Sports Picks, Explained
Plain-English guides to every term you'll see on a FanRivo pick page. No jargon, no fluff — just what each line means and when it's the right play.
A moneyline is the simplest pick in sports: you're picking who wins, straight up. No spread, no totals, no half-points — just the team you think will win the game.
A point spread handicaps the favorite to make a lopsided matchup an even bet. The favorite has to win by more than the spread; the underdog can lose by less than the spread (or win outright) and still cash.
Over/under (also called totals) is a bet on the combined score of both teams. You're not picking a winner — you're picking whether the game goes high-scoring or low-scoring versus the sportsbook's number.
Public betting splits show what percentage of picks are on each side of a game. Most casual fans bet favorites and overs — when the split gets extreme, sharp money often takes the other side.
World Cup picks are different from NBA picks in one big way: the draw. Every group stage match has three outcomes — home, away, or draw — and ignoring that third option is the fastest way to lose money in soccer.