What to Know
With the legalization of sports betting in Tennessee, Action 247 aims to provide the best betting options for Tennesseans. To help inform those in the Volunteer State of the betting options they may be unfamiliar with, we’ve put together this series to provide an introduction and overview of how to bet on specific sports.
Tennessee Basketball Betting – A Look at the Locals
The University of Tennessee has excellent men’s and women’s basketball programs, and they should continue to roll once the college basketball seasons resume. The Lady Vols are a perennial championship contender; they’ve been national champions eight times and are the only program in the country to make every women’s NCAA Tournament since its inception in 1982.
Keeping it collegiate, the Memphis Tigers men’s team has been the national runner-up twice. Notable alumni include Penny Hardaway (who is currently the head coach), Derrick Rose, and Tyreke Evans.
Professionally, the Memphis Grizzlies are a team on the rise. Ja Morant was named the 2019-20 NBA Rookie of the Year after averaging 17 points, seven points and four assists per game.
Tennessee Basketball Betting – How to Bet
The most common basketball bet is called a “moneyline” bet. Moneyline bets simply involve picking a winner, with different payouts based on what team is favored.
For example, if the Volunteers played the Tigers, the moneyline may read “Tennessee Volunteers (-172) at Memphis Tigers (+145). In this case, you would need to bet $172 on Tennessee to win $100 if the Volunteers win, while betting $100 on Memphis would pay $145 if the Tigers won.
Another common betting variant is betting against the spread. For this example, let’s say the Memphis Grizzlies are playing the Los Angeles Lakers.
Oddsmakers may list this game as Los Angeles Lakers (-9.5) at Memphis Grizzlies (+9.5). In this case, you’re not just betting on who will win, but on the margin of victory.
If you were to bet on the Lakers, Los Angeles would need to win by at least 10 points for you to receive a payout. Conversely, if you place a wager on the Grizzlies, your bet would win as long as Memphis didn’t lose by 10 or more points.
If you’re confident that Memphis will win outright, the moneyline is the better play, but if you’re not as confident, betting against the spread is a way to win, even if the Grizzlies don’t.
Finally, betting on the over/under, or “total,” is a way to bet without picking a winner. Betting the over/under involves whether the teams playing combine to score over or under a pre-set point total.
If the Lady Vols were playing the Connecticut Huskies, the over/under may be set at 159.5. In this case, it does not matter who wins or loses; what matters is the total number of points scored.
You may be asking yourself, “Why do the odds list a half-point? You can’t score half a point.” Oddsmakers generally list a “half-point” in the spread or total to avoid a “push.”
A push occurs when a team wins by the exact spread, or the teams combine to hit the exact point total. If this happens, sportsbooks refund bettors, which is a less-than-ideal scenario for the house. Having a half-point listed in the odds ensures there won’t be a push.
Tennessee Sports Betting – Where to Bet
After receiving our Sports Gaming Operator License, Action 24/7 has transformed into your go-to spot for Tennessee sports betting. Offering live money sports betting and free-to-play options, Action 247 is locally owned and operated, based in Nashville, and ready to serve you!
It’s as easy as signing up at action247.com! Register today and receive a deposit match up to $100.
Questions or comments? Call us at 833-222-8466.
Have fun and good luck!!