What Does Closing Line Mean In Sports Betting and Wagering?

by Doc's Sports - 10/11/2014

When it comes to the betting industry and the lines set by linemakers, the early birds really do get the worm. The opening line is the purest line you will find which makes the “closing line” the end result of the betting action. Typically, the closing line has no real impact on a sportsbook, since very few bettors will actually be able to bet into that line.

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What Does Closing Line Mean?

When you hear someone using the term “closing line” they are referring to the final betting line offered by a sportsbook before an event begins. In not so shocking news, this is the direct opposite of the opening line, which is the first line that sportsbooks make available to the betting public. There isn’t necessary a relationship between the two, so there is no proven method to predict how the closing line will differ from the opening line.

What Affects the Closing Line?

The difference between sharp bettors and square bettors is the betting line each of them get to bet on. A sharp bettor tries to bet a game as quick and as close to the opening line as they possibly can. In comparison, a square will likely wait until closer to game time, which means they could get a closing line that is a point or two different than what the sharps were able to bet. This discrepancy is often times the difference between a winning bet and a losing bet.

The reason sharps act swiftly and bet the opening line is because they feel that it is the “purest” line they will be able to bet. A closing line is the by-product of the betting action and the adjustments the sportsbooks have to make to ensure equal action on both sides.

Is the Closing Line Important to Track?

Tracking the closing line can, to a certain extent, help bettors understand which handicapping angles work and which don’t. When you are looking at games that have already happened, the closing line will almost always be listed for that game. However, this number isn’t the best representation of the game, since that number may not have been available until just hours or minutes before the game started.

Since it’s almost impossible to determine what the closing line will be, it would be in your best interest to track the opening line, as this line will be the consensus line that most bettors will have bet on. You need to be sure your results are usually beating the opening line especially if you are betting several bets over the course of the day.

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What Does Closing Line Mean In Sports Betting and Wagering?

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