# What does a -200 betting line mean?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-200-betting-line-mean/303747>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 13, 2005, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-200-betting-line-mean/303747 "2005-05-13T21:22:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![daffyduck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ec9cab/32.png) [@daffyduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daffyduck)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-200-betting-line-mean/303747/1 "2005-05-13T21:22:55Z")

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I was looking at a sports book site and found this:

Trinidad opened as a -200 favorite for Saturday night’s bout, to be held at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.

How do I interpret the -200? If I bet $10 and he wins, how much do I get back?

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**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-200-betting-line-mean/303747/2 "2005-05-13T21:26:26Z")

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I’m not good with gambling things, but I think that means you need to bet $200 to win one.

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**Author:** ![Petey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f1d935/32.png) [@Petey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petey)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-200-betting-line-mean/303747/3 "2005-05-13T21:35:08Z")

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-200 means you bet $200 to win $100. So betting $10 wins you $5 (plus your original $10).

If it says +150, you win $150 for a $100 bet.

Negative numbers are for the favorite. Positive for the underdog.