What is a Teaser Bet in Sports Betting?
Teaser bets allow you to move point spread and totals lines in your favor when sports betting, increasing your chances of winning at the cost of a lower payout.
Teaser bets are a good alternative to parlay bets for bettors looking for lower risk wagers, and are most commonly used across NFL and NBA game markets and lines.
You can wager on teaser bets across NFL, NBA, and more with Fanatics Sportsbook. Don't have an account? Join Fanatics Sportsbook and get up to $1000 in FanCash with code FAN2026.
What Is a Teaser Bet?
A teaser bet in sports betting is a bet that includes two or more bets in a single wager, and adjusts the point spread or totals line to be more favorable. This increases the likelihood of your bet winning, but comes at the cost of a lower payout than the lines set by the sportsbook would return.
Teaser bets offer more favorable spreads and totals than traditional parlays, which can improve your chances of winning, although every leg must still win for the teaser to cash.
How Do Teaser Bets Work?
Teaser bets work in the same way as parlay bets, with teaser bets consisting of two or more picks across the point spread or totals markets. The key difference is that teaser bets allow you to move the line set by the sportsbook in search of a more favorable line.
For example, if the over/under total for New England Patriots vs LA Rams is 43.5 and you are looking to back the over, you could move the line down to over 37.5 with a 6-point teaser. This movement will lower the odds and potential payout, but makes the chances of this pick winning more likely.
Once you have added your point spread or totals picks to your bet slip, you can 'tease' the lines of each pick by a specific number of points. Once you are happy with the new lines and odds, you can place your teaser bet in the same way as a parlay bet. Like a parlay bet, if any of the picks in a teaser bet lose, the entire bet loses.
Point Spread Teasers
Point spread teasers allow bettors to adjust the point spread set by sportsbooks by a specific number of points, typically 6, 6.5, or 7. By adjusting the point spread in your favor, teaser bets offer lower payouts compared to parlay bets.
Example
If the Kansas City Chiefs are -7.5 favorites, a 6-point teaser would move the line to -1.5. This means that you are now betting on the Chiefs to win by 2 or more points, rather than 8 or more points, as originally set by the sportsbook.
By teasing the line to be more favorable, the odds on this pick will decrease, offering a lower payout than the set point spread line.
Totals Teasers
Totals teasers allow bettors to adjust the over/under total set by sportsbooks by a specific number of points. Like with point spread teasers, adjusting the totals line in your favor means a lower payout compared to the line set by the sportsbook.
Example
If the total for Cincinnati Bengals vs LA Chargers is set at over/under 45.5 points, a 6-point teaser would adjust the lines and provide two new lines:
- Over 39.5 points
- Under 51.5 points
Both of these lines are available to use in a teaser bet. But, each will provide lower odds than the line set by the sportsbook.
Teaser Bet vs Parlay Bet
There are several key differences between teaser betting and parlay betting, including risk level, potential payouts, and more.
Key Differences
Comparison | Teaser bet | Parlay bet |
|---|---|---|
What is it? | A parlay that allows bettors to move the point spread or total in their favor | Multiple picks combined into one wager at original odds and lines |
Potential payout | Lower maximum payout compared to parlay betting | Higher maximum payout compared to teaser betting |
Risk level | Lower risk compared to parlay betting, as spreads and totals are more favorable | Higher risk compared to teaser betting, as spreads and totals are less favorable |
What if one pick loses? | The teaser bet loses | The parlay loses |
Best betting method for | Bettors looking for lower risk when sports betting | Bettors looking for higher risk when sports betting |
Pros and Cons of Teaser Bets
There are several advantages and disadvantages to teaser betting. Teaser bets provide more favorable lines than traditional parlays, but they also offer lower potential payouts. Here are some key pros and cons of teaser bets.
Pros
- Lower risk than traditional parlays
- Flexible betting options to match each bettor's risk level
- More favorable betting lines and totals
Cons
- Reduced payouts compared to traditional parlays
- Can provide poor value
- Every leg in the teaser bet must win
Best Sports for Teaser Betting
The best sports for teaser betting are football and basketball, with NFL and NBA the most popular divisions for teaser betting.
Teaser bets are particularly popular in the NFL, due to point spreads being lower, and the fact that games are often decided by margins such as 3, 6, and 7 points. A 6-point teaser is a popular bet on NFL games and lines. Teasers are popular on NBA too, but can be more difficult to win, due to the higher scoring nature of basketball, that can often lead to heavy victories and defeats.
How to Place a Teaser Bet
First, add your point spread or totals selections to your bet slip for the games you are looking to bet on. Next, ensure Teaser is selected in the bet slip, and adjust the lines to how many points you want to shift in your favor. As you adjust the lines, the odds on each selection will decrease, the more the line is in your favor.
Once the lines have been adjusted for each pick, confirm your wager. You can place teaser bets across the NFL and NBA at Fanatics Sportsbook.
Additional Betting Insight & Explainers
The Fanatics Sportsbook blog offers further insight to sports betting markets, terms, and methods, including:
- What Is a Futures Bet? Futures Betting Explained
- What Is a Middle Bet in Sports Betting
- What Is a Prop Bet? A Beginner's Guide to Sports Prop Betting
- What Is Line Movement in Sports Betting?
- What Is Bankroll Management in Sports Betting?
- What Is a Round Robin Bet?
- What Is Closing Line Value (CLV) in Sports Betting?
- What Is Sharp Money and Steam Moves?
- What Is a Point Spread?
- What Is a Live Sports Bet?
- What Is the Vig in Sports Betting?
- What Is Cash Out?
Teaser Bet FAQs
What is a 6-Point Teaser?
A 6-point teaser is a bet that allows you to move the spread or points total by six points in your favor, in exchange for a lower payout.
For example, if the total points line for the Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat is set at over/under 220.5 points and you are looking to wager on the over. A 6-point teaser would adjust the line to over 214.5 points. This makes the bet easier to win, therefore sportsbooks lower the odds on this teaser bet.
What Happens if One Leg Loses?
If one leg of your teaser bet loses, your whole bet will lose. This is the same with traditional parlay betting.
Do Teasers Pay Less Than Parlays?
Yes, teaser bets pay less than parlays because when placing a teaser bet, you are moving the point spread or totals line in your favor. Adjusting these lines makes each leg of your teaser bet easier to hit, therefore reducing the potential payout.
Reviewed by Joe Dixon