Sports betting is putting money behind an outcome of your choice and getting paid if that outcome occurs. The most basic form of this is placing a bet on the winning team of a game, which is called a moneyline bet. You can also make a bet that a team will win or lose by a certain number of points, which is known as a point spread bet. You can even combine multiple outcomes into one bet, which is called a parlay.

The key to making money betting on sports is having a plan and being disciplined. This includes setting aside a specific amount of money to risk on each bet (i.e. your bankroll), staying calm and clear-headed, doing thorough research, and seeking out tips from winning sports bettors. It’s also important to set realistic expectations. It will take time and effort to become proficient at sports betting, and you may not see a profit on every bet.

There are many ways to bet on sports, including online and in-person at a sportsbook. You can place a bet by clicking on the team or event you wish to bet on, which will then add it to your bet slip. You will then need to input your wager amount and click “Confirm” or similar to submit your bet. You can also find live odds on a particular game by visiting the sportsbook’s website.

Another way to bet on sports is through futures bets, which are wagers on events that will take place in the future. These bets typically offer greater odds and larger payouts than straight bets. They can include bets on a team to win the World Series; a country to win soccer’s World Cup; or a player to win a championship in a given sport.

When you bet on a team’s total, you are betting whether the total number of points scored in a game will go over or under a line that the sportsbook sets. This is often done in the form of an over/under, such as how many strikeouts a pitcher will have in a game or how many rushing yards a running back will gain. You can usually place these bets by navigating to the “Over/Under” section of a sportsbook’s odds page.

Props — short for proposition bets — are any wager that is not a moneyline, point spread, or total. These bets are often subject to higher vig than other types of bets, but they can be an excellent way to increase your chances of winning big. The key is to do your homework, including examining the prices of different sportsbooks and their props. Also, don’t be afraid to look at less-popular markets. Some props are mispriced, and you can make a lot of money by placing the correct bets. For example, FanDuel offers a number of baseball-related props, including how many home runs a pitcher will hit, that are not offered by most other sportsbooks.