2013 Super Bowl: Alternate Point Spreads and Totals
by Nicholas Tolomeo - 1/31/2013
There is only one football game left this season, and, as unfortunate as that is for a football fan, a gambler or a gambling football fan, thanks to alternate Super Bowl lines there are tons of ways to bet this one last game without delving into any ludicrous prop bets.
The San Francisco 49ers are 3.5-point favorites against the Baltimore Ravens, and the posted total is 47 at most sportsbooks. If you think the side or total should be different, you can likely find your ideal point spread or total somewhere out there.
With alternate lines, the side and total are adjusted a certain direction and so is the juice and payout.
You can make things harder on yourself by moving the line against you in return for a boosted payout, or you can make things easier by moving the line in your favor in exchange for a higher price.
The alternate point spreads currently available on Bovada that peg Baltimore as a favorite are as follows: Baltimore -3.5 (+240), Baltimore -7.5 (+400), Baltimore -10.5 (+550), Baltimore -13.5 (+700). In contrast to those lines here are the alternate point spreads available that peg Baltimore as a bigger underdog than it already is: Baltimore +7.5 (-220), Baltimore +10.5 (-325), Baltimore +13.5 (-450) Baltimore +14.5 (-550), Baltimore +17.5 (-900) and Baltimore +20.5 (-1200).
The San Francisco alternate point spreads are as follows, San Francisco +13.5 (-1400), San Francisco +10.5 (-900), San Francisco +7.5 (-600), San Francisco +3.5 (-300), San Francisco -7.5 (+180), San Francisco -13.5 (+325), San Francisco -14.5 (+375), San Francisco -17.5 (+550) and San Francisco -20.5 (+650).
Just like regular point spreads, the juice varies sportsbook to sportsbook, and it will fluctuate throughout the week. For example, on 5Dimes San Francisco -14.5 could be had at +436, which looks much more attractive than the +375 at Bovada. Don’t be afraid to shop around even though it is an alternate point spread.
Alternate lines are not just for sides but totals as well. Some of the alternate game totals available on Bovada are 70.5 (over +600, under -1000), 60.5 (over +300, under -400), 55.5 (over +200, under -260), 45.5 (over -140, under +110), 40.5 (over -230, under +190) and 35.5 (over -400, under +300).
As the point spread or total is moved further away from the actual point spread, the juice widens. The value in alternate point spreads is by moving the line against yourself, as in taking San Francisco at –13.5 instead of –3.5. This is because Super Bowls have been prone to point spread blowouts over the past decade. In five of the 12 last Super Bowls, the winning team has covered the point spread by 15 points or more, an incredible figure considering how scrutinized the line is. For example, the 4.5-point underdog Saints won, 31-17, over the Colts three years ago to cover by 18.5. The Giants as 13.5-point underdogs won outright, 17-14, against New England in Super Bowl XLII.
The key is obviously moving the line the right way.
Alternate point spreads allow for more flexibility. If you are overly confident about one particular line whether it to be a total or a side, instead of upping your wager on one thing, you can keep your amount risked the same and simply give more points. For example, if you think the Ravens will win outright and do so handily, instead of placing $440 on Baltimore at +3.5 to win $400, you need to only risk $100 to $400 if you were to take Baltimore -7.5.
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