Betting on the Cincinnati Bengals This Season? Here Are The Basics

Sports betting has become more popular and widely available to the masses over the last couple of years.

Dec 16, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals place kicker Evan McPherson (2) reacts after a field goal against the Minnesota Vikings in the first half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports / Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

Sports betting has become more popular and widely available to the masses over the last couple of years. You see this in the endless commercials for sportsbooks like DraftKings and FanDuel. You may notice on the ticker at the bottom of your screen a “-6.5” next to your a teams name, or a (-110). Honestly, it all can be a bit confusing if you are just getting into the betting space.

As a betting content contributor to Bengals Talk, you will see regular articles from me outlining various bets I am making. To make that content more easily consumable, here are some basic terms to understand as you enter in to this new hobby:

Prop

This is the actual occurrence you are either betting will or will not happen. This can be in the form of a player prop or team prop.

Example: a player prop may look like Zack Moss Rushing Yards Over 50.5 (-110) or Under 50.5 (-120).

Odds

Think of this as an indicator of how likely a prop is to occur or not occur. You can have “plus” odds indicated by an addition sign in front of them which pay out more but are longer shots, and you can have “minus” odds which will pay out less but may be more likely to occur and are represented with a subtraction sign in front of them. The further from zero your “+ odds” are, the less likely or harder to predict the outcome is. The further from zero your “- odds” are, the more common that occurrence may be.

Example: the odds on a prop for Tee Higgins to amass 1,250 or more receiving yards this season is +650. A $10 bet would pay out a $65 profit if that prop were to hit ($75 total with your original $10 bet returning as well).

On the flip side, the odds on a prop for Ja’Marr Chase to amass 750 or more yards this season is -3500. Since that is an extremely likely outcome, you would only profit $0.29 making that bet which is not at all a good value.

Parlay

This is a bet made up of more than one prop (usually minimum of 3 parts). Each prop of a parlay is called a "leg." You must hit correctly on each leg of your parlay to receive a payout.

Example: when you combine the Week 1 props of the Bengals moneyline (-455), Total Points Under 43 (-110) and the Patriots to cover the 9.0 point spread (-110), you have a three-leg parlay with final odds of +435. In order for your $10 bet to win $43.50, you would need the Bengals to win by less than 9 points with the total points scored to come in under 43.

Straight Bet

 This is a bet made up of a single prop.

Example: placing a bet on the Bengals to win Week 1 against New England would be considered a standalone straight bet.

Futures Bet

This usually refers to a bet made against a prop that is longer-term, not just a singular outcome in a game.

Example: The Bengals 2024 Win Total or Joe Burrow to Win MVP would both be considered futures.

Unit

A unit is the self-defined amount you are comfortably betting on your props. This amount can obviously change over time, but most bettors try to maintain a standard unit size to ensure they remain consistent in their betting and do not lose too much too fast if they endure a cold stretch. The most important rule: never unit shame!

Spread

This describes the point differential between two opponents and is notated with a minus sign (the favorite) and/or a plus sign (the underdog).

Example: the spread for Bengals vs Patriots in Week 1 is -9.0 to signify the Bengals are a 9 point favorite. If you bet the Bengals -9, you believe they will 'cover' the spread, and win by more than that many points. If you bet the Patriots +9.0, that would be a bet on them to cover the spread and lose by less than 9 points.

Moneyline

This describes a bet that picks the winner of a game.

Example: the moneyline for Bengals vs Patriots is -455 in favor of Cincinnati. Placing a $10 bet on the Bengals moneyline would profit $2.20, whereas the same bet on the underdog Patriots moneyline of +350 would return a profit of $35.

There are many more terms and strategies that could be discussed at length, but this should provide you a crash course on how to understand the basics of betting. As always, you can also send me a direct message on X with any additional questions you have.

Now that you are well-versed in how to bet, be on the lookout prior to Week 1 for our articles with Bengals futures bets!

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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