Sports betting is an exciting and rewarding way to add excitement and a new dimension to your favorite team’s games. However, you need to be careful when deciding how much to wager on each game.

First, you need to decide how much money you want to invest from your bankroll–this is your starting amount that you can bet with. Then, you need to learn how to distribute your bets so that you can balance wins against losses.

Second, you need to understand the different types of bets available for each sport. These include moneylines, spreads and parlays, among others.

Third, you need to learn about the odds and lines offered by your favorite sportsbooks. These odds are important because they determine the risk level of your bets.

Fourth, you need to understand what the terms “favorite” and “underdog” mean in sports betting. The favorite is a team that is expected to win the game and has higher odds, while the underdog is a team that has lower odds.

Fifth, you need to understand what the point totals are for each game. These lines can tell you how many points a team needs to score in order to win the game.

The point totals for the first quarter and the half are also helpful. For example, a game between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers may have an Over/Under line of 214.5 points.