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Line Shopping
sports bettingComparing odds across multiple sportsbooks to find the best available price before placing a bet.
Key Takeaways
- 1Line shopping means comparing odds across multiple books
- 2It's the easiest way to improve long-term results
- 3Have accounts at 3-5 sportsbooks minimum
- 4Small differences compound into thousands over time
What is Line Shopping?
Line shopping means comparing odds across multiple sportsbooks to find the best available price for your bet. It's the single easiest way to improve your long-term results.
Why It Matters
Different sportsbooks often have different odds on the same event. The difference might seem small, but it compounds dramatically over time.
Example
You want to bet the Chiefs moneyline:
- Book A: Chiefs -150
- Book B: Chiefs -145
- Book C: Chiefs -140
Taking -140 instead of -150 on a $100 bet means winning $71.43 vs $66.67 — an extra $4.76 per bet. Over 500 bets per year, that's $2,380 in extra profit.
How to Line Shop
- Have accounts at 3-5 sportsbooks minimum
- Check all books before placing any bet
- Use odds comparison tools to save time
- Pay special attention to key numbers in football
The Impact
| Bets/Year | Avg Savings/Bet | Annual Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 200 | $3 | $600 |
| 500 | $3 | $1,500 |
| 1,000 | $3 | $3,000 |
Line shopping is free money. There's no reason not to do it.