A game's total is a predicted cumulative score between two teams. In the example below, the Washington Redskins score combined with the Philadelphia Eagles score is expected to be 45.5. As a bettor, you can bet over or under the total of 45.5. Simply put, if the combined score goes over 45, the over bet wins. If the combined score is less than 45, the under bet wins.
When betting totals, also known as over/under, there is a traditional vig of -110. In this example, you would need to bet $1.10 to win $1.00. Just like spread bets, the sportsbooks sometimes add vigorish before moving off of the total. Different sportsbooks could have different numbers for the total points and the vig, which makes shopping the bet at multiple sportsbooks advantageous.
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