Page 12 - Jackpot Magazine Tunica ~ September, 2026

PLAY TO WIN
Quick primer, advice on sports betting
“An emotional bias can get in the
underdog, the player
way of clear thinking about a particular
wins that amount for
Play To Win Again
game. You want to reduce that emotion
every $100 wagered.
as much as possible.”
• Point Spread
The Best of… Series
~ Jay Kornegay, Las Vegas oddsmaker
Bet — A wager where
a team or participant must win by a
You walk into the casino’s sportsbook,
pick up a football betting sheet, look at
all the teams playing that week and find
your favorite team. And then you…
then you… then you look around and
wonder what to do next.
Many people are new to sports betting
but want to get in on the action because
of their love for the games. And while
the casinos are full of people who make
sports betting look easy, let’s face it:
When it comes to sports betting, there is
a lot to unravel and plenty to know.
NFL and college football are the most
popular sports for betting at sportsbooks
across the country. Preseason games
started in August, and the 2026 NFL
season kicks off the second week of
September, with the defending Super
Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks hosting
the New England Patriots.
So, before placing that first wager,
it helps to know what you’re looking
at on that betting sheet. Here’s a quick
primer on some of the
most common types of
sports bets.
• Straight Bet — One
of the simplest types of
sports wager, a straight bet
is an individual wager on a
game (football, baseball, basketball, etc.)
or event (auto race, boxing, MMA) that
will be determined by a point spread, a
moneyline or a point total. The bettor
wins if that single wager is successful.
• Moneyline Bet — A wager where
odds are expressed in terms of money.
When a team is listed with a minus
(-), known as the team favored to win,
the player lays that amount to win
$100; when listed with a plus (+), the
certain number of points determined by
the oddsmaker to create a wager that will
attract betting action on both sides. The
point margin is the number of points
by which the favored team must win to
“cover the spread.” Most point spread
bets carry odds of -110.
• Total Bet (over/under) — A wager
based on the combined number of points
scored by both teams at the end of the
game or event, including any overtime.
Most total bets carry odds of -110.
• Parlay Bets — A wager that
combines more than one single bet, often
across multiple games. All selections
must win to collect. The more teams bet
in a parlay, the higher the payout odds.
• Future Bets — A wager made on
a game or event that is taking place in
the future. For example, a bettor might
place a future bet during preseason for a
team to win a championship event. A bet
on, say, the Chicago Cubs winning the
World Series is not necessarily considered
a smart future bet.
• In-Game Wagers
— Wagers placed on a
game after the game has
started. Odds will often be
adjusted to reflect play or
conditions.
• Proposition Bet — Also referred
to as a prop, novelty or side bet, a
proposition bet may involve something
that does not necessarily affect the
outcome of the game or event. For
example, a book might post a prop
bet for which team will score the first
touchdown in a football game. Another
might be whether the first score will be a
touchdown or a field goal.
Knowing which kind of bet you
want to make is key
to sports betting.
Personnel in the
sportsbooks are ready
to assist with this, plus
they are available to explain other aspects
of sports betting.
More common sports wagering terms:
• Cover: The betting result on a
point-spread wager. For a favorite to
cover, it must win by more than the
spread; an underdog covers by winning
outright or losing by less than the spread.
• Limit: The maximum amount
accepted on a single wager.
• Line: The odds posted for a game
or event. Odds may change from the
opening line to account for more money
being bet on one side of the bet compared
to the other.
• Longshot: A team or individual
generally thought to be unlikely to win.
• Underdog: The team least likely to
win.
• Favorite: The expected straight-up
winner in a game or event.
• Point Spread: The number of points
oddsmakers will post on a game in order
to attract betting action on both teams.
Generally, the objective is to split the
betting action.
• Push: When the result of a game
or event ends exactly on the listed point
spread or finishes in a draw. All wagers
are then refunded.
• Sharp: A professional, sophisticated
sports bettor.
• Square: A casual gambler who
doesn’t use sophisticated reasoning or
extensive knowledge to make a wager.
One rule to remember, often
associated with sports betting, is to bet
with your head and not your heart.
Know the spread, which team has the
stronger roster and which players may
be out because of injury. And in some
cases, the team to bet on may not be
your favorite.
12 JACKPOT! MAGAZINE • September 2026 THE SOUTH’S LARGEST GUIDE TO GAMING & FUN • www.jackpotmagazine.com