Do Sportsbooks Want Favorites To Win?

Sportsbooks are always doing everything possible so that they end up on the winning side. It’s the job of the oddsmakers to ensure that happens, and that’s why they only hire the best of the best.

A common question asked in sports betting circles involves favorites and winning. Favorites are supposed to win for a reason, but does that mean the sportsbooks want the favorites to win?

Every single bet is slightly different, but the consensus is covered below. Also in this article, people get the opportunity to learn about identifying great opportunities to place bets on favorites and underdogs.

Do Sportsbooks Want Favorites to Win?

Sportsbooks generally don’t care who wins, as their entire job is to get the same amount of money on either side. Favorites winning usually encourages people to trust their betting skills and put more on the line later on. However, if the favorite always wins even against the spread, it would be a losing scenario for the sportsbook. That’s why something close to a 50/50 split is ideal.

What Makes a Team a Favorite?

Generally speaking, the team that is better in a head-to-head match-up will be the one who gets favorite odds. There are different types of favorites, meaning that every matchup is going to pay out slightly differently.

For one example, a team might be a favorite only because of where the game is played. The two sides are even from a talent perspective in this scenario, but home-field advantage gives them the edge. There will still be relatively even odds, but

Talent plays a huge role in a team being a favorite, but the individual matchup between their opponent also dictates numbers. This happens in college football and college basketball a lot. Some teams, or individuals for that matter, have a hard time matching up with the opposition. They might have their way with others, but they can never seem to play consistently against them.

Are Gamblers More Likely to Pick the Favorite?

It’s more common for money to come in on the favorite compared to the underdog. While there are plenty of people who enjoy taking advantage of larger odds and a potentially big payday betting on an underdog, others want that satisfaction of winning. They might not end up winning that much money, but betting on a favorite can get them rolling.

Betting on the Underdog

Favorites always have a better chance of winning, but there are plenty of gamblers who love taking a chance on the underdog. It’s enticing to see huge payouts available, but what people need to remember is that all that money is offered for reason.

Underdog betting success rates can be very low. This means that gamblers relying on the strategy will always be looking for a win to keep going.

Betting on the underdog starts to pay off when a pointspread’s involved. They are getting a certain amount of points, goals, or runs to even up the sides. For example, if a team is gritty enough to keep things close, they can consistently cover without actually winning the game. Sports like baseball and hockey are more prone to underdogs pulling off wins, but there’s always a chance of an upset.

Do the Sportsbooks Always Win?

There’s a chance that sports books will lose on occasion, but they will generally be up all time if they want to stay in business. There’s a reason why very few sportsbooks have ever gone out of business. If they do their due diligence and hire the right type of people to set odds, everything works out.

Keep in mind that this is overall, as there will be plenty of people making money individually by placing smart bets. It’s a challenge to win long-term against sportsbooks, but plenty of people do it. As long as there are less-informed gamblers, they won’t care about the winners much.

Why Do Sportsbooks Rate Favorites Differently?

Take a look at different sportsbooks, and they all have slightly different odds for favorites. It’s a competitive industry like anything, and sports books are constantly trying to get action coming in if possible. That can mean offering slightly more enticing lines so that there’s a potential for bigger paydays.

Of course, how an individual gambler feels about a contest will determine whether or not they go in this direction. It’s pretty easy to fall victim to a very intriguing line for favorites. However, if the goal was never to bet on that contest anyway, a person is doing themselves a disservice by going after it.

Even factors that people may not originally think of will change the way sportsbooks view favorites. For example, east coast teams might have more action coming in on them in Atlantic City compared to west coast teams in Las Vegas. Sometimes that is not a significant amount, but other times it can sway the line.

As great as oddsmakers are, they aren’t perfect. It’s always great to have some level of difference with how favorites look. If every sportsbook had the same ratings, it might as well be governed by a higher power.

How Favorites Lead to More Betting

The general public can say that they love seeing an underdog story all they want, but the ratings would say otherwise. Countless studies on TV ratings, sportsbooks earnings, and more say that when favorites meet up in a championship game, more people are paying attention.

When looking at it from this angle, sportsbooks do want favorites to win. They know that the best team in the AFC going up against the best team in the NFC is going to get outstanding ratings. When the ratings go up, action on the game goes up. The same can be said for two large-market teams, even if they aren’t necessarily the best that particular year.

Something as big as the Super Bowl still gets high ratings even if two underdog stories are playing against each other from small markets. However, ask anybody in the industry, and they love seeing marquee teams battling it out. The numbers always take a jump.

Final Verdict: Do Sportsbooks Want Favorites to Win?

The answer to this question may not be as simple as you think. It depends on the sportsbook and how they operate. Some sportsbooks WANT favorites to win because it means that more bettors will lose money. This is because the odds are usually stacked against favorites winning, so if a lot of people bet on them, the sportsbook will make a profit.

Other sportsbooks may not want favorites to win because it means that fewer people will bet on them. This is because people tend to shy away from betting on favorites, thinking they are more likely to lose. So, if a sportsbook can convince people to bet on favorites, they may be able to make more money.

Ultimately, it comes down to what the sportsbook wants. Some want favorites to win, while others don’t. It just depends on the sportsbook’s strategy. Having that mix of favorites and underdogs winning is a perfect recipe for long-term profit.