What Is a Teaser in Sports Betting?

What is a teaser in sports betting? Bettors place this bet to reduce the point spread, i.e., a method used to even the odds between a game of two teams that are not evenly matched. So, the bettor must then accept a lower return for removing the number of points that the team they bet on needs to get for them to win the bet. One could argue that it is a way to pay a sum of money in exchange for increasing the bettor’s chances of winning a bet. Thus, this article discusses what a teaser is in betting, explains how it works, offers examples of tease bets, and more. 

How Does a Teaser Bet Work?

The introduction already offered a preliminary definition of a teaser bet, but there are more aspects to it. For example, the bettor will have to combine some of their bets, which can lead to greater rewards and higher risk. That is why a teaser bet is considered a variation of a parlay bet. 

People consider teaser bets in sports betting because it increases the chances of winning a bet with a reduction in the returns. Moreover, the combination of multiple bets helps increase the returns, and with the higher chance of winning can become an attractive choice for some bettors. 

The following teaser bet example should help explain how it works. 

Teaser Bets in NFL

Betting in NFL mainly uses 6-point teaser bets, but that can vary to 6.5-point and 7-point alterations. Here’s what these teaser bets mean if we were to take the example of a match between the New York Giants and the Green Bay Packers. Let’s assume that the point spread betting odds for the teams is +8 for the New York Giants and -8 for the Green Bay Packers. Based on these odds, we learn that the Green Bay Packers are the favorites, and anyone that bets on them winning will need the team to win by more than 8 points. It’s considered a push if the Green Bay Packers win by exactly 8 points. 

A teaser bet reduces this point spread to a number that makes it more favorable for bettors to bet on one team winning or losing. By this example, a 6-point teaser bet would change the point spread to +2 for the New York Giants and -2 for the Green Bay Packers. A 6.5-point teaser bet would change the point spread to +1.5 for the New York Giants and -1.5 for the Green Bay Packers, and a 7-point bet would reduce it further to +1 and -1, respectively. 

Bettors can also apply teaser bets on over/under bets, which are betting odds of whether the total points in a game will be above or below a specific number. So, for example, in this game between the New York Giants and the Green Bay Packers, betters can choose over or under a combined point total of 41 points. With a 6-point teaser bet in place, the number will be reduced to 35 points. For 6-5-point and 7-point teaser bets, the score total will be 34.5 and 34 points, respectively. 

Thus, because teaser bets are combined bets, bettors must win both bets (i.e., the point spread and over/under bets) to win the teaser bet. 

How A Teaser Bet Calculator May Help 

Some sportsbooks have different numbers of teams that you can include in your teaser bets, with a minimum of 2 and reaching 8 in some cases. Thus, you’ll need to check what the sportsbook offers, and then the website may calculate how much you’ll recieve through your bet. 

You can also calculate this amount beforehand to determine whether it is profitable to choose a teaser bet in the first place. A teaser bet calculator, such as Procappers, may help in that case. Teaser calculators provide you with your returns based on the point spread of the game (for example, a 6-point teaser bet) and the number of teams you’re betting on. 

Teaser Vs. Parlay

The difference between a teaser and a parlay bet is that the former involves altering existing betting odds, i.e., the point spread and the over/under betting odd, to increase the bettor’s chances of winning a bet. The similarity between these two types of bets is that both involve combining two or more bets. Combining the bets means that each individual bet will be counted as a leg, and you must win all of the legs to win the parlay or teaser bet. People choose parlay bets because they can offer more significant returns to bettors albeit at a greater risk. 

Teaser Bets in Basketball

A teaser bet in basketball is typically set at a 4-point alteration. For example, consider the point spread betting odds for a match between the Boston Celtics and the Charlotte Hornets to be -9.5 and +9.5, respectively. In this case, the Charlotte Hornets are the underdogs. Thus, a 4-point teaser bet allows a bettor to reduce the odds to -5.5 for the Boston Celtics and +5.5 for the Charlotte Hornets.

At the same time, the bettor must also place another bet (which is another leg of the teaser bet). Thus, they can choose the over/under bet as the second leg, which is a requirement of most teaser bets. If the sportsbook set the over/under betting odds for over 220.5 points when the Boston Celtics win, then the total points would reach 216.5 points. 

Consider someone making a bet in this example:

The bettor bets on the Boston Celtics winning, which means that the team would have to win by more than 5.5 points, or the Charlotte Hornets would have to lose by more than 5.5 points. This bet would count as one leg of the bet. The second leg would be that the game’s total points must be over 216.5 points. 

A player would need to win both legs, i.e., the individual bets, in order to win the teaser bet. So, for example, if the Boston Celtics win by 7 points but the match’s total points are 214, then the bettor will lose the entire teaser bet. However, they will win a more significant return than they would if they won the individual bets (i.e., after the bet return was reduced due to the teaser bet). 

Answers to Some Common Questions About Teaser Bets

Below are answers to some questions about teaser bets to help you familiarize yourself with this aspect of sports betting. 

Where can I use teaser bets?

You can use a teaser bet on Bovada, DraftKings, and many other sportsbooks. 

What are the best teaser bets in NFL?

The answer to this question depends on how much risk you’re willing to take based on the rewards you want to receive. That said, the safest bet can be to use a 6-point teaser with two teams. The risks are relatively lower, but the rewards can be worth choosing a teaser bet. 

How to bet a teaser on FanDuel?

When betting on a sport, such as an NFL or NBA game, you can click the teaser option when placing your bet, which is located one place above the straight bet option. 

What sports typically use teaser bets?

American football and basketball are two of the most common sports with teaser bets. A hockey teaser bet is rare because the points in each game are too low. 

How do you win a teaser bet? 

As discussed in detail above, you must win all legs of your bet. 

Are teaser bets better for football or basketball?

Teaser bets can be safer for football than basketball because the points vary significantly in basketball games. More consistent results can make it easier to make bets that you hope to win. 

Are teaser bets limited to two teams?

No. While teaser bets typically involve two teams, they can involve multiple, allowing bettors to combine up to 10 bets in some cases. This aspect depends on sportsbooks, so you can look at the rules each provides.

Do all sportsbooks accept teaser bets?

Most sportsbooks or bookmakers accept teaser bets, particularly for American football and basketball.

What is a 7-point teaser bet?

It’s a type of teaser bet used in football betting in which the points spread will be reduced by 7 points. For example, a +10 and -10 point spread will change to +3 and -3, respectively.

What happens to a teaser bet when there’s a push in a bet?

A push is when a team wins by the exact number of points as the number in the points spread. For example, if Team A wins by 10 points with a -10 point spread. So, if there’s a push, you won’t lose the teaser bet; however, this may vary according to the sportsbook. For example, if you place a teaser bet at DraftKings, you will receive a refund of the amount you placed in your wager if there’s a push. 

Final Words

A teaser bet is a great way for bettors to help increase their chances of winning by improving their odds, but combining multiple individual bets can increase the risk. So, make sure to perform some calculations beforehand to know your potential risks and rewards.