What Is a Teaser Bet in Football?

A teaser is a type of parlay, used mostly in football, that lets you shift the point spread or total in your favor on every leg by a set number of points. In exchange for the more forgiving lines, the payout is smaller, and every leg still must win.

How does a teaser bet work?

Definition. A teaser is a multi-leg bet that trades payout for better point spreads.

Worked example. On a six-point, two-team teaser, Team A -7.5 becomes -1.5 and Team B +2.5 becomes +8.5. Both must cover the new numbers. At a common price of -120 the ticket must win 54.5 percent of the time (120 / 220) to break even.

How a teaser works

A standard football teaser moves each leg 6 points in your direction. A -8 favorite becomes -2; a +3 underdog becomes +9. You combine two or more teased legs into one ticket. The better lines make each leg easier to win, but like any parlay, one loss sinks the whole thing, and the price reflects the added cushion.

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A worked example

You teaser two favorites, -8.5 and -7.5, down by 6 points to -2.5 and -1.5. Both now only need narrow wins to cover. If both cash, a two-team 6-point teaser pays about -120 to +100 depending on the book. If either fails, you lose. Popular "basic strategy" teasers cross the key numbers of 3 and 7 in football.

When teasers make sense

Teasers are strongest when the extra points move a line across key margins, especially 3 and 7 in football, where a large share of games are decided. Crossing those numbers is where the added points carry real value. Teasing lines that do not cross key numbers usually just donates the payout reduction to the book.

Frequently asked questions

How many points do you get in a teaser?

Football teasers commonly move each leg 6, 6.5 or 7 points in your favor. The more points, the lower the payout.

Are teasers a good bet?

Only when the extra points cross key numbers like 3 and 7 in football. Otherwise the reduced payout usually outweighs the easier lines.

Your next step

1Learn itTeaser (this page)
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Related terms

Parlay: A parlay combines two or more bets into a single ticket that only pays if every selection wins.
Point Spread: A point spread is a handicap that levels a matchup: the favorite must win by more than the spread to cover, and the underdog covers by losing by less than the spread or winning outright.
Round Robin Bet: A round robin bet takes three or more selections and automatically splits them into every smaller parlay combination, placing each as its own wager.

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21+. For entertainment and educational purposes, not financial advice. If gambling stops being fun, take a break. 1-800-GAMBLER. Regulated US books only.