Alt points meaning: what are alternate total points in sports betting?
Contents:
- Understanding alternate points in sports betting
- How alternate point lines work
- Moving the standard line up or down
- How adjusted lines change the odds
- Alt points example with a basketball player
- Alternate total points in team and game betting
- Player alt points vs alternate game totals
- How alt points appear on sportsbook betting slips
- Plus-style player milestones
- Over/under alternate lines
- Why market names may differ between sportsbooks
- Why bettors choose adjusted point totals
- When to use Point Lines
- How game environment can affect scoring props
- Tips for evaluating alternate scoring markets
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What does alt points mean in betting?
- What are alternate total points?
- Are alt points only available for basketball?
- Can alternate points be used in same-game parlays?
- Do lower alternate point lines have worse odds?
- What happens if a player finishes exactly on the selected line?
Alternate total points in sports betting markets are often asked about by the inexperienced bettor when it comes to risk management in sports betting. As alternate points meaning: alternate total points in sports betting, Alternate total points in sports betting markets for team and game betting are used by bettors to place wagers on the total points scored by both teams in a game, with the option of choosing from a variety of alternate total points in the sportsbook’s betting markets for risk management.
Understanding alternate points in sports betting
Alternate lines, which are often referred to by sports bettors as ‘alt points’, are offered by sportsbooks in certain sports and enable the player to wager on alternate total points or a point line for a game. In most cases the alternate lines will be offered higher than the standard line for the player to purchase points, and lower for the player to sell points. When a bettor places a wager on alternate lines the standard odds of -110 will generally be in place for both the favorite to win as well as the underdog to win, however when it comes to the total the odds will change depending on the alternate line selected. The alternate line that is offered for the total will typically be higher or lower than the standard line of the total for the game. For example, if the standard line for the total in a game of baseball is 7.5 then the alternate lines for the total might be 6.5 or 8.5. As you can see the alternate lines for the total will greatly change the odds for the player and will allow for a greater return on investment for the player if the total is hit.
How alternate point lines work
Alternate lines are wagered exactly the same as a normal line with the only difference being the number of the line that has been altered by the bookmaker for the alternate line wager.
Moving the standard line up or down
Oddsmakers generally set alternate lines further from the main line on both the point spread and total. This means that you can buy points on the spread to make a wager more safe or sell points on the spread to make a wager more risky. The same applies for the total where you can buy points to make an over wager more safe or sell points to make an under wager more safe or risky. The further the alternate line is from the main line the more dramatic an effect that line will have on the odds.
How adjusted lines change the odds
Another consideration is how the reduced line will affect the odds of the wager. As a general rule of thumb, the lower the alternate total for an Over bet, the shorter the odds and lower the return on the investment. Conversely, the lower the alternate total for an Under bet, the longer the odds and the greater return on the investment.
Alt points example with a basketball player
Let’s go through an example with an NBA player for the alternate total points for betting on individual players. In this case, we will use the normal line of 24.5 points at -110 for the total number of points for a particular NBA player. If you wanted to bet on the total points for this NBA player to be over a safer number, then you could look at the alternate line for over 19.5 points at -250 odds. Conversely, if you think that this particular NBA player is going to have a very big game then you could look at the alternate line for over 29.5 points at +180 odds.
Alternate total points in team and game betting
Alternate total points in team and game betting refers to the wagering of the total points scored in a game by both teams in a match-up. Alternate total points in team and game betting are usually used in conjunction with alternate lines for the main spread and are a combination of both teams’ scores in a match-up. The combined score of both teams in a match-up will be the determining factor as to whether the total score is over or under the alternate total score selected by the player. Alternate total points in team and game betting are most used for game totals. This type of wager is great for adding a few safer legs to a multi-game parlay or when there is a potential for a huge scoring match-up and you are looking to reap the rewards of a bigger payout for an over wager in a match-up.
Player alt points vs alternate game totals
Alternate point lines for total points in team and game markets can be completely different to alternate point lines for player markets and can form the basis of entirely different betting strategies.
| Feature | Player Alt Points | Alternate Game Totals |
| Subject of Bet | Individual player stats (points, rebounds, yards). | Combined game score or individual team score. |
| Line Structure | Plus-style milestones (e.g. 20+ points) | Straight over/under numbers (e.g. Over 215.5) |
| Risk and Odds | Higher milestones for points yield longer odds for reaching that milestone; lower milestones for points will yield shorter odds for reaching said milestone. | Alternate total points for team and game betting: For the overs, higher total points for the game will have longer odds to go over that total. For the unders, higher total points for the game will have shorter odds to go under that total. |
| Common Usage | Heavily utilized in narrative-driven same-game parlays. | Popular for standard over/under betting and multi-game totals parlays. |
How alt points appear on sportsbook betting slips
If you have not done so already, we suggest familiarising yourself with reading a standard online sports wagering ticket or betting slip to also include those used for wagers involving a variety of score lines in sports such as soccer or hockey for example.
Plus-style player milestones
Here is an example betting slip for a ‘Player Props’ bet. This slip shows the bettor has chosen a player and selected a specific prop for them to score 25+ Points with odds of -130 to win $100.
Over/under alternate lines
An example of a betting slip for alternate lines for total points is below and to the right of it is the regular over/under slip with the alternate recalc’d line totals and odds for the totals as well.
See also: What does over under mean in betting? A complete guide to totals betting
Why market names may differ between sportsbooks
The name that a sportsbook uses to refer to an alternate point line can vary from book to book. Some of the most common names for this type of market include: Alternate lines, Alternate spread, Alternate betting lines, and Alternate total points. In every case, however, the market operates in the same way as other lines on the board. The main difference is the spread or total, and the cost of the bet to reflect the new point(s) that have been added or subtracted.
Why bettors choose adjusted point totals
Bettors are interested in alternate point totals because they create heavily correlated same game parlays that have a higher chance of winning with the safer of the two lines of the respective bet included in the parlay. Advanced handicappers are interested in alternate lines put out by the sportsbooks for their statistical models that have revealed that the main line is mispriced. The casual bettor is interested in alternate point totals for alternate point totals betting.
When to use Point Lines
When looking to buy points, the main thing that you want to look at is the cost of the points versus the implied probability of the main line. If the cost of the points is going to hurt your expected value too much, then you’re better off not buying the points in the first place. And then for the alternate point lines, you shop for the best price at which you want to bet at the alternate point threshold that you’re looking to bet at.
How game environment can affect scoring props
The game environment is probably the most important factor in determining scoring props. A fast-paced game will typically have higher alternate totals for team scores and individual scoring prop bets. A slow-paced game will typically have lower alternate totals and be more in line with a lower total for the game and individual scoring prop bets. Some other factors that would lead you to take lower alternate point lines would be a very good defensive team, key injuries to a team’s offense, a slow-paced game, or bad weather for an outdoor football game (high wind, snow, etc.).
Tips for evaluating alternate scoring markets
In essence, all the alternate lines for scoring related markets for a game should be studied to find situations in which the sportsbook has underestimated or overestimated a team’s scoring, and thus use the lines to garner value. As noted above, it is generally believed that the lines that are lower than the standard lines for scoring are automatically of value, but that is not the case, because the sportsbook has adjusted the odds for the lines to reflect true probabilities for the outcomes of wagers placed on the alternate lines for the scoring markets. Thus, buying points, even for lines that are lower than standard lines for scoring, can negatively affect value, because the odds for the lower line have been decreased to reflect the lower risk for the sportsbook for wagers on the lower line.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does alt points mean in betting?
Various bookmakers offer alternate points for a variety of markets and events. These allow the punter to place a bet on an alternate spread, or on an alternate total for a particular game or for a team. The price for wagering on an alternate line (referred to by some as alt points) will be adjusted so that the returns to the punter reflect the new implied probability for the alternate scenario i.e., the punter is betting for the alternate line to result, rather than the original line.
What are alternate total points?
For instance, alternate total points are lines for the total points scored in a game by both teams in a match-up, and those lines are higher or lower than the standard game total. A bettor would be able to place wagers on the Alternate Total with altered odds. A bettor could also place wagers on the total points scored by a single team as well.
Are alt points only available for basketball?
Alternate points can apply to nearly any point spread market, including all professional and college sports such as NFL, MLB, NHL as well as NBA.
Can alternate points be used in same-game parlays?
Alternate point lines can also be used in building same-game parlays. All alternate lines for the spread and total, as well as individual player stats for the game, are available for use in building same-game parlays. In general, alternate point lines for a game will all be correlated, and thus subject to the same parlay terms and conditions as lines for the same game.
Do lower alternate point lines have worse odds?
For Overs lower alternate point lines are easier to win, which results in worse odds for the bettor. For Unders lower alternate point lines are harder to win, which results in better odds for the bettor.
What happens if a player finishes exactly on the selected line?
When an alternate total line is set for a whole number such as 220 points for an Over in baseball, then if the final score in the game equals that whole number, then the bet is a push and the bettor is refunded their full stake. Conversely, an alternate total that is set for half points (220.5 points for an Over in this example) cannot be a push.
