Dime Line

What is a Dime Line?

A dime line is a type of moneyline in sports betting where the commission charged by a sportsbook, also known as the juice or vigorish, is 10%. This is in contrast to the more common 20-cent line, or "standard line," which has a 20% commission. The term "dime" is slang for ten cents, which refers to the 10-cent difference in the odds between the favorite and the underdog.

How It Works

In sports betting, the moneyline is a bet on which team will win a game outright. The odds are expressed with a positive or negative number. A negative number indicates the favorite, and the number represents how much you need to bet to win $100. A positive number indicates the underdog, and the number represents how much you win for every $100 you bet.

With a dime line, the difference between the odds for the favorite and the underdog is 10 cents. This means that if the favorite has odds of -150, the underdog will have odds of +140. In a standard 20-cent line, if the favorite has odds of -150, the underdog would have odds of +130. The smaller the line, the lower the juice, and the better the value for the bettor.

Example

Let's consider a baseball game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. A sportsbook with a dime line might have the following odds:

• New York Yankees: -130
• Boston Red Sox: +120

In this example, the Yankees are the favorite. You would need to bet $130 on the Yankees to win $100. The Red Sox are the underdog. If you bet $100 on the Red Sox, you would win $120. The difference between the odds is 10 cents, which makes this a dime line.

Now, let's compare this to a sportsbook with a standard 20-cent line for the same game:

• New York Yankees: -135
• Boston Red Sox: +115

Here, you would need to bet $135 on the Yankees to win $100, and a $100 bet on the Red Sox would win you $115. As you can see, the dime line offers a better payout for both the favorite and the underdog.

Why It Matters

For sports bettors, finding a sportsbook that offers a dime line can be a significant advantage. The lower juice means that you are getting better odds on your bets, which can lead to higher profits over the long run. While a few cents may not seem like a big difference on a single bet, it can add up to a substantial amount of money over the course of a season.

Dime lines are most commonly found in baseball betting, but they can also be found in other sports like hockey. They are a sign of a sportsbook that is confident in its ability to set accurate lines and is willing to offer a better value to its customers. For serious bettors, seeking out sportsbooks with dime lines is a key part of a winning strategy.

It's also important to distinguish the "dime line" from a "dime bet." A dime bet is a wager of $1,000. While the terms both use the word "dime," they refer to completely different concepts in the world of sports betting. The dime line is about the bookmaker's commission, while a dime bet is about the size of the wager.

By understanding what a dime line is and how it works, you can become a more informed and successful sports bettor. Always look for the best possible odds, and don't be afraid to shop around at different sportsbooks to find the best lines.