noun

• 1US A bet on whether the outcome of an event (usually the combined score of a sports game) will be above or below a number established in advance by the bookmaker.

  ‘the over-under in hockey gives you less chance of losing’

  • ‘There is a special index in the book rating ballparks for Total Number of Runs per game - if you're a Totals (Over-Under) bettor, this would be helpful material.’
  • ‘He was more interested in crap games, the over-and-under, the horses, and selling sweaters out of the trunk of his car.’
  • ‘I stayed away from the over-and-under on the winning score, which Sherman posted as 4 1/2 - under-par, because I think that's about the right number.’
  • ‘In sports betting, there are just a few bets that are considered to be regular bets and the over/under is one of them.’

  1. 1.1The number (usually the combined score of a sports game) on which bettors place wagers in an over-under bet.
     ‘oddsmakers had set the over-under at 53, higher than any other game this week’
     • ‘what's the over-under on how many fanatics will camp out?’
     • ‘The site has set the over-under on Peyton Manning's completion percentage vs. New England at 67.5 percent.’
     • ‘I put the over-under on e-mails to you complaining about O'Brien today at an even four hundred.’
     • ‘What is the over-under on Weaver's arrival in the major leagues?’
     • ‘I don't know what the over-under was on him grabbing himself just below the belt buckle (38?).’
     • ‘Is an over-under of 60 out of the question?’
     • ‘The Over-Under is in the 47-48 range.’
     • ‘Now, if I were a slow writer, then that could present a problem, especially since I review a lot of adventures, and the over-under for adventures is in the neighborhood of eight hours.’
     • ‘What is the over-under on Weaver?’
     • ‘As Walters puts it, 'The over-under on me was 39 years old, and not many guys took the over.'’

• 2

  US A gun having barrels arranged one above the other rather than side by side.

  ‘if shooting an over-under, have the upper barrel pointing over and the lower barrel under the bird’

  • ‘Remington's only over-and-under, the Model 332 12 gauge has been enhanced with a 'dressed-up' appearance and traditional engraving.’
  • ‘It's tough to beat the Red Label over-and-under.’
  • ‘The EAA/Baikal line includes the MP-233 over-and-under, which features hammer-forged barrels, chrome-lined bores, machined receivers, walnut stocks and internal screw chokes.’
  • ‘Last year, Browning introduced the Citori 525 over-and-under.’
  • ‘Beretta's upgraded S682 Gold E competition over-and-under features a low-profile receiver in a dual-color finish, new internal barrel configuration, Optima-Bore and new Optima-Choke tubes.’
  • ‘The over-under guns tend to be at the more expensive end of the spectrum.’
  • ‘If I ever do display my gun (a very ornate over-under shotgun built for skeet and trap shooting), it's only to adults, and after I've pulled the case from the back of my closet, opened it, and broken the action to make sure its unloaded.’

Totals wagers are more commonly referred to as an Over/Under bet. The name of the wager is interchangeable and both are used in sportsbooks and in the media. A totals bet is one of the easiest and most popular bets to make in the sportsbook. The only more popular bet is picking winners. 1 US A bet on whether the outcome of an event (usually the combined score of a sports game) will be above or below a number established in advance by the bookmaker. ‘the over-under in hockey gives you less chance of losing’. More example sentences.

In sports betting, there are just a few bets that are considered to be regular bets and the over/under is one of them. The over/under is a simple wager where the bettor decides whether the final score of a specific game will be over or under a published number. The number represents the sum total of points scored by both teams. Thus, you either bet on the over or the under.

Over/Under

The over/under is listed in the following manner with the visiting club first.

Chicago Bears

o/u 34.5

Minnesota Vikings

In this game, the over/under is listed with a decimal, which is an impossible outcome. That’s done to avoid a push, which means the total points for this game will end up either above or below the number posted. If the over/under were 34 or 35, then the teams could end up with 34 or 35 points. That would mean there would be a push, a tie, and all bets would be returned.

In our example if the point totals are under 35, the under wins, of they are over 34, the over bets win the money. It’s that simple.

Using the Spread with the Over/Under

In NFL sports betting, the over/under is not simply picked out of the air. Like the point spread, moneyline and all other bets, it’s based on a number of factors, including specific stats related to scoring offense and defense.

Prior to wagering on the over/under check out the point spread. This will tell you how close the experts believe the score will be. Compare that to the over/under number. That will give you a good example of how the scoring is expected to go.

In other words, if the point spread on the game listed above has Minnesota favored at

-10.5 that would mean that the scoring when considered against the over/under is expected to be something like:

Reading Over Under Meaning

Chicago 12

Minnesota 22

Over/under Meaning Goals

These numbers are approximate, but they give you a good idea of what 35 total points would look like if they follow the spread. If you think Chicago will score less but Minnesota will score about the same number of points, then you may want to go with the under. Likewise, if after doing your research you believe Minnesota will score another touchdown and Chicago will score about the same as you’ve figured, then you’d wager on the over.

However, what if the point spread has Chicago at -3.5? How would that look like with the same over/under?

Chicago 19

Over Under Meaning

Minnesota 15

Once again, looking at that probable outcome based on coordinating the point spread with the over/under, you’d ask yourself if the point total for each team makes sense. If the totals don’t, then based on your analysis, you’d decided if more or less points would be scored by either team and also what your calculated over/under would be. Then you would bet on the published over/under.

Sports Betting is About Information

Over And Under Football

If you’re able to use all information at your fingertips, including numbers presented by the handicappers, you can objectively determine how accurate the over/under may be. Use this tool to help you make winning bets.