pay for both.
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How to use the
half points back calculator
Value is the most important thing in betting, as it tells you if a bet is worth your while or not. Points spreads and totals always start at the same price for each outcome and are finely balanced, so it’s crucial to ensure you use the
best online betting sites
with the most competitive lines.
As a result, there is value to be found in buying or selling half points on the spread when the market moves. By using the half point calculator, you can better understand the edge you’re getting (or vig you’re paying) as well as the price for the favorite and underdog for either side of the spread.
Inputs
To use the half point calculator, you need to input the following data:
League
- You can select the league that you’re betting on from the dropdown menu (NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, NCAAF, or NCAAB).
Bet type
- Choose between either “Spread” or “Total” (over/under) depending on which market you’re looking at.
Odds type
- Our half-point calculator is set to American odds by default, but you can change it to decimal (European) if you wish.
Spread/total
- Depending on the bet you’ve selected above, enter the spread line being offered by the sportsbook. E.g. if the over/under is -/+8, you would enter 8.0 here.
Fave/over price
- Here you would put the odds of the favorite to beat the spread, or the “over” price if you have chosen a totals market.
Dog/under price
- Here you put the odds for the underdog, or the under market to win against the spread.
Outputs
After you have entered the above data and prompted the calculator, it will display the following outputs:
Spread/Total
- In this column, you will see the data for the spread within a half point on either side of the spread value. Although you can adjust this, doing so will give you less accurate results. For example, if you enter 8.0 in the column above, you will get the outputs for 7.5, 8.0, and 8.5.
Push prob
- This column shows the implied probability for pushing against the spread (whole number values only - 8.0 as a push is impossible for a half-point bet).
Fave/over price
- This shows the odds for the favorite/over market for the spread value you have entered, as well as for the half point on either side.
Fave/over edge - Here you can see the vig that you’ll pay (if the number is negative) or the edge that you’ll get (if the number is positive). FYI - it’s extremely rare that you will get an edge from a spread/totals line at a US sportsbook.
Dog/under price
- The odds for the underdog to beat the spread.
Dog/under edge
- The vig or edge for the dog/under spread.
A step-by-step guide to using our
half-point calculator
Here is a walkthrough guide to using our half-point calculator:
Browse the best odds available for a spread or totals line
Load the half point calculator
Choose your league and bet type
Insert the spread line
Input the odds for the favorite and the underdog (or over and under)
Click the “Calculate” button
Get your results instantly
Example:
We’re fortunate enough to be writing this at the start of March Madness, so we’ve taken an NCAAB line from DraftKings Sportsbook to use as our example:
Spread
Total
Moneyline
William & Mary:
-5 (-105)
O 138
-205
North Carolina A&T:
+5 (-115)
U 138
+170
First of all, here’s how you would input the data using our half-point calculator:
League:
NCAAB
Bet type:
Spread
Spread:
5.0
Odds type:
US
Fave price:
-115
Dog price:
-105
When you click “Calculate”, here are the outputs that you will get:
Spread
Push Prob
Fave Price
Fave Edge
Dog Price
Dog Edge
4.5
-
-124.8
-4.50%
+103.3
-4.50%
5.0
3.95%
-115
-4.50%
-105
-4.50%
5.5
-
-105.7
-4.50%
-114.3
-4.50%
Here you can see that you are paying a 4.50% vig on top of the fair price. This is effectively the commission that the sportsbook adds to ensure a profit for either outcome, and 4-5% is the average.
The best available value is selling the half point on the underdog at +103.3. Meanwhile, the percentage of a “push” (the spread landing at 5 points on the nose) is 3.95%.
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Half-point and
middle calculator betting
explained
Now that we’ve shown you how to use our half-point calculator, let’s take a closer look at the half-point and its role in sports betting.
How the half point works in spread betting
To put it simply, the half-point exists in spreads and totals betting to eliminate the possibility of a push (basically a tie). In football, basketball, baseball, and hockey, it is impossible to score a half-point, therefore using a half-point guarantees that one side must win.
On the other hand, with a full-point spread or total, the spread can land exactly. This is what’s known as a “push” and in the rare case that it happens, neither side wins and all betting stakes are returned.
Examples:
With a 5.5 over/under line in hockey, six or more goals would see the over pay out, while five or less would see the under win. However, if the line was 5, the result would be a push and everyone who bet on the over/under market would get their stake back.
Sportsbooks don’t make any money on a push and therefore want to avoid them. In general, it isn’t much of an issue in high-scoring games like basketball, where the push probability tends to be below 5%.
However, in low-scoring leagues, such as the NHL, the push for the spread and totals line is often greater than 25%, so half points are almost always used.
Why our
middle betting calculator
is useful
Whether you are an advanced spread bettor who carefully studies the data for every bet, or you’re a novice who’s looking to gain a greater understanding, our half-point calculator is an extremely useful tool.
Below are the top reasons why you should use it:
It’s quick and easy
Like all of our betting calculators at PromoGuy US, this one is straightforward to use. It would take the human mind an age to complete all of the calculations required here, so why not let our tool do it in seconds?
Find the best value
Above all else, this calculator lets you know where the best value is to be found when buying or selling the half point. Alternatively, it might tell you that a particular spread is worth avoiding completely based on the odds available.
It shows you how fair the price is
Straight away this calculator lets you know if the sportsbook is adding a fair vig to the price. If it’s over 5%, it’s definitely best to look elsewhere.
Comparison
As well as checking the spread and totals prices on the same sportsbooks, you can compare the spread on other
MLS betting sites
too. As with everything in life, shopping around when betting on sports is the best way to find value.
What other calculators are available?
Did you find this free half-point sports betting calculator useful? There’s plenty more where that came from - take a look at all 15 of our betting calculators here:
All of our free betting calculators at the PromoGuy
The results and data that our half-point calculator provides can help you to make better betting decisions and increase your overall understanding of this type of wager. On top of its primary purpose, which is to help decide if buying or selling the half-point is worth it, you can also see how much vig the sportsbook is taking for the favourite and the underdog as well as the percentage chances of a push.
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Half-point calculator
FAQ
❓ How does the half-point work in betting?
The half point is typically used in spread and totals betting to avoid the push outcome (the points total landing exactly). For example, if the spread in an NFL game is 7.5 the favorite would win with an 8+ margin and the underdog would win by staying within 7 points of the favorite.
🤔 What is the half-point worth in betting?
That varies depending on the league, bet type, odds, and spread line that you are looking at. To see what the half-point is worth for any spread or totals bet, you can use our purpose-made calculator here at PromoGuy.us.
👀 What does +0.5 in spread betting mean?
If you see +0.5 as an NHL puck line (spread) then it means the underdog has a half-point advantage. So, if the underdog wins, your bet would pay out. However, if they lose, so would your bet.
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