Middle BetCalculator

A middle bet (or middle for short) also known as "middling bets" is a betting strategy based on the spread (ATS), or total points markets. It involves betting on both sides of the spread when there is a difference in the spread to maximise your potential profit and minimise your potential losses.

For ATS betting, a middling bet generally involves taking the favored team, at the negative spread, for a smaller spread than the underdog team, at the positive spread. For example, taking the favored team at -2.5 but through either sportsbook discrepancy or betting movement towards the favored team, taking the underdog at +5.5.

Taking both these bets means if the final score of this game is to the favored team by a margin of either 3, 4 or 5 points, both of the bets will be a winner, and any other result, one will be a winner, minimising the risk for the bettor. The same strategy applies to total points markets, with the idea being take the highest possible total and bet on the unders, and take the lowest available total and take the overs, the bigger the middle the more chance to cash both bets!

Middling opportunities can pop-up in betting markets for a variety of reasons, most commonly being a disagreement in Sportsbook opinions on a certain event and via drastic odds movements (very evident when a game is expected to rain and one sportsbook is slow to move the totals towards the under).

For example, say an NFL game was being played between the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos. 'Sportsbook A' may open up their total market at 46.0 and 'Sportsbook B' may open up their total's market at 48.5. Imagine you wagered $25 on Over 46.0 (at odds of $1.90) and $25 on Under 48.5 (at odds of $1.90) here are your possible outcomes:

If the total is 45 points or less you lose $2.5
This is because Over 46.0 loses, Under 48.5 wins so [($25*1.90)*0]+[($25*1.90)*1] = $47.5. Then (return - stake) = profit. So $47.5-$50 is -$2.5 and a loss of $2.5

If the total is exactly 46 points you win $22.5
This is because the first bet, Over 46.0, is a push and therefore the stake is returned. So the calculation looks to the remaining bet which won [($25*1.90)] = $47.5 Then profit $47.5 - $25 = $22.5 (see how the stake is now only $25 not $50 due to the push)

If the total is between 47 and 48, you win $45
This is because Over 46.0 wins, Under 48.5 wins so [($25*1.90)*1]+[($25*1.90)*1] = $95 Profit is then $95-$50 = $45

If the total is 49 or more, you lose $2.5
This is because Over 46.5 wins, Under 48.5 loses so [($25*1.90)*1]+[($25*1.90)*0] = $47.5. So $47.5-$50 is -$2.5 and a loss of $2.5

Here you can see how valuable Middle bet opportunities are. But why do all that maths when we do it for you!