Almost as popular as betting on the point spread are over/under (total) bets. Instead of picking a team in a game, the bettor determines whether the combined score of both teams will be above or below a total number. Casinos determine totals the same way they do point spreads; their goal is to split the betting evenly between the under and the over.

Totals are usually listed next to the underdog team in the point spread like this:

Cowboys   35 
Cardinals -4

You can bet on whether both the Cowboys and Dolphins total points will add up to either over or under 35 points. If we stay with the score of Cowboys 19 – Dolphins 17, then the total is 36. If you bet the over you win. Bet the under you lose. If the total hit exactly 35, then all bets would be a push and all money would be returned.

Over/under bets are common in professional basketball, baseball, and football games. They’re also usually available on the most popular college football and basketball games.