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BETTING 101

Sports Betting 101

Our helpful guide provides tools and resources so you can better understand the FanDuel Sportsbook app for a smoother betting experience.
Need help getting started on FanDuel? Watch our how-to video here

How to read the Odds

Odds are the measure of how much you can win per $100 wager. The - and + next to the odds are used to show the potential payout and whether the wager is more or less likely to win.
While the “-” wagers have a higher chance of paying out and the “+” wagers a lower chance, this is implied probability and does not guarantee a win or loss.

The “-” odds show how much you'd need to bet to win $100. For example, if you see the odds are -120, that means if you wager $120, your potential profit is $100 (plus your original stake).

The “+” odds show the amount of money you’d win if you bet $100. For example, if you see the odds are +120, that means if you wager $100, your potential profit is $120.

FYI: Don’t confuse the odds with the point spread. The point spread is a bet type that has two types of “+” and “-”. The “+” and “-” with single or double digits are displayed ABOVE the odds and refer to the points scored in a game. The odds are below the spread and have triple digits or higher.

The Bet Types

Spread

When you bet the spread, you’re betting on a team’s margin of victory or defeat. So, if you bet on the favorite (indicated by the “-”), they have to win by more than the number shown. If you bet on the underdog (“+”), they have to win outright or lose by less than the number shown.

Example
Moneyline

A moneyline is a bet on which team will win a game outright.

Example: The Cowboys are -190 to beat the Commanders, while the Commanders are +160 to win. If you think the Cowboys will win the game, you would have to wager $190 to potentially win $100 (or wager $19 to win $10). Conversely, if you think the underdog, Commanders, will win, you would wager $100 to potentially win $160 (or wager $10 to win $16).

Total

A total, or over/under, is a bet on the total amount of points scored in a game by both teams combined. A bet on the over means that both teams combined must score more than the number shown, whereas a bet on the under means that they must score less than the number shown.

Example: The Cowboys vs Commanders total is 48 points. If you think the total score of the game will be more than 48, you would bet the over and would have to wager $110 to potentially win $100.

FYI: If the teams combine for the indicated total exactly, then the wager is a push (or tie), meaning all bets are voided and you get your money back.

Prop (or Proposition):

A prop is a bet that isn’t tied to the outcome of a game. FanDuel offers both player props and game props.

Player props are tied to an individual player's performance in an event.

Example: Player totals: A set number for points/assists/yards/etc. and you can bet the over or under, e.g. “Noah Fant will have over 48 receiving yards.”

Game props are tied to another specific aspect of the game (other than player performance).

Example: Will the game go to overtime? Will the team that scores first win? Is the total score going to be an odd or even number?

Parlay

A parlay is a bet that combines two or more selections into one larger bet. For a parlay to be successful, each of the individual legs (or selections) must win.

Example
Same Game Parlay & SGP+

A Same Game Parlay is a special type of parlay that combines two or more selections from a single game.

FanDuel also offers a SGP+, which lets you add more selections from other games to your Same Game Parlay and Live SGP/SGP+ for all NFL games so you can get in the action even after the game has started.

Example: Think your favorite team is going to dominate their next matchup? Bet on them to win by more than 4 points and the total to go over - all in one parlay. If both of your parlay legs hit, you’ll win more than if you placed each bet separately. But if you miss one leg, you’ll lose the parlay.

Same Game Parlay
Same Game Parlay+

FYI: Keep an eye out for our Popular SGPs where you can make the same bets as your favorite celebrities or bet on trending wagers among FanDuel customers.

Live Bets or In-Game Bets

If you’re late to a game, you can still get in on the action. Live bets are any bets placed on a live game after it has already started. FanDuel offers odds throughout the game that continuously update as the game progresses.

FYI: Odds are subject to change at any time and often change frequently in real time. Toggle on the “Always accept odds movement”, located on the betslip, to submit bets without confirming changes to odds for quick bet placement. Toggle off to confirm odds changes before bet placement.

Bet settlement is not always immediate and many of our live markets settle after the game is over.

Odds Boosts

Odds Boosts are available on an impromptu basis. They offer increased odds on certain bet selections for a higher potential payout.

Example: If the odds were -110 and you wagered $10, you would potentially win a little over $9. With the odds boosted to +125, a $10 wager could win you $12.50.

Alternate Lines

Alternate lines let you choose your own spread or total.

FYI: The majority of alternate spreads and totals are added to parlays and not normally bet as a straight.

Futures

Futures are bets on future events that generally won’t occur for weeks or months. These events usually refer to significant league championships, but can also refer to divisional or conference outcomes or be specific to a player.

Example: Futures can be wagers on competition or tournament outrights (e.g. the Denver Broncos to win the Super Bowl, Novak Djokovic to win Wimbledon, the Los Angeles Lakers to win the Pacific Division, etc.). They can also refer to regular season win totals (e.g. Brooklyn Nets O/U 57.5 Wins), regular season points (e.g. Seattle Kraken O/U 90.5 Points) or player prop futures (e.g. Aaron Rodgers O/U 42.5 Passing TDs for the season).

Round Robin

A round robin is an easy way to place multiple parlays at once. When you place a round robin, you’re placing individual bets on every possible parlay combination within the selected wagers. You don’t have to win all the parlays to win the round robin.

To place a round robin, just add 3 or more selections to your betslip and go to the Round Robin tab. Here, you’ll see the bets broken down By 2’s, By 3’s, and so on. These indicate the number of selections in each individual parlay you’re placing.

Example: If you’re betting on teams A, B, and C to win outright, you’ll have two round robin options available. Your By 2’s option includes all possible 2-team parlays for these three wagers (A+B, B+C, and A+C). And your By 3’s option includes all possible 3-team parlays on these 3 wagers (A+B+C). If you bet $30 on the By 2’s option, that money will be split evenly among the 2-team parlays ($10 on each of the 3 wagers).

You can add up to 24 legs to your round robin. The more legs you add, the more combinations you can create.

Example: If you are betting on six teams to win outright, you’ll have the option to bet By 2’s, By 3’s, By 4’s, By 5’s, or a traditional 6-leg parlay.
By 2’s = 15 possible 2-leg parlays
By 3’s = 20 possible 3-leg parlays
By 4’s = 15 possible 4-leg parlays
By 5’s = 6 possible 5-leg parlays

Teaser

A teaser lets you add or subtract points from a spread or total. A minimum of two teams must be selected for a valid teaser and all selections must cover the spread for the teaser to win. Teaser point values vary by sport.

Example: If you were to subtract +3.5 points from your spreads, you would have longer odds (i.e. a harder chance to win) but a potentially higher payout. If you added points to your spreads, such as +8.5, you would have shorter odds (i.e. a better chance at winning) but a lower potential payout.

FYI: In the event of a tie in one of the selections in a teaser, that individual leg would be removed from the teaser and the odds would be adjusted accordingly. In the event of a tie in one leg of a 2-team teaser, two legs in 3-team teaser, etc. with a single leg covering, then the teaser is a push and stakes are refunded.

NAVIGATING FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK

How to get started

Once you’ve signed up, check out the different ways to bet so you can play your way.

And once you’ve found a bet that interests you, just tap on the bet you want to place.

Then, it’s time to enter how much you want to bet.

We’ll even show you how much money you’ll win if your bet hits.

After you place your bet, you can find then keep track of it in the My Bets tab.

If your bet wins, your total payout will include the amount you won + the amount you originally bet. And if your bet doesn’t hit, you won’t receive a payout.

Verify your identity

We use a third-party provider to verify your name, date of birth, social security number, and, in some states, your address. Your private information will be deleted after the verification process is complete.

Steps to a successful verification:

  1. Log into FanDuel Sportsbook. App: iOS, Android or Web
  2. Go through the verification process. You will have 3 attempts before you will be prompted to ID Scan, our third-party advanced verification support provider.
  3. If you fail your 3rd attempt, ID Scan allows you to verify your identity by uploading the front and back of your ID.
    Your private information will be deleted after the verification process is complete.
  4. If verification is successful, your screen will say “You’re verified” and you can tap Continue to get started.
    Note: If you’re having trouble uploading your ID through the Automated Upload, reach out to our customer support team who can help you by resetting your attempts to verify.
Deposit

Adding funds to your FanDuel Sportsbook account is safe, secure, and easy to do!

How to deposit:

  1. Sign in using your login credentials and go to your Account tab
  2. Click Add Funds and choose your mode of payment
    • Online Banking
    • Debit Card
    • Venmo
    • PayPal
    • Wire transfer
    • Cash at counter
    • Cash with PayNearMe
    • FanDuel Prepaid Play+
    • Gift Card
  3. Enter the amount you wish to deposit and your payment information
  4. Confirm your transaction and your deposit will be credited to your account in an instant

Depositing on Fantasy vs Sportsbook
Deposited funds can only be used on the product to which the deposit was made. While we can’t transfer funds between products, we can refund your Sportsbook account if you’ve mistakenly deposited it on your Fantasy account. Winnings, however, can be used on both Fantasy and Sportsbook!

Withdraw

Getting paid on FanDuel Sportsbook is safe, secure, and easy!

You can withdraw your winnings at any time through PayPal, Prepaid Card, Check, Venmo, and Online Banking. Please note, some states may not allow all withdrawal options. You can view all of the available options in your state by going to the Withdraw page.

In order to withdraw using Online Banking, Prepaid Card, Venmo, or Paypal, you must first make a deposit using that method. If you have deposited using multiple methods, then each withdrawal method will be available to you.

Cash Out

Cash Out allows you to settle a wager for a certain value before the event you have bet on has finished. You have full control over this feature and once a bet is cashed out, it cannot be reversed.

If your bet is eligible for Cash Out, you will be offered a “Cash Out Value”. This value will be clearly displayed on your bet slip within the Active Bets tab.

Keep in mind, even if Cash Out is available on your bet at one moment, it can be disabled or suspended at any time. It’s not always guaranteed to be there.

Refer A Friend

Referring a friend is now easier than ever!

How to Refer a Friend:

  1. Invite Your Friends
    Make sure they sign up with your invite link
  2. They deposit and settle a bet of $10+
    Make sure your friend's first bet of $10+ settles within 30 days of signing up
  3. Get Your Bonus
    You'll both receive a bonus after your friend's bet has settled

You can also track your friends’ sign up progress in the Referral Hub to see if they joined, settled a wager, and check on your bonus!

UNDERSTANDING REWARDS AND PROMOTIONS

TYPES OF REWARDS

What is a bonus?

A bonus is an extra payment in bonus bets that you get for placing a certain wager, based on a specified statistics/occurrences within the game. For example, a promotion on an MLB game may offer a “$5 bonus in bonus bets for each home run hit in the game.” This bonus may be offered regardless of your upfront wager winning or losing, or may be tied to you winning or losing your bet (see promotion details for more info).
The credit will appear in your account within 72 hours. You then have 7 days in which to use your bonus bet.

What are bonus bets?

Bonus Bets are bonuses that can be found in your account page or betslip. Your Bonus Bets will either be all-purpose or for a specific sport, game, or bet type.
After your bet settles (and if it wins), you’ll get to pocket all of the winnings but the initial Bonus Bet portion of your wager will not be returned to your wallet.
For example: You could use a $25 NFL Bonus Bet to place a $25 bet on the Patriots to cover the spread. If the bet wins, the $22.73 winnings will be added to your wallet, but the Bonus Bet stake would not be included in your winnings.
Your Bonus Bets will expire in 7 days, unless stated otherwise.
More questions? Check out the FAQ page

What is a Profit Boost?

Profit Boosts are rewards that allow you to boost your winnings on a bet. If you have a Profit Boost, you will find it in your account or on your betslip when you’re placing a bet that meets the requirements for your boost.

A Profit Boost can automatically be added to your account by FanDuel or you can claim one by opting into a promotion. Once you’ve completed the promo, your Profit Boost will appear in your account.

Each Profit Boost will say what it can be used for. Either an all-purpose boost or it could be exclusively for a specific sport, game or bet type (such as a Same Game Parlay).

Profit Boosts expire so please visit your account page for more details on each reward’s expiration date Your Profit Boost cannot be combined with other rewards.

More questions? Check out the FAQ page.

What is a Boost Builder?

Boost Builders are rewards that allow you to boost your winnings on parlays – the more legs you add, the bigger the Profit Boost!

If you have a Boost Builder available, it will appear on your homepage to claim. Once claimed, it will appear in your account and on your bet slip when making a qualifying wager.

Boost Builders expire so please check your account page for the details on when each reward will run out.

More questions? Check out the FAQ page.

What is site credit?

Site credit is also known as bonus funds. If a customer wagers with bonus funds and the wager loses, the site credit is not returned.

If a customer wagers with bonus funds and the wager wins, your stake, as well as your winnings, will be returned to you and both can be withdrawn. If a customer wagers with cash on a promotion and receives bonus funds as part of that promotion, that site credit cannot be withdrawn.

For example, a customer places a $5 cash wager after opting into the following promotion: “Place a Same Game Parlay to get a refund in site credit if your bet loses. Max refund $10.” If the qualifying bet loses, the customer will receive $5 in site credit as part of the promotion. That $5 is now site credit which can be used to place other bets. It cannot be withdrawn. Only your winnings can be withdrawn.
The credit will appear in your account within 72 hours. You then have 7 days in which to use your site credit.

If you have bonus funds in your account, you can toggle between cash wagers and using bonus within the bet slip.

TYPES OF PROMOTIONS

What is a "No Sweat" promotion?

If your bet wins, you keep the money. If your bet is settled as a loss, you will be refunded up to a certain amount in the promotion as site credit.
The credit will appear in your account within 72 hours. You then have 7 days in which to use your bonus bet.

What is an “Insurance” promotion?

If your bet is settled as a loss but a certain result happens (as specified in the promotion), you will be refunded the amount within the promotion as a bonus bet. For example, if you place a parlay and exactly 1 leg loses, you’d get refunded in a bonus bet.
The credit will appear in your account within 72 hours. You then have 7 days in which to use your bonus bet.

What is a “Bet & Get” promotion?

A Bet & Get promo means you will be awarded a bonus in bonus bets for placing a certain type of wager (as specified in the promotion). You will be awarded this bonus regardless of whether your bet wins or loses.

The credit will appear in your account within 72 hours. You then have 7 days in which to use your bonus bet.

What is a “Bet Match” promotion?

A Bet Match is a promotion that allows you to receive a Bonus Bet bonus equal to a percentage of the stake of your first cash wager. The maximum bonus amount will be specified in your promotion. Your wager must be placed during the promotion period and the bonus will be issued upon bet settlement.

Please note, you must Opt In before placing the relevant bet.

The credit will appear in your account within 72 hours. You then have 7 days upon receipt to use your Bonus Bet. Your credit must be played on Sportsbook. It cannot be withdrawn.

HOW TO OPT IN FOR PROMOTIONS

We make it easy for you to bet with your favorite promotion. If a promotion requires you to Opt In, you can do so with our seamless one-tap process. This will be visible right below the promotion.

To Opt In

  1. Tap Opt In
  2. It will say ACCEPTED on the upper left corner of the promotion if your opt-in has been accepted
  3. Find relevant bets by selecting Bet Now
  4. Learn more about the promotion by clicking More Info

An example of the process is shown below.

Unfortunately, our team is unable to Opt In on your behalf. So don’t forget to Opt In before placing any relevant bets.

Responsible Gaming

User Limiting Tools:
Deposit limit: Set a limit to how much you can deposit on FanDuel in a given time period.
Wager limit: Set a limit on the amount of money you can wager in a given time period.
Maximum wager size limit: Set a limit on the amount of money you wager per bet slip.
Time limit: Set a limit on the time you spend on the FanDuel site and apps per day.
Timeout: Take a break from playing with a Timeout. Tell us how much time you need and we'll make sure you can only log in after the Timeout has ended.

NFL

Available Bet Types: Straight Wagers, Player Propositions, Game Propositions, Parlays, Teasers, Live Wagers, Half and Quarter Wagers, Round Robins, Futures, Spread Wagers

Available Teasers
What you need to know

The Duel: Picks and Predictions
FanDuel’s curated collection of quick-hitting content written by the most knowledgeable sports fans around.
Get helpful tips for upcoming games now! Click here to get everything you need to bet on the NFL.

NBA

Available Bet Types: Straight Wagers, Player Propositions, Game Propositions, Parlays, Teasers, Live Wagers, Half and Quarter Wagers, Round Robins, Futures, Spread Betting

Available Teasers
First Basket Markets
The First Team Basket
Wire-to-Wire Betting
What you need to know

The Duel: Picks and Predictions
FanDuel’s curated collection of quick-hitting content written by the most knowledgeable sports fans around.
Get helpful tips for upcoming games now! Click here to get everything you need to bet on the NBA.

MLB

Available Bet Types: Straight Wagers, Proposition Wagers, Parlays, Live Wagers, First 5 Innings, Round Robins, Futures, Spread Betting (Run Line)

Spread Wagering (Run Line)
Listed Pitcher(s) Option
First 5 Inning Wagering
What you need to know
Additional MLB Betting Rules

The Duel: Picks and Predictions
FanDuel’s curated collection of quick-hitting content written by the most knowledgeable sports fans around.
Get helpful tips for upcoming games now! Click here to get everything you need to bet on the MLB.

NHL

Available Bet Types: Straight Wagers, Proposition Wagers, Parlays, Live Wagers, Period Wagers, Round Robins, Futures, Double Result

Spread/Puck Line Wagering
What you need to know
Additional NHL Betting Rules

The Duel: Picks and Predictions
FanDuel’s curated collection of quick-hitting content written by the most knowledgeable sports fans around.
Get helpful tips for upcoming games now! Click here to get everything you need to bet on the NHL.

Tennis

Available Bet Types: Straight Wagers, Proposition Wagers, Parlay, Live Wagers, Set Wagers, Round Robins, Futures, Spread Wagers

Game/Set Spread Wagering
What you need to know
Additional Tennis Wagering Rules
Retirement Rules

The Duel: Picks and Predictions
FanDuel’s curated collection of quick-hitting content written by the most knowledgeable sports fans around.
Get helpful tips for upcoming games now! Click here to get everything you need to bet on tennis.

Golf

Available Bet Types: Straight Wagers, Proposition Wagers, Parlays, Live Wagers, Round Robins, Futures, Spread Wagers

Outright Winner Betting
Top 5/10/20 Betting
Dead Heat Rule
What you need to know

The Duel: Picks and Predictions
FanDuel’s curated collection of quick-hitting content written by the most knowledgeable sports fans around.
Get helpful tips for upcoming games now! Click here to get everything you need to bet on golf.

Soccer

Available Bet Types: Proposition Wagers, Spread, Total Goals, Parlays, Futures, Round Robins

Spread Betting (3-way)
Home vs. Away Display
What you need to know

World Soccer 101
The World Cup is starting November 20th! Click here to learn everything there is to know about the 2022 tournament.

The Duel: Picks and Predictions
FanDuel’s curated collection of quick-hitting content written by the most knowledgeable sports fans around.
Get helpful tips for upcoming games now! Click here to get everything you need to bet on soccer.

Auto Racing

Available Bet Types: Straight Wagers, Proposition Wagers, Parlays, Round Robins, Futures

What you need to know
Formula 1 “first retirement” wagers
NASCAR Specific Wagering Rules

The Duel: Picks and Predictions
FanDuel’s curated collection of quick-hitting content written by the most knowledgeable sports fans around.
Get helpful tips for upcoming games now! Click here to get everything you need to bet on NASCAR.

MMA / Boxing

Available Bet Types: Round Wagering, Proposition Wagers, Parlays, Live Wagering, Future Fights (If available)

Boxing

Round Wagering
Round Wagering Rules
Method of Victory
Technical Decision/Draw Information
What else you need to know

The Duel: Picks and Predictions
FanDuel’s curated collection of quick-hitting content written by the most knowledgeable sports fans around.
Get helpful tips for upcoming games now! Click here to get everything you need to bet on boxing.



MMA

Round Wagering
Method of Victory Wagering in MMA
Additional MMA Rules

Other Types of Betting

Straight Betting

A simple straight wager on one selection to win.

Half and Quarter Betting

Half and quarter wagers only involve the score and player performances of a single half or quarter. The overall game score and stats don’t count, only what happens during the specified portion of the game. The rules can vary depending on the sport in question but for NFL and NBA Overtime is included in 2nd half wagers.

Total Point Bet

A bet on the combined total number of points at the end of the whole game.