How to use a half point calculator
When placing bets online, understanding the “value” of a bet is essential. After all, this represents how much money you could potentially stand to win compared to the amount you’re staking. Initially, point spreads and totals (over/under bets) always start at an equilibrium (balanced out). But these lines can change as the game day draws closer or news emerges.
So, when the markets start moving, you can take advantage of the changes by selling or buying half points. And, this is where our middle betting calculator comes into play. It helps you compute (and see) what would happen if you changed the point spread or total by half a point, in turn, informing your betting decision. Here’s a laydown of how it works (the inputs/data you need).
Start by picking the sport and league you want to bet on, e.g., the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, or NCAAF, then:
- Pick your bet type
– You can choose the “Spread” or “Totals” (over/under) betting market.
- Odds format
– By default, we have this set at American odds. However, you can switch to European (decimal) odds if desired.
- Spread/total
– This is what the sportsbook is offering in your respective bet type.
- Favorite price
– Namely, the odds of the favorite to beat the spread or the “over” price.
- Dog price
– The odds for the underdog in the match to win against the spread.
With these details, open our half-point calculator and continue as follows:
- Choose your league and preferred bet type — “Spread” or “Totals”
- Key in the spread line
- Enter the odds values for the favorite and the underdog
- Hit the “Calculate” button to get instant results
On results, our calculator will help you determine the spread/total within a half point on each side of the spread value. Also, we’ll indicate the implied probability of pushing against the spread (these are in whole numbers only). Finally, you’ll get information on fave/over price, fave/over edge, dog/under price, and dog/under edge.
Example
Let’s say the Kansas City Chiefs (Favorites) are playing the Las Vegas Raiders (Underdogs). Here are the enhanced odds we’ve taken from one of our top betting sites:
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
| Kansas City Chiefs | -11 (-118) | O 40.5 | -575 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | +11 (-102) | U 40.5 | 425 |
To begin with, here’s how you’d feed the data into our half point calculator:
| League: | NFL |
| Bet type: | Spread |
| Spread: | 11 |
| Odds type: | US |
| Fave price: | -118 |
| Dog price: | -102 |
When you tap on “Calculate,” here’s what you’ll get (the outputs)
| Spread | Push Prob | Fave Price | Fave Edge | Dog Price | Dog Edge |
| 10.5 | – | -123.5 | -4.42% | 102.5 | -4.42% |
| 11 | 2.22% | -118 | -4.42% | -102 | -4.42% |
| 11.5 | – | -118 | -4.42% | -107 | -4.42% |
We can tell a few things from the table, such as the vig (push prob). In this example, our vig (commission to the sportsbook) stands at 4.42%, which is great, given that the industry average leans from 4 to 5%.
Also, the best possible value is on the underdog—if you sell it at the half point price of +102.5. Lastly, the percentage of “Push,” i.e., the spread reaching 5 points, is 2.22%.
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Half point betting explained
If you’re still new to sports betting, you might still be wondering what a half point is. It’s a concept used to eliminate a tie, otherwise known as a “push.” After all, hitting a half point in sports like basketball, baseball, and hockey is impossible—the scores are always whole numbers.
Using half points ensures that one side will always win a bet. On the other hand, if the spread or total bet odds were a whole number and the final result matched this, it would be a push, but this rarely ever happens. Still, in this case, you’d get your wager back without any returns/profit.
Example:
If, say, you’re betting on a basketball game where the point spread is set at 6.5 points, here are the two likely scenarios:
- If the spread is -6.5:
Here, the favorites need to win by 7 or more points for your bet to be a winner. If they win by 6 points or less, you lose the bet.
- If the spread is +6.5:
In like fashion, the underdogs can lose by 6 points or less (outright with the game) for your bet to be a winner. However, you lose the bet if they lose by 7 points or more.
Overall, with a half-point spread, there can never be a scenario where the game ends in a tie, ensuring there’s always a clear winner.
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Why is this calculator useful
Whether you’re a novice or an expert bettor, here are several reasons to incorporate our half points back calculator in your spreads/totals bets.
Helps compute the fairness of the price
Our calculator will help you determine whether the prices offered at a sportsbook are fair. If the betting site adds a vig of over 5%—look elsewhere.
Our calculator makes half point calculations a breeze! After you input the data, it takes seconds to deliver the results. Furthermore, you need no prior experience, and it is seamless to add your betting research.
Points out to where the best value is
The middle betting calculator will help you find the best value when selling or buying half points. The calculator also indicates spreads that you should avoid.
Makes spreads and totals comparison easy across different sportsbooks
Whether you are dealing with MLS or
NHL betting sites, our calculator will help you make a quick spreads comparison of the sportsbooks and, to your discernment, land the best.
What other betting calculators are available
At thegruelingtruth.com, we have more than a half point calculator. We also have the following betting tools you can use at your discretion:
| Calculator | Description |
| Hedging calculator | With our hedging calculator, you can calculate the amount you need to wager to earn returns on your hedge bets. |
| Hold Calculator | Use our hold calculator to determine the commission or hold a sportsbook is taking from your bet. You can also calculate the margin of a sportsbook. |
| Parlay calculator | Use our parlay calculator to compute your bet’s total odds and payouts before placing a parlay bet. |
| Betting Odds Calculator | With our betting odds calculator, you can determine the amount you will receive from your bet based on your stake and odds. |
| Spread to moneyline converter | The spread moneyline converter allows you to estimate the value of a point spread bet. This will enable you to spot better market prices for a more profitable bet. |
| Betting odds converter | Change your American odds to their fractional or decimal equivalents and vice versa using our betting odds converter. |
| Odds value calculator | The odds value calculator helps calculate the value you would expect from a bet based on the probability of an event happening in a game. |
| Tricast calculators | Use our tricast calculator to determine the wager, returns, and potential profits you should expect from the trifecta bet you want to place. |
Conclusion – use our half point calculator to improve your betting strategy
As shown, our middle calculator betting tool is a must-have for identifying betting opportunities for your half point bets. With this, you get an edge in discerning whether buying or selling the half-point is worth your while. You also get extras like the vig (commission) the sportsbook is charging and the chances for a tie in percentage.
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FAQs
💰 How much is the half point worth in sports betting?
The value of a half point isn’t fixed and can vary depending on several factors, such as the sport, odds, bet type, and spread line. With these, you use our half point calculator to determine the value of the half point and, ultimately, whether you should buy or sell.
⏱️ How long does it take for the calculator to compute the value of the half point?
Our half points back calculator delivers the results instantly; just fill in the fields and click “Calculate.”
🔍 How do I know the vig of a sportsbook is fair?
If the vig of a sportsbook is under 5%, then the betting site is fair.
