The anti-gambling stigma that once plagued sports has faded, allowing for a massive multibillion-dollar legal industry to grow. The popularity of sports betting has given rise to a slew of new wagering options, including moneylines, spreads and parlays. Additionally, bettors can also place wagers on player props (player-specific predictions) and team/game props, which relate to events that don’t show up in the boxscore like how many points a team will score or whether a certain player will throw a touchdown pass. Staying up on injury reports is another way to find value in the market, as a star player’s absence can dramatically alter a game’s odds.

Point spreads are a common type of bet in sports, and bettors can choose to take them (betting on the underdog) or give them (betting on the favorite). The odds for each team are listed as either “take” or “give” in parentheses next to their names, which represents how much of the total moneyline a bettor would win if they made that wager.

There is no guarantee you’ll make a profit betting on sports, but the right approach can help. One of the best things you can do is practice good bankroll management, which involves establishing how much you’re willing to risk on each bet and only placing 1% to 5% of your overall bankroll on any single wager. Using this method, you can be sure you won’t lose your shirt and still have some left over for the next round of wagers.