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Wisconsin Football: Sports betting basics

By Tanner Nestle

EVANSTON, IL - NOVEMBER 05: Head coach Paul Chryst of the Wisconsin Bagers waits with his team to enter the field before a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field on November 5, 2016 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
EVANSTON, IL - NOVEMBER 05: Head coach Paul Chryst of the Wisconsin Bagers waits with his team to enter the field before a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field on November 5, 2016 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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Wisconsin Football
MADISON, WI – SEPTEMBER 01: Zander Neuville #85 of the Wisconsin Badgers runs with the ball in the third quarter against the Utah State Aggies at Camp Randall Stadium on September 1, 2017 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

Totals

The total, or over/under, is very simple. The total this week for Wisconsin against Western Kentucky is 51. This means when the game is over you combine both teams points and compare it to the total. In the instance of a 44-10 game, the total is 54, and the ‘over’ would be the winning bet. If the final score were only 34-10, the total would be 44 and the ‘under’ would be the winning bet.

As you can see, there are ways to tie the total to the spread depending on what you think the final score will be. If a 34-10 score is what you think is most likely, then an ‘under’ and a bet on the underdog to cover is where your mind should be going. If you feel Wisconsin is capable of putting up 51 points on its own, then it’s very obvious the ‘over’ is the place you want to be.

Keep in mind, if you play the ‘under’ you’re committing yourself to pulling for less scoring in a football game. That’s not always a fun stance to have. You may create a conflict of interest between your heart and your wallet.

How totals are set is also a well-kept secret. Past performances, previous matchups, weather conditions, injuries, and general feel for a game are all taken into consideration. Just know that whenever you think you’ve found an angle to beat Vegas, it’s likely they’ve already found it and are well ahead of you.