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A teaser is a variation of a parlay that allows you to shift the lines in your favor in exchange for a lower payout. This type of wager is less profitable than normal parlays but is easier to hit. Like a parlay, you must correctly predict all the included selections in order to win the bet.
For the most part, teasers are exclusive to basketball and football point spreads and totals. The most common type is the 6-point teaser in the NFL, which involves moving the spread by six points in your favor.
Let’s take a hypothetical example where the Eagles are 2-point underdogs and the Chiefs are 7-point favorites with the standard spreads. The adjusted teaser lines would look like this:
- Philadelphia Eagles +8 (teased up from +2)
- Kansas City Chiefs -1 (teased down from -7)
Suddenly, the spreads look a lot more reasonable.
If you can’t wrap your head around this seemingly complex betting concept, don’t worry. This article will show you how teasers work, how to use them, and what kind of payouts you can expect.
You can see the original lines on the left side of the betslip and what they were teased to on the right side. All of the options included above are decent options for teasers since they all cross at least 2 key numbers.
Example of an NBA Teaser
You can see the original lines on the left side of the betslip and what they were teased to on the right side.
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| 2 teams | 3 teams | 4 teams | |
|---|---|---|---|
6 points | -110 ($91 profit) | +180 ($180 profit) | +300 ($300 profit) |
6.5 points | -120 ($83 profit) | +160 ($160 profit) | +250 ($250 profit) |
7 points | -130 ($77 profit) | +150 ($150 profit) | +200 ($200 profit) |
Here’s a payout chart for the NBA teasers with regards to the three core tease numbers:
| 2 teams | 3 teams | 4 teams | |
|---|---|---|---|
4 points | -100 ($100 profit) | +180 ($180 profit) | +300 ($300 profit) |
4.5 points | -110 ($91 profit) | +160 ($160 profit) | +250 ($250 profit) |
5 points | -120 ($83 profit) | +150 ($150 profit) | +200 ($200 profit) |
What Happens if a Leg Pushes in a Teaser?
Sportsbooks have different house rules on how to handle pushes or ties in teasers. Most commonly, the outcome that resulted in a push becomes eliminated, and the teaser drops to the next lower level (such as a 3-team teaser to a 2-team teaser).
At some sites, like FanDuel Sportsbook, a push in a two-team teaser will make the entire bet a push. Check your sportsbook’s official rules to see what happens in the case of one leg pushing.
What is a Pleaser/Reverse Teaser?
Pleasers and teasers are the two sides of the same coin. Whereas teasers move the lines in your favor, pleasers (sometimes called reverse teasers) move the lines against your favor. With a pleaser, you get worse lines in exchange for a higher payout.
As awesome as pleasers/reverse teasers may seem, they are usually what expert bettors call a “suckers” bet. They are longshots that are almost impossible to hit and don’t offer a lot of value. Sure, you may nail a juicy pleaser occasionally, but that would be an anomaly and not a profitable betting strategy over time.
>> Read More: Types of Sports Bets
