Betting on Totals
You may also wager on whether the combined final score of both teams is over or under the stipulated number. This is known as betting on totals. Here, it does not matter who wins the game, but instead, how many points are scored.
For example, a typical NFL total will be in the high 30's or low 40's. A typical NBA total will be in the 180's to 200's. A typical baseball game will be in the 7-10 run range. And a typical hockey game will be in the 4-7 goal range.
Some handicappers work exclusively with totals because there are situations where styles of play from opponents will work together to yield an extreme performance. Meaning either a very low scoring or very high scoring game. The sportsbooks number is generally a rather generic number that reflects public expectations, so it can be very vulnerable to solid handicapping.