Teasers are unique and very popular type of sports bet where you adjust the original point spread or total number of points assigned by the sportsbook. Teaser bets extend the scope of point-betting based on the number of points a team scores/concedes or the total number of points scored in a game.
Teasers allow you to manage the risk of losing, but there are a few snags. Below, we explain the concept of teaser betting and share a few examples.
Teaser Bets Explained
A teaser bet is a type of parlay bet in which you choose two or more legs and add or subtract points within the allowed margin. Sportsbooks usually allow you to add or subtract 6 points from the given spread.
Teasers give you extra room to adjust the points scored/conceded by a team (spread) or the total points scored in a game (over/under, or totals). This gives you the latitude to move the totals or spread in your favor and bet on more probable outcomes.
Teasers vs. Point Spreads vs. Totals
The ‘spread’ is a two-way number (+2, -2, +4.5, -4.5, +6, -6, etc.). The plus sign indicates the underdog, and the minus the favorite. Betting on the favorite to cover a -5 spread means betting on that team to win by more than 5 points. Betting on the underdog means the less-favored team mustn’t lose by more than 5 points.
Totals indicate the cumulative result at the end of the game rather than the points scored/conceded by a single team.
Teasers work in conjunction with both bet types. A 6-point teaser, for instance, enables you to extend or decrease the spread/total by 6 points, giving you more wiggle room to alter the odds and the win probability in your favor, albeit a lower payout.
How Teaser Bets Work in Practice
A teaser is a combined bet. To qualify for teasers, a single ticket must include a minimum of two (sometimes three) legs. The maximum number of legs can be limited or indefinite. The more legs, the higher the potential payout due to the combined odds; however, all legs must win to make a winning ticket.
Although some sportsbooks allow 7-point and 10-point teasers, most sportsbooks offer a 6-point teaser. Depending on the sportsbook, you can add or take any number of points between 1 and 6, or 6 can be the fixed number. Teasers apply to most team sports, but they are mainly available in basketball, football, hockey, and soccer. You can quickly work out your return using our teaser calculator. It’s free to use and will work on mobile and laptop.
You can adjust the favorite team’s original point spread by lowering its projected margin of victory. This means that the team can win by a lower margin than the assigned spread or even lose, and the bet will still win. Conversely, you may expand the underdog’s assigned spread, i.e., raise the number of points over which the team mustn’t lose for the bet to win.
Additionally, you can subtract points from the underdog’s original spread or widen the favorite’s spread, effectively creating longer, more unfavorable odds. This is known as a reverse teaser. A 6-point reverse teaser on a -5 favorite means the favorite must win by more than 11 points to cover the spread. A 6-point reverse teaser on a +8 underdog brings the margin of losing to just +2, meaning the team must not lose by more than 2, rather than the original 8 points.
Examples of Teaser Betting
To illustrate with a football example, let’s take Team A as the underdog with a +3.5 spread and Team B as the favorite with a -3.5 spread. As is, Team A must not lose by more than 3 points, while Team B must win by more than 3 points to cover the spread.
Adding a six-point teaser to Team A will extend the spread to +9.5, meaning you predict that Team A won’t lose by more than 9 points.
If you apply the six-point teaser to the favorite, you move Team B’s spread from -3.5 to +2.5. This way, you subtract the number of points Team B must score to win, even allowing it a small margin of losing. In this instance, even if Team B loses by 1 or 2 points, the leg wins. Remember, due to the high probability of these outcomes, the odds and payout will be considerably lower. In contrast, reverse teasers create longer odds.
Types of Teaser Bets
There are a few types of teaser bets you may come across:
- 6-point teaser: The sportsbook allows a 6-point adjustment on the spread or total points.
- 7-point teaser: Increases adjustment room for spreads/totals by one more point compared to a 6-point teaser.
- Super teaser: A 3-leg parlay is the minimum for super teasers. The super teaser also allows more points for adjustment (up to 14) but reduces the odds and payout.
- Reverse teaser: This involves adjusting the spread (or total) against your favor. You can widen the favorite’s original spread to win by a bigger margin or decrease the underdog’s loss margin.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Teaser Betting
Teasers seem tempting, but there are a few negative sides to them.
Pros
- You can adjust the odds for totals, and the point spread
- Teasers are applicable to most team sports
- You can add multiple legs to your ticket
- Teasers allow you to reduce the risk of losing
Cons
- All legs must hit to win the teaser
- The lower payouts can prompt you to add more legs
