Total

A total (also called the over/under or O/U) is a bet on whether the combined final score of both teams will be over or under a number set by the sportsbook. It’s the third major bet type alongside the spread and moneyline.

How it works

In an NBA game with a total of 220.5:

• Over 220.5 wins if the combined score is 221 or more.
• Under 220.5 wins if it’s 220 or fewer.

Both sides are typically priced at -110 (the standard vig). The half-point eliminates pushes — sportsbooks use whole-number totals occasionally, where pushes refund the stake.

What moves a total

• Pace — fast-pace teams produce more possessions, more scoring chances.
• Defense — bad defenses inflate totals.
• Weather in outdoor sports — wind in the NFL or MLB can crater a total. Cold weather suppresses passing in football.
• Injuries to key offensive or defensive players — line moves immediately.
• Public action — heavy public lean on the over (which is the public’s default) can drift a line up.

Totals across sports

• NFL: typically 38–55 range
• NBA: typically 210–240 range
• NHL: typically 5.5–7 range, almost always with half-point
• MLB: typically 7–11 range
• Soccer: typically 2.0–4.5 range

Totals in parlays

Multiply the same way as spreads and moneylines — multiply each leg’s decimal odds. Three-team Over parlays at -110 each pay roughly +600.

Live totals

Once the game starts, totals re-price every possession or play. A first-quarter scoring binge moves the total up; a defensive battle drops it. Live totals are where hedging on a parlay’s last total leg often makes sense — see hedge.