Buy Points allows the bettor to move the point spread in his favor by paying a surcharge. Bettors can only buy points on football and basketball point spreads and totals.
A bettor can normally buy an extra 1/2 point by laying -120 instead of the standard -110.
Buying points on or off key points or magic numbers is more expensive. Three is usually the key point in football. Although there are no standard key points in basketball, sportsbooks may set key points on certain games.
After the bettor buys a point and places his bet, he must check his betting ticket to see the new price on the event.
For example, Miami plays Buffalo. Miami is favored by 4.5 points. The bettor wants to adjust the line in his favor by bringing the Miami line down to -2. He can do this for an additional 70 cents. This means that he will have to bet $180 to win $100. The following table shows the incremental cost of various point purchases including purchases on and off Key Points.
| Miami Point Spread | Buy Points Surcharge on this Game |
|---|---|
| Posted Line -4.5 | standard -110 |
| -4.5 to -4.0 | 10¢ or -120 |
| -4.0 to -3.5 | 10¢ or -130 |
| -3.5 to -3.0 | 20¢ or -150 |
| -3.0 to -2.5 | 20¢ or -170 |
| -2.5 to -2.0 | 10¢ or -180 |
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