Fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers in West Virginia can place legal sports bets at BetMGM Sportsbook during the 2020 NFL season.
New to sports betting? SportsbookWire.com brings you “Online sports betting 101 for beginners” with explanations of moneyline, against the spread and Over/Under betting. We also explain how to read betting odds and lines in order to find the best value when betting on the Steelers and the NFL in 2020.
Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2019 betting results
The Steelers went 8-8 and fell just shy of the playoffs in 2020 without QB Ben Roethlisberger for all but one full game. They went 5-4 on the moneyline as favorites and 3-4 as underdogs.
Pittsburgh was slightly better overall against the spread. It was 9-7 despite failing to cover by 1.3 points per game. A strong defense and poor offense resulted in a 4-12 record against the Over/Under. The Steelers fell an average of 4.9 PPG shy of the projected point totals.
How to bet on the Steelers: Bet types
Moneyline (ML) betting
The moneyline is the first stop of sports bettors as the easiest way to get betting action on a game. Pick one team to beat the other. Odds are impacted by the NFL standings, recent performance, injuries and historical head-to-head records. Books will also adjust the odds and lines throughout the week based on which side is drawing the largest share of the betting action.
Home teams are often given an innate edge in the NFL, but that could change in 2020 with teams like the Steelers unsure whether they’ll be able to welcome fans to Heinz Field in 2020.
The Steelers were 5-3 at home last season.
Against the spread (ATS) betting
Moneyline bets are best for backing underdogs to win outright in an upset as there’s greater profit with a winning ticket. The spread is how to bet favorites.
A point spread sets a line (i.e. 3.5) for how many points a favorite will need to win by or the underdog will need to stay within in a loss for the bet to cash. The odds can be skewed in an attempt to steer betting action but are generally set equally on both sides of the line.
Example: The Steelers opened as 3-point road favorites against the New York Giants in Week 1. They would need to win by 4 or more points for an ATS bet to cash, while the Giants would need to lose by no more than 2 points (or win outright) for their side of the bet to win. Both teams had -110 odds to cover their respective side of the spread.
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Over/Under (O/U) betting
Betting the Over/Under, or total points scored by both teams, asks for how many points the two teams will combine to score in a game. It can be a good place to look as a neutral viewer or when trying to eliminate personal bias.
NFL point totals typically range from the low 40s to mid-50s but can extend in either direction based on the matchup, injuries or television slot. Like with spreads, the odds are typically equal for both the Over and Under, but they can differ in an attempt to draw in more bets on a particular side.
How to bet on the Steelers: Understanding odds
Moneyline favorites can range from -125 to -455 (or lower) early in the season. A $10 bet would return a profit of $8 or $2.20, respectively. The latter is referred to as a chalk play and is best avoided as the return isn’t worth the risk.
Underdogs can be +105 to +350 for profits of $10.50 and $35, respectively, on a $10 bet. All odds can extend further in either direction later in the season as separation grows in the standings.
Spread and Over/Under odds are typically kept within a tighter range of -120 to +120, but are typically set at an equal -110 on either side. The 10-cent loss on a winning bet is how the sportsbook makes its money as what’s called the juice or vig.
How to bet on the Steelers: Live/mobile betting
BetMGM has a terrific mobile sports betting app, which will surely be a second-screen trend for Steelers fans in 2020 and beyond. Sports bets can be placed anywhere, anytime leading up to and after the opening kickoff. The ability to place wagers on live, updated odds allows bettors to double-down on pregame wagers or flip sides based on the early results.
Scoring plays, big gains, turnovers or injuries affect the lines and odds in either direction. Following along with the game and knowing when the live odds don’t match the eye test is a great way to get value and beat the book. Acting early before the book has time to adjust the odds is even better.
Get some action on the Pittsburgh Steelers or other NFL teams in 2020 by signing up and betting at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.
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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
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