Betting Systems - Hook

Definition

In sports gambling terms, the term ‘hook’ refers to the extra half point in the pointspread.

Why is there a hook in the first place?

When sports betting lines move, they usually move up in increments of half points. For example if team A is favored by 3 points, and a sportsbook is receiving heavy action on that side, under normal situations, the line for team A will move to 3.5 points. This movement is to entice others who are on the fence to bet team B. Although this should not be the sole reason why one should take a side, this line movement is still a way for the sportsbooks to balance out action (on the side, if one does need that extra half point in order for one to feel better about a bet, then one should not even place such a bet—one should feel comfortable in placing a bet for one side without any restraints, especially in dealing with half a point or full point, with respect to the spread).

Buying the hook

The majority of sportsbooks offer the bettor the opportunity to buy anywhere from half a point to two full points. Although this is not recommended, this is still an option for the sports gambler. Many sharps and professional bettors agree that buying the hook is generally not a good idea. In pointspread games, the hook rarely comes into play. The only reason why so many people fall into the trap of buying the hook is because of one bad instance of losing a game in the past by such a hook. Laying extra juice to buy an extra half point or full point is mathematically unsound and should not be used on a regular basis.

Selling the hook

Contrary to buying the hook, one may also attempt to sell half a point to possibly even two full points at some online sportsbooks. By selling the points to the sportsbooks, one ensures no vigorish on their sports bets, and most of the time, the odds are actually at positive commission. Since most spreads do not really fall perfectly into the line, selling the hook will be more profitable in the long run than just betting the regular spread. One sportsbook that offers great odds at selling points is www.pinnaclesports.com. This sports gambling website offers the bettor one of the best odds on all sports games and is catered to mostly high rollers and professional bettors.

Summary

In summary, the hook is the half point added on to a pointspread. Most often, this hook is not consequential—unless the game is on national television and is heavily being bet on by the general public.

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