Buying points is a contentious subject that often draws divisive opinions from sportsbetting punters. On one hand, some bettors are open to the idea of buying points and half-points, doing is whenever there is a viable betting opportunity. On the other hand, other gamblers ridicule the idea and consider it as negative practice that needs to be abolished. Whatever your opinions are, the bottom line is that buying points is a chancy betting strategy, but it can also provide an advantage to bettors if it is used rightfully. Let’s briefly examine the buying points betting strategy and how to use it optimally to your advantage.
Optimal Betting Strategy for Buying Points
What Does Buying Points Mean?
Buying half-points or points is a strategy that is mostly associated with betting on the NFL or college football point spread or game total. A good number of sportsbooks allow bettors to buy half a point or more from a published point spread or total.
If, for example, a bettor saw a line on the New England Patriots published at -6 and felt that it was a good move to get an extra point on the line, the sportsbook would charge the bettor a fee for that request. The line would thus be changed -7, though it would come with increased betting odds. Similarly, if the bettor was wagering on the Patriots at +9 and wanted to buy an extra .5 point, the odds would become +9.5 with a fee charged for the changed odds. The majority of times, the normal price for a standard NFL point spread or total is -110, so the price for buying half a point is usually -120.
How to Buy Points Optimally and Profitably
Owing to the increased price that comes with buying points, this betting strategy is often considered as not being profitable, and rightfully so—to some extent. Sports bettors can, however, find a way of buying the points at an increased price but still realizing profits using the method detailed below.
Various studies done on buying points indicate that punters can better their can betting endeavors through calculations, converting the odds into inferred probability. This can be done in a simplistic way using a relevant mathematical formula or online betting calculator. Pricing plays an important role in determining if buying points are profitable and, generally speaking, it is unadvisable to buy points off numbers other than 7 or 3. Going against this rule not offer bettors any advantage over bookies or oddsmakers; it simply charges them more juice in the long run, draining them off valuable resources.
Final Remarks on Buying Points Optimally
As a crucial reminder, always be mindful of the price you pay when buying points. Though buying half points or more is not usually profitable, you can have some modicum success with the buying points betting strategy if you follow the pointers given above and shop for the best odds and prices.
