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Teaser
sports bettingA type of parlay where you can adjust the point spread in your favor on each leg, in exchange for a lower payout.
Key Takeaways
- 1Teasers move the spread in your favor for reduced payouts
- 2Wong teasers crossing 3 and 7 in football can be +EV
- 3Only valuable in football with 2-team, 6-point structure
- 4Basketball teasers are almost never profitable
What is a Teaser?
A teaser is a type of parlay that allows you to move the point spread in your favor on each leg, in exchange for a reduced payout. The most common teasers in football move the line 6, 6.5, or 7 points.
Standard Football Teaser Payouts
| Points | 2-Team | 3-Team |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | -110 | +180 |
| 6.5 | -120 | +160 |
| 7 | -130 | +140 |
The Wong Teaser Strategy
Stanford Wong's research showed that 2-team, 6-point teasers in football are profitable when:
- You tease favorites of -7.5 to -8.5 through both 3 and 7
- You tease underdogs of +1.5 to +2.5 through both 3 and 7
These "Wong teasers" cross through the two most important key numbers, dramatically increasing your win probability.
When Teasers Work
- Football only — Basketball teasers are almost never +EV
- Cross key numbers — The value is in crossing 3 and 7
- 2-team teasers — Adding legs compounds the house edge
- 6-point teasers — Larger teasers cost too much in reduced payout
When Teasers Don't Work
- Basketball (scoring is too granular for key numbers)
- More than 2 legs (house edge compounds)
- Lines that don't cross key numbers