Teaser bets explained: buying points across a parlay
A teaser is a parlay where every spread or total moves in your favor by a set number of points. In return, the payout is much lower than a normal parlay.
Reviewed Oct 14, 2026
Answer first
90s| Teaser | Points | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| 2-team NFL | 6 | −110 to −130 |
| 3-team NFL | 6 | +160 to +180 |
| 2-team NFL | 7 | −130 to −140 |
| 2-team NBA | 4 | −110 to −120 |
| 3-team NFL | 10 | −120 or worse |
Key numbers
Teaser basics
In short
Key takeaways
- Every leg moves by the same number of points: favorites give fewer, underdogs get more.
- All legs must win; a loss on any leg loses the ticket.
- In the NFL, moving a spread through both 3 and 7 is where teasers gain the most.
- Prices vary widely between sportsbooks. A 2-team teaser at −110 is far better than at −130.
Progress
One 2-team 6-point teaser
- 1
Leg 1: Team A −7.5
Teased to −1.5
- 2
Leg 2: Team B +2.5
Teased to +8.5
- 3
Both cover?
A wins by 2+, B loses by 8 or less
- 4
Ticket wins
Paid at the teaser price
Moving −7.5 to −1.5 and +2.5 to +8.5 crosses both 3 and 7.
Pushes and ties
| Situation | Common rule |
|---|---|
| One leg pushes in a 2-team teaser | Ticket pushes or becomes a straight bet, by house rule |
| One leg pushes in a 3-team teaser | Becomes a 2-team teaser |
| Game cancelled | Leg removed; ticket repriced |
| Ties on totals | Push for that leg |
House rules differ. Check before you bet.
Sequence
Build a teaser
Step 01
Pick sport and points
Football 6, 6.5 or 7 points; basketball 4–5 points.
Step 02
Choose legs
Spreads or totals, usually 2 or 3.
Step 03
Apply the points
Favorites get smaller spreads; underdogs bigger.
Step 04
Check the price
Compare books before placing.
Why 6-point NFL teasers can be useful
Many NFL games are decided by 3 or 7 points. Moving a spread across both captures more outcomes than moving it across empty numbers.
Common targets are underdogs from +1.5 to +2.5 teased to +7.5 to +8.5, and favorites from −7.5 to −8.5 teased to −1.5 to −2.5.
Outside those ranges, and in high-scoring sports, teasers usually give the book a large edge.
Break-even math for teasers
A 2-team teaser at −110 needs each leg to win about 72.4% of the time to break even, because 0.724 × 0.724 is about 0.524.
A 3-team teaser at +160 needs each leg to win about 72.7% of the time. Legs that cross both 3 and 7 have historically come close to that mark in the NFL.
Teasers on basketball rarely reach the break-even rate, because final margins spread more evenly and points matter less.
Floor rules
Terms
Know before you sit
- Teaser
- A parlay with points moved in your favor.
- Sweetheart teaser
- A 3-team 10-point teaser with a steep price.
- Pleaser
- The opposite: points moved against you for a higher payout.
- Key number
- A common final margin, such as 3 or 7 in the NFL.
A closer look
Totals have weaker key numbers than spreads in the NFL. A 6-point move on a total gains less than the same move across 3 and 7.
Break-even per leg
| Teaser and price | Win rate needed per leg |
|---|---|
| 2-team at −110 | 72.4% |
| 2-team at −120 | 73.9% |
| 3-team at +160 | 72.7% |
| 3-team at +180 | 70.9% |
Each leg is treated as independent.
Keep reading
Related pages
Go play
Where to play in Las Vegas
Tap a resort — each row opens that casino’s White Gambling page (hours, game mix, floor facts). Venues with this game in official counts, sorted high to low.
Open a casino page
Real listings · not adsAfter the 90 seconds
Questions before and after you play
A 90-second guide cannot cover every table moment. Tap a group, then a question — answers are short paragraphs, not one-liners.
01Teasers
What is a 6-point teaser?
A parlay where each spread or total moves 6 points in your favor. A −7 favorite becomes −1, and a +3 underdog becomes +9. All legs must win.
How much does a 2-team teaser pay?
Usually −110 to −130 for 6 points in football, meaning you risk $110–$130 to win $100. Prices vary by sportsbook.
What happens if one leg of a teaser pushes?
Rules vary. In a 2-team teaser it often pushes the whole ticket or reduces it to a single bet; in a 3-team teaser it usually becomes a 2-team teaser.
Are teasers a good bet?
Most are not. Some NFL teasers that cross 3 and 7 have historically been closer to break-even. Prices matter a lot.
Can I tease totals?
Yes. Teasing an over lowers the line; teasing an under raises it. Totals are less tied to key numbers than spreads.
What is a pleaser?
The opposite of a teaser: lines move against you, and the payout is much higher.
02Where to bet
Do all sportsbooks offer teasers?
Most licensed sportsbooks do for football and basketball. Points and prices differ, so compare before you bet.
Can I bet teasers in a casino sportsbook?
Yes. Casino sportsbooks take teasers at the window and often offer printed teaser cards on football weekends.
03More teaser questions
Are teasers available on college football?
Yes, but margins in college games are more spread out, so key numbers matter less and teasers lose value. Many books also price them worse.
Why do books sometimes limit teasers?
Some NFL teasers are close to break-even. Books may raise prices or restrict which lines can be teased, especially near key numbers.
Sources
- American Gaming Association — State gaming map Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 14, 2026Where sports betting is legal
- Nevada Gaming Control Board · accessed Oct 14, 2026Approved games and gaming revenue reports
- National Council on Problem Gambling — Help and resources Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 14, 2026Free, confidential help: call or text 1-800-GAMBLER
- American Gaming Association — Research Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 14, 2026US casino industry data
- UNLV Center for Gaming Research Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 14, 2026Research library on casino games and gambling