The first casino to open a sports book was The Union Plaza in the early 1970s. Since then, just about every hotel in town has implemented race and sports betting.

As in any business, there is a difference in personalities among employees of each establishment. Most workers will bend over backward to help out customers. But there are plenty of grouches. Baseball seems to provide novice bettors with the most problems.

Baseball

Betting on baseball is different from football and basketball because a pointspread is not used. Normally, 'money lines' are used, and that is where confusion can arise. The odds -- or money lines -- primarily are based on starting pitchers because they are considered the most decisive factor in each game's outcome. Here is how baseball games typically are listed on a betting board.

Game #901	Houston Astros	S. Reynolds	8
Game #902	Los Angeles Dodgers	K. Brown	-150

Unless otherwise noted, teams listed second always are home. Kevin Brown is the scheduled starting pitcher for Los Angeles, and Shane Reynolds is expected to start for the Astros.

The figure to the right of Shane Reynolds' name is the total. Bettors can wager on whether the teams' combined runs will exceed (in this example) eight. Traditionally, bettors are required only to lay 'even money' (lay $1.10 to win $1.00) to bet a total. Occasionally, however, betting a total will require laying more 'juice.'

The figure to the right of Kevin Brown's name is the money line. A negative figure indicates favorite status. In this example, Brown is a $1.50 favorite. That means winning bets on Los Angeles would pay $1.00 for every $1.50 wagered.

Conversely, winning bets on the Astros would pay $1.40 for every $1.00 wagered.

Another example of how the money line could appear is shown below.

Game #901	Houston Astros	S. Reynolds	+140
Game #902	Los Angeles Dodgers	K. Brown	-150

It is important to remember that negative numbers signify the favorite. Positive numbers represent underdog status.

Game numbers should be used to identify teams. When ticket writers hear, "I want to the Dodgers for $150," they likely will ask for a game number in lieu of a team name. The proper way to call out that bet is, "Number 902 for 150 dollars."

The DBS schedule establishes bet numbers for every sporting event, and is available in every Las Vegas sports book. Sports books often compete for business by offering 15-cent, 10-cent or even 5-cent lines. The difference in these lines is seen in the 'comeback.' Our example incorporates a 10-cent line. If a sports book were to use a 20-cent line, the 'comeback' in our example would be only $1.30. Obviously, it is in the players' best interest to find a book that offers 'nickel lines.

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Prior to its advent, sports were similar to horse racing, in which complicated odds were posted on the basis of a particular team winning outright. While this method works fairly well on evenly matched teams, it is less than satisfactory when one team clearly is superior to its opponent.

With a pointspread, winning a bet is not determined by which team actually emerges victorious, but by the contest's final score. Here is how it works. When a game ends, the pointpsread must be subtracted from the number of points scored by the favorite. After that step is taken, the team with the higher score is deemed the victor for betting purposes. (Or, adding the pointspread to the score of the underdog). Here is an example. The table below shows how a betting board would look if Michigan were a seven-point favorite over Purdue.

Game # 101	Purdue
Game #102	Michigan	-7

Placing a wager on Michigan would require laying seven points. Therefore, when the game ends, seven points must be deducted from the total number of points scored by Michigan to determine the pointspread winner. If the Wolverines won, 24-20, then bettors who took Purdue would win. Even though Michigan won the game, bets on Michigan would have lost. If UM had prevailed, 28-20, then it would have 'covered' the pointspread. Had UM won, 27-20, all bets on the contest would be refunded.

Sports bettors should remember that a pointspread is not a prediction by oddsmakers as to a game's outcome. Rather, it is a number that oddsmakers feel will attract equal action on both sides of a game. If the same amount of money is bet on both sides of a particular event, bookmakers would have no liability. They simply would collect from the losers, pay the winners and keep their roughly 10 percent commission.

Here is how sports books make money. When placing a bet, customers pay a fee, called 'vigorish' or 'vig.' On most occasions, bettors must wager $11 to win $10. If a bookmaker takes two bets on an event -- one on each side for the same $11 -- he will pay the winner back $21 (the bettor's original $11, plus his $10 winnings). And he will keep the loser's $11. So, the bookmaker made a $1 profit.

Drawn out over a much larger scale, if a bookmaker takes in exactly $110,000 in bets on each side of a game, he stands to profit $10,000. To compensate for the 'vig,' bettors must win 52.38 percent of their wagers to break even (provided they all are of an equal amount).

Bettors also can wager on the total number of points scored between two teams. In these instances, bettors simply would decide whether they want to bet 'OVER' or 'UNDER' the total posted for a particular event. If the combined final score matches the total, bets are refunded.

Another type of bet is called a 'parlay,' which involves two or more outcomes as part of the same bet. In order to win a parlay, all of the components must win. The payouts for parlays is much greater than for straight bets. Parlay cards are the most popular betting option. Every sports book offers a variety of options and combinations. An example of how a parlay card traditionally pays out appears below.

2-teamer	13 to 5
3-teamer	6 to 1
4-teamer	10 to 1
5-teamer	20 to 1
6-teamer	40 to 1

Another type of wager is a 'teaser,' which offers bettors a more advantageous pointspread in exchange for lower payoffs. When betting a teaser, bettors are given 6, 6½ or 7 points for football and either 4, 4½, or 5 points for basketball. Proceed at your own risk. They're called teasers for a good reason. There is so much information available these days that well-informed players should be one step ahead of their bookmaker.

Shopping around for the best numbers is critical. Although very few exist, some people bet sports professionally. It also is important for sports bettors to risk only what they can afford to lose.

Bettors who do not check their tickets before leaving sports book counters could walk away with an erroneous bet. Mistakes can be made. Once customers walk away, they have no recourse.

A futures bet provides an entire season's worth of action at a small price. These wagers often involve picking a World Series, NBA title or Super Bowl winner weeks or months before the actual event.

A relatively new, but popular gimmick is halftime betting. Halftime wagering involves betting on a new pointspread and total once the opening two quarters are complete. These could be good chances to press an original bet or to 'get off' if bettors feel they have no chance.

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However, money lines generally are used.

Here is an example.

Chicago	(-½)	-165
Detroit

In this example, Chicago is the favorite and is laying one-half goal. Therefore, bettors wishing to wager on the Blackhawks would be required to bet $165 to win $100.

Detroit backers would receive one-half goal, and win $145 for every $100 wagered.

The other option when betting hockey is the puck line.

With a puck line, Chicago backers would have to lay 1½ goals. But they would not have to lay the $165. Rather, the wager would be 'even-money' (bet $100 to win $100).

Those who bet the Red Wings would receive a half-goal, while also risking even money.

An inherent danger for hockey bettors is the risk of teams scoring empty-net goals in a game's waning moments.

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