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1. How Does Money Line Work In Football
2. How To Read Betting Line
3. How Does Money Line Work In Gambling
4. How Does Money Line Work In Soccer

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A line of credit gives you access to money “on demand” and can help you with expenses like a home project or unexpected car maintenance.

A line of credit is typically offered by lenders such as banks or credit unions, and, if you qualify, you can draw on it up to a maximum amount for a set period of time.

You’ll pay interest only when you borrow on the line of credit. Once you pay back borrowed funds, that amount is again available for you to borrow. Flexibility is the key here: You can choose when to take out the money, pay it back and repeat — as long as you stick to the terms, including paying off what you borrow on time and in full.

Read on to learn how lines of credit work and when one could be a good option for you.

How do lines of credit work?

First, let’s talk about the options you have when you need to borrow money. Broadly speaking, you can usually apply for either a loan or a line of credit. With a loan, you get one lump sum of money and start paying interest immediately, regardless of when you use the money.

By contrast, a line of credit gives you access to a set amount of money that you can borrow when you need it. But you don’t pay any interest until you actually borrow.

There are business lines of credit, but we’ll look at lines of credit for personal use here.

Personal lines of credit are usually unsecured, meaning you don’t need to use collateral to take out the line of credit. Secured lines of credit are backed by collateral, such as your house or a savings account.

When you apply for a line of credit, having better credit scores could help you qualify for a lower annual percentage rate. Some lines of credit may come with fees, such as an annual fee, and limits on the amount you can borrow.

After you qualify for the line of credit, you’ll have a set time frame — known as the “draw period” — in which you can draw money from the account. A draw period can last several years. The bank may give you special checks or a card to use, or transfer the money to your checking account, when you’re ready to borrow the money.

Once you borrow money from your line of credit, interest usually starts to accrue and you’ll have to start making at least the minimum payments, the amount of which will be added back to your available line of credit as you make them. But once your draw period ends, you’ll enter the repayment period, in which you’ll have a set time to pay off any remaining balance. Keep in mind, making only minimum payments may cost you more in interest in the long run.

How will a line of credit impact my credit scores?

As part of the application process for a line of credit, the lender may perform a hard inquiry on your credit reports. This could temporarily lower your credit scores by a few points.

After you’re approved and you accept the line of credit, it generally appears on your credit reports as a new account.

If you never use your available credit, or only use a small percentage of the total amount available, it may lower your credit utilization rate and improve your credit scores. Your utilization rate represents how much of your available credit you’re using at a given time. If you borrow a high percentage of the line, that could increase your utilization rate, which may hurt your credit scores.

Also, your credit health may suffer if you make late payments.

Secured lines of credit

How Does Money Line Work In Football

One option if you’re looking to take out a secured line of credit is a home equity line of credit, or HELOC.

HELOCs allow you to borrow against the available equity in your home and use your home as collateral for a line of credit. They typically come with a variable interest rate, which means your payments may increase over time.

Generally, the bank will limit the amount you can borrow to up to 85% of your home’s appraised value, minus the balance remaining on your first mortgage. When banks set your interest rate, other factors besides your credit scores come into play, including your credit history and income.

If you’re not a homeowner or don’t want to use your house as collateral, you may be able take out a line of credit that’s secured against a savings account or certificate of deposit.

The downside for a secured line of credit? If you can’t make the payments, the lender may take the asset that secured the line.

Unsecured lines of credit

You may not stand to lose your home or savings if you default on an unsecured line of credit. But the lender is taking on more risk with unsecured loans, which could lead to higher interest rates than with a secured line.

Every unsecured line of credit has unique terms. The limits may range between a few thousand to a few hundred thousand dollars. Some lines of credit come with fees — for example, you might have to pay an annual fee just to keep the account open.

What’s the difference between a credit card and a line of credit?

Credit cards are similar to lines of credit. Both are a revolving line of credit, which means you can draw money from it up to the credit limit, then repay it (plus any interest you owe), and borrow it again.

But credit cards and lines of credit are two different products that are offered by lenders, and there are some key differences between them.

With credit cards, you won’t have a draw period — you can use the card for as long as the account is open and in good standing. Many come with rewards programs, and if you can pay off your balance on time and in full each month and your card has a grace period, you may avoid paying interest altogether. This means that credit cards may be a better choice for everyday spending, if used responsibly.

The downside to credit cards: They may come with higher interest rates than lines of credit, so keeping a balance on one may cost you more. They may also offer lower limits than personal lines of credit, and you could face high fees and APRs if you want to actually take out cash with a cash advance from a credit card.

Tips for using a line of credit

Before you take out a line of credit — secured or unsecured — check your credit scores and take steps to boost your credit health so that you can improve your chances at qualifying for a lower interest rate. Then figure out how much you need and how you plan to spend the money.

If you need a flexible way to access money, it may be a good idea to ask for a line of credit, says Bruce McClary, vice president of communications at the National Foundation for Credit Counseling®.

But, he adds, “if you’re borrowing because you’re trying to avoid getting into financial trouble with another loan … there’s a deeper issue that needs to be resolved that can’t be addressed by continuing a cycle of borrowing.”

Here are some guidelines for when to use — or not use — a line of credit.

When not to use a line of credit

• If you know you can’t afford payments or your income is unstable, a line of credit might not be a good choice. If you default on payments, your credit will most likely suffer. What’s more, on a secured line of credit, the lender may take possession of the collateral.
• If you know exactly how much you need and you don’t want to use collateral, you may be able to find an unsecured personal loan with better rates than an unsecured line of credit, depending on your creditworthiness.
• If you’re using the line of credit for basic needs, or to fund short-term expenses like dining out and vacations, that could be a red flag that you’re struggling financially and shouldn’t take out new debt.

When to use a line of credit

• If you need the money for a home-improvement project, education costs or other types of major expenses, a HELOC or secured line of credit may be a good idea — as long as you know you’ll have the money for repayment. Bonus: The interest you pay on the HELOC may be tax-deductible.
• An unsecured personal line of credit may help you consolidate several small debts you’re paying off into one payment with a lower APR, while avoiding using collateral (depending on the terms of each line of credit and your creditworthiness).

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Point spread betting is the most popular form of sports betting. The vast majority of sports wagers use a point spread thanks to the popularity of football and basketball. Even though this type of betting is so popular, it may take awhile to understand.

The point spread is sometimes known as an equalizer for sportsbook operators. All teams aren’t created equally, so sportsbooks can create a point spread for a game so that each team playing has an almost even chance of winning the game. In a way, the point spread will even the field for both teams.

The point spread gives a reason for bettors to risk money on both teams. The better team playing in the game is considered favorite. They have to win by the point spread offered by the sportsbook. The favorite in a game is listed as being minus (-) the point spread.

The worse of the teams playing in the game is called the underdog. The bettor wins if this team wins the game outright or loses by an amount smaller than the point spread. The underdog in a game is listed as being plus (+) the point spread.

Let’s use this past Super Bowl between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs as an example.

Using this example, the Chiefs were 3-point favorites over the Buccaneers. The Chiefs needed to win by 4 or more points to cover the spread.

Likewise, the Buccaneers were 3-point underdogs. That means the Buccaneers needed to win the game outright or not lose the contest by 4 points or more. At Chiefs -3, if they won by exactly 3 points, the betting result would have been a “push” and bettors for both sides would have gotten their wagers refunded.

The Buccaneers pulled off the upset, winning by a score of 31-9, and rewarded bettors who backed them at +3.

Point spread betting odds

Point spreads are usually set with -110 odds, but pricing often fluctuates at online sportsbooks. This is the sportsbook operators’ house edge. The odds guarantee the sportsbook operator will see a little money over time. When the odds are set at -110, the bettor must wager $110 to win $100 (or $11 to win $10).

The odds on a point spread are most commonly known as the vigorish or “vig” for the sportsbook. You might hear this small profit margin for the sportsbook called the “juice” by some sports bettors.

Point spread FAQs

What does ‘pick em’ or ‘pick’ mean in NFL betting?

A “pick em” (sometimes seen as “pick”) is when the teams have a point spread of zero, meaning neither team is favored. In this instance, you’re essentially picking moneyline and your bet will be determined on the winner alone.

What does -7 and +7 mean in NFL betting?

A spread of minus-seven (-7) means that a is favored to win the game by a touchdown (technically, a touchdown and the extra point). A team favored by -7 must win the game by eight or more points to win the bet. If the team wins by seven, the result is a “push” and the bet is refunded.

A spread of +7 means the team must win the game or lose by fewer than seven points to win the bet. A loss by seven would result in a push.

What does -3 and +3 mean in NFL betting?

How To Read Betting Line

A -3 spread means that the favorite must win by more than a field goal to win the wager. A three-point win would result in a push and the sportsbook would refund the wager.

A spread of +3 means the team listed as the underdog must win the game or lose by fewer than three points to cash the bet. A three-point loss would be graded as a push by the sportsbook and the bet would be refunded.

Why are point spreads in the NFL so much lower than in college?

In 2019, the Baltimore Ravens led the NFL in point differential per game at +13.7 points; the Miami Dolphins ranked last in the NFL in point differential per game at -11.7. Even Kansas City– known for their explosive offense– had an average point differential in 2019 of just 9.7 points. The net point differential in the NFL is -14.1, or -0.9 points per game. Basically, the talent differential in the NFL is so minute that even mismatched teams often draw games within a score of each other.

NFL spreads are most commonly between one point and four, with six being a heavy favorite and extremes coming out around 15-20 point favors. (For those wondering, the 1941 Chicago Bears hold the NFL record of point differential at +15.7 points per game. Conversely, Ohio State had a +33.1 average point differential in 2019.)

Point spread and odds movement

Sportsbook operators often aim to have equal money on both sides of a point spread. When the money is exactly split the sportsbook operator will see the exact vigorish as their profit margin. If all things are equal over time this will maximize how much money the sportsbook operator can make.

In an effort to have equal money on both sides of a wager, the sportsbook operator will move the point spread to attract money on the side that customers aren’t betting on. The odds for a point spread might change before the actual point spread. There are certain point spread numbers, like 3 and 7 in football, the sportsbook operators would like to avoid moving away from since the final score margin falls on these two numbers most often.

For example, if a lot more money is wagered on the New England Patriots -3, the vig may shift from -112 to -115 and -120 before the line moves to -3.5.

Run and puck lines

How Does Money Line Work In Gambling

Football and basketball games are mostly bet using a point spread. The less popular major sports, baseball and hockey, are mostly bet using a moneyline. In an effort to make baseball and hockey more appealing to point spread bettors, the sportsbook operators offer run and puck lines, respectively.

How Does Money Line Work In Soccer

These alternative lines give point spread bettors a chance to wager on other sports using a more familiar method of betting. Since points (runs and goals) aren’t as easy to come by in baseball and hockey, the odds with the lines may have a wider spread than a football or basketball game.