Buying points: paying to move the line
Buying points means paying a worse price to move a spread or total in your favor. A half point usually costs about 10 cents of juice, such as moving from -110 to -120.
Reviewed Oct 15, 2026
Answer first
90s- 01Each half point usually costs about 10 to 20 cents of extra juice.
- 02Moving through 3 or 7 in the NFL often costs more than other numbers.
- 03Buying is worth it only when the half point wins often enough to cover the cost.
Key numbers
Buying points in four numbers
In short
Key takeaways
- Buying points trades a worse price for a better line.
- The value depends on how often games land on that number.
- In the NFL, 3 and 7 are the numbers most worth thinking about.
- Basketball has no big key numbers, so buying points there is rarely worth it.
At the door
Buying points on one game
Gate pass
21+
Bills -3.5
Main line
Bills -3
Buy a half point off 3
Bills -2.5
Buy a full point
Dolphins +3.5
Buy a half point onto 3.5
Example prices; each sportsbook sets its own.
Break-even win rate by price
| Price | Win rate needed |
|---|---|
| -110 | 52.4% |
| -120 | 54.5% |
| -125 | 55.6% |
| -130 | 56.5% |
| -145 | 59.2% |
Higher juice means you must win more often.
How the math works
A half point is worth buying when it turns enough losses into pushes, or pushes into wins, to beat the added cost. Moving from -110 to -120 raises the break-even win rate by about 2.1 points.
If the half point changes the result in fewer games than that, you lose value.
NFL margins that matter
| Final margin | Share of games (approx) |
|---|---|
| 3 points | About 15% |
| 7 points | About 9% |
| 6 points | About 6% |
| 10 points | About 5% |
| 4 points | About 5% |
Rough historical shares; they shift over time.
Key numbers in the NFL
Scoring in football comes in 3s and 7s, so many games end with those margins. Moving from +2.5 to +3 or from -3.5 to -3 changes the result in a large share of games.
That is why sportsbooks charge more to move through 3 than through 5 or 11.
Sequence
Deciding whether to buy
Step 01
Find the main line
Note the price.
Step 02
Check the buy price
See the new juice.
Step 03
Look at the number crossed
3 and 7 matter most.
Step 04
Compare break-even rates
Before and after.
Step 05
Shop other books
Another book may already have your number.
Shopping instead of buying
Different sportsbooks often post slightly different lines. Finding -3 at -110 elsewhere beats paying -125 to buy it at your book.
Line shopping is often the cheapest way to get the number you want.
Floor rules
Point buying terms
Know before you sit
- Half point
- Half a point of spread.
- Key number
- A common final margin.
- Juice
- The price on a bet.
- Alternate line
- A different spread at a new price.
Why sportsbooks offer it
Sportsbooks price each half point so that, on average, they keep their margin. Buying points is a convenience, not a discount.
Some books cap how far you can move, often three points.
Price examples for one game
| Spread | Price |
|---|---|
| -3.5 | -110 |
| -3 | -125 |
| -2.5 | -145 |
| -2 | -155 |
Example prices only.
Common mistakes
- Buying points in the NBA
- Rarely worth it.
- Paying a lot to cross 5
- Not a key number.
- Forgetting to shop lines
- Free half points elsewhere.
- Ignoring break-even rates
- Do the math.
Keep reading
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01Basics
What does buying points mean?
Paying extra juice to move a spread or total in your favor. Rules differ between licensed sportsbooks, so read the house rules.
How much does a half point cost?
Often about 10 cents, from -110 to -120, and more around 3 and 7. Rules differ between licensed sportsbooks, so read the house rules.
Can I buy points on totals?
Yes. Most books offer it on totals too. Rules differ between licensed sportsbooks, so read the house rules.
02Value
Is buying points worth it?
Only when the number crossed lands often enough to cover the cost. Rules differ between licensed sportsbooks, so read the house rules.
Why is 3 more expensive?
About 15% of NFL games end by exactly 3. Rules differ between licensed sportsbooks, so read the house rules.
Should I buy points in basketball?
Rarely. Final margins spread out more evenly. Rules differ between licensed sportsbooks, so read the house rules.
03Where
Do all sportsbooks sell points?
Most US books offer it through alternate lines. Rules differ between licensed sportsbooks, so read the house rules.
Is it the same as a teaser?
No. A teaser moves several lines at once in a parlay. Rules differ between licensed sportsbooks, so read the house rules.
Can I buy points live?
Some books offer alternate lines during games too. Rules differ between licensed sportsbooks, so read the house rules.
Sources
- Wizard of Odds — Sports betting Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry)The gaming industry’s standard reference for casino-game math, by actuary Michael Shackleford. Not an official registry; our calculators compute these numbers independently. · accessed Oct 15, 2026Odds and the value of half points
- American Gaming Association — Sports betting Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 15, 2026US legal sports betting data
- New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement · accessed Oct 15, 2026Gaming and sports wagering rules
- National Council on Problem Gambling — Help and resources Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 15, 2026Free, confidential help: call or text 1-800-GAMBLER