Teaser Strategy

Even more so than the related parlay bets, teaser bets are often look at as sucker bets by those who bet on sports. But while this might be true in a general sense, finding the right spots to bet on teasers can make the teaser a good addition to a well rounded sports betting strategy.

Teasers are usually available in both football and basketball. The idea behind a teaser is simple; the player makes what looks like a two or three (or more) team parlay, only they get to change the lines in their favor! In football, a teaser will usually give you the ability to move the line 6-7 points in your favor on each game, while in basketball, 4-5 points is more common. Often you’ll have options, such as taking 6, 6.5 or 7 points. Of course, these points come at a price; the payoffs for winning these teasers are much smaller than when you win a regular parlay. In fact, a two-team teaser almost always pays less than winning one regular bet!

So which matters more: the lower odds, or the points? Not surprisingly, bookmakers offer teasers because they have a bigger edge on them than on regular bets. Assuming you’re betting randomly or without an edge, there’s no doubt about it; the extra points don’t move your winning percentage high enough to make up for the fact that the sportsbook isn’t going to pay you very much when you win.

But that’s not always the case, and smart sports bettors can find spots where teasers will work in their favor. Perhaps the most well-known example – and the one that has been the most profitable over recent years – is known as the Wong teaser. The theory behind these teasers is simple: the final score spread in NFL games is far from random. The most common finals end with one team winning by 3 or 7 points. If a teaser can get you across both of these lines with the best odds possible (usually, by only taking a six point teaser), you can end up with a significant edge against the sportsbooks.

Here’s an example. Team A is getting two points from Team B. If you take a six-point teaser on Team A, you’ll turn the line from +2 to +8, covering both a loss by a field goal and a loss by a touchdown. Find 2-4 games like this in a given week, and you’ll have a teaser that’s worth playing.

Of course, the bookmakers know this too, and they have taken some steps to prevent this when possible. They might turn an 8 point favorite (which you could tease down to 2) into a 9.5 point favorite, but change the money odds slightly to make up for it (if the tem would have been a -110 favorite at -8, maybe they’ll be closer to -130 at -9.5). This makes very little difference to the people making straight bets on the game, but ruins the opportunity to move across the -3 on a six point teaser. Still, there are plenty of good Wong teasers out there if you do the work to find them.

Finally, one word of warning: these teasers are designed to be used in NFL games, not college football. In college games, the scoring is more erratic, and your edge will not be as big on a teaser, if there is one at all. Players who want to win big with teasers should stick to the NFL.

If you want to win at sportsbetting, you shouldn’t be betting teasers just because the points are tempting, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bet them at all. If you can find the smart teasers that buy you the points that really matter, then the only “sucker” in this bet will be the sportsbook.

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