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's market at 50.5 and 'Sportsbook B' may open up their total's market at 55.5

To make this example easy, imagine you wagered $100 on Over 50.5 (at odds of $2.00) and $100 on Under 55.0 (at odds of $2.00) here are your possible outcomes:

Match has 50 or less points your Under 55.0 bet wins, and your Over 50.5 bet loses.

Result = Breakeven.

Match has 56 or more points your Under 55.0 bet loses, and your Over 50.5 bet wins.

Result = Breakeven.

Match has either 51, 52, 53, 54 or 55 points your Under 55.0 bet wins, and your Over 50.5 bet wins.

Result = +$200

Here you can see how valuable Middle bet opportunites are.

As a note, there are occasions where a sportsbook might have a line on a whole number (such as 55.0). If you did get on a middle that was Over 50.5 and Under 55.0 and the total points were exactly 55, your Over 50.5 bet would win and your Under 55.0 bet would "Push" (this means you get your money back). The end results is you end up still very profitable, just half as profitable compared to a full middle win!