Have you ever felt the thrill of betting on sports, where the stakes are high and the rewards even higher? That’s what pleaser betting is all about. It’s like taking a walk on the wild side of sports gambling, where you push the odds further against your favor for a shot at those eye-popping payouts. So, how do you bet a pleaser? Let’s dive into this high-risk, high-reward strategy.
How Pleasers in Sports Betting Work
First off, understand that a pleaser bet is essentially an anti-teaser; instead of moving the point spread to your advantage, you’re doing quite the opposite. You’re giving points back to the sportsbook. Imagine you’ve got two NFL teams—let’s say Chicago and Las Vegas—and they’re both favorites to win their games by 3 points each. In a pleaser bet, you might move that line against yourself by 7 points, making the Bears -10 and the Raiders -14. Now, both teams need not just to win but to cover these new spreads for your bet to hit paydirt.
Placing a pleaser is similar to setting up a parlay; you select multiple events (usually within football or basketball due to their scoring nature) and confirm your wager with adjusted lines. The more teams included in your pleaser, the greater the potential payout—but remember, it also means increasing your risk exponentially. It’s like juggling flaming torches; it looks impressive when done right but can go south quickly if not handled with care.
Pleasers only apply to point spreads. There are no total pleasers available.
The house advantage is higher at pleasers than nearly any other type of sports bet. The sportsbook holds over 30 percent. The smallest hold is usually closer to 40 percent. The more legs added, the higher the house advantage. Some pleasers hold over 60 percent.
Types of Pleaser Bets
There are different types of pleasers. Some are football, while others are basketball. Both sports are available for professional and college betting. This means the NFL, NBA, and NCAA are on the board. However, pleasers are only offered by a handful of sportsbooks.
Football pleasers are usually offered with 3, 6, 6.5, and 7 points. Basketball ones are usually 4, 4.5, and 5 points. All pleasers involve at least two teams. There may be as many as eight on a ticket, depending on the sportsbook.
Pleaser Strategy
The variance on pleasers is astronomical. Combine this with the house edge, and it is not something most players enjoy. However, if you want to give it a shot, we have some tips.
The most important tip is to make small bets on pleasers. Nearly all lose. Stay within limits that you can afford to lose. If your bet wins, great, but you should understand it was the exception and not the rule.
It is best to push pleasers across irrelevant numbers. This means avoiding crossing three and seven. Pleasers offer the best value when betting on a big favorite to win in a blowout or pushing a small underdog into a small favorite. Avoid crossing three twice or three and seven in the same pleaser.
How Pushes Are Graded
Pleasers work like teasers and parlays when it comes to pushes. If a leg pushes the point spread, it is dropped from the ticket. A three-team pleaser with two wins and a push is paid as a two-teamer. In most cases, a two-team pleaser with a push and a win is graded as a push. Always read the sportsbook’s house rules to determine how pushes are handled.