Teasers are a common option on U.S. sportsbook menus, especially for football fans who want to buy points across multiple games. This article explains how does teaser bet work and why the operator's payout chart and settlement language are critical to understanding whether a specific ticket is sensible. We focus on practical mechanics, common formats, how operators present pricing, and a concrete two-team 6-point NFL walkthrough so you can replicate the process with a live payout chart before placing a bet.

A teaser moves spreads or totals in your favor but pays less than a standard parlay because the sportsbook charges for the added probability.

The two-team 6-point NFL teaser is the most commonly cited format and is governed by each operator's payout chart and house rules.

Crossing NFL key numbers like 3 and 7 can improve teaser value, but profitability depends on the posted teaser price and market efficiency.

What a teaser bet is and how it differs from a parlay

Basic definition - how does teaser bet work

A teaser bet is a multi-leg parlay-style wager that lets a bettor shift point spreads or totals in their favor and accept lower payout odds so long as all legs meet the sportsbook's settlement rules.

This arrangement changes the win conditions for each selection by moving spreads or totals by a fixed number of points, and every operator publishes the details in its market rules or payout chart so that bettors know how a teaser can settle at the time of the wager Teaser Bet: Meaning, Calculation, and Example.

Core differences from parlays and pleasers

The structural difference from a standard parlay is that a parlay takes multiple independent moneyline, spread, or total outcomes and pays a higher price when all win, while a teaser reduces the payout by giving points to the bettor across all legs; pleasers move lines against the bettor and pay more, whereas teasers move lines for the bettor and pay less.

Because the operator is altering the underlying win condition, teasers come with explicit minimum-leg requirements and payout schedules that differ from standard parlay math and must be checked on the sportsbook's posted rules before assuming how a bet will cash Market Rules at a U.S. operator. See DraftKings' support article for a quick primer on teaser rules What is a teaser?

How a teaser bet works - step by step

Selecting legs and the teaser size

Step 1: pick the games or totals you want to include, typically two or more legs, keeping in mind that most U.S. operators require at least two selections for a valid teaser.

Step 2: choose the teaser size, such as a 6-point NFL teaser, which moves each leg by the selected number of points toward the bettor's side and produces an adjusted spread or total for settlement; pricing is then presented by the sportsbook for that specific configuration What Is A Teaser Bet? How They Work and When To Use Them.

Step 3: accept the teaser price shown by the operator and confirm the adjusted lines before submitting the ticket, because the payout chart and the operator's house rules will determine outcomes for pushes or voids.

Step 4: watch settlement rules apply after the event, remembering that each leg must satisfy the operator's stated treatment for half-time lines, delays, or cancellations in order for the teaser to cash.

Explore challenge rules and practice teasers with a simulation

Read the worked two-team 6-point example below to see the selection, adjusted lines, and the breakeven check you can run with your sportsbook chart.

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How the price changes when you move points

Because the sportsbook grants points that make each leg easier to win, the teaser pays at a lower effective price than a comparable parlay; in U.S. markets, a common two-team 6-point NFL teaser price in recent seasons has generally sat around negative one-twenty to negative one-thirty, though exact numbers vary by operator and jurisdiction Teasers: How They Work, Payouts, and When They’re +EV.

The teaser price is effectively the operator charging for added win probability; you can think of the movement in points as buying probability and the posted teaser payout as the cost to buy that probability across all legs.

Settlement follows the sportsbook's house rules for each leg: pushes, ties, or voided legs can be treated differently depending on the operator, and those published policies are the final reference when a teaser is resolved Market Rules at a U.S. operator.

Common edge cases include halftime line changes, delayed starts where a game moves off the board, or a voided leg if an event is cancelled; before placing a teaser, confirm how the operator handles these situations so you are not surprised at settlement.

Common teaser formats and how pricing is shown

Typical formats: two-team 6-point, three-team 6/7/10-point teasers

The most commonly cited format in industry explainers for football is the two-team 6-point NFL teaser, with other variants using three legs or larger point packages such as 6- or 10-point teasers depending on the sportsbook's available menu Teaser Bet: Meaning, Calculation, and Example.

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Sportsbooks typically present teaser pricing on fixed payout charts or stated price schedules that list combinations by number of legs and point size, and these charts also show any minimum-leg rules required to place the wager; for related commentary see our blog Sportsbook house rules and payout schedules.

How sportsbooks present teaser payout charts

Instead of letting bettors price each ticket dynamically, most operators publish standardized teaser payout tables for two, three, or more legs and for each teaser-size option, so you can look up the exact payout before placing the bet.

Because pricing and minimum-leg requirements vary by operator and jurisdiction, always consult the operator's posted payout chart to know the exact price for a two-team 6-point teaser or any other configuration Market Rules and payout charts.

When teasers can be +EV: key numbers and market efficiency

Key-number concept (3 and 7 in NFL)

Teaser expected value often improves when one or more legs cross key scoring numbers such as 3 and 7 in NFL games, because those score increments have outsized effects on win probabilities, a rationale that underpins Wong-style teaser analysis NFL Teasers and Wong Teasers.

estimate combined probability for a two-leg teaser

enter leg probabilities as decimals

Crossing a key number can change the marginal probability of a win by more than a single point would imply, which is why a teaser that moves two legs past 3 or 7 can sometimes create better expected value than the raw price suggests.

Even when a teaser moves legs across key numbers, that alone does not guarantee positive expected value; you must compare the operator's teaser price to the combined implied probability of the adjusted legs to determine if the ticket is +EV in practice Teasers: How They Work, Payouts, and When They’re +EV.

A practical way to assess EV is to convert the sportsbook's teaser payout into an implied breakeven win probability and contrast that with your estimate of the teaser's chance of success after points are applied.

Consider a teaser when multiple legs move across key numbers and when the operator's posted two-leg payout implies a breakeven probability below your estimated combined probability for the adjusted lines.

Because pricing varies by operator, rerun the same calculation using the sportsbook's payout chart to confirm whether the teaser is worthwhile given current lines and the stated teaser price What Is A Teaser Bet? How They Work and When To Use Them.

House rules, pushes, voided legs, and other settlement edge cases

How different operators treat pushes and ties

Different sportsbooks publish specific house rules that determine whether a pushed leg reduces a teaser by treating it as a winner, a push, or a voided leg, and the operator's rule governs settlement; consult the posted market or house rules for the exact treatment Market Rules at a U.S. operator.

For example, one sportsbook may treat a pushed leg in a two-team teaser as a void and refund or reprice the ticket, while another may mark the leg as a winner for teaser settlement; these differences materially affect whether the teaser cashes.

What is an example of a teaser bet?

A standard example is a two-team 6-point NFL teaser where both spreads are moved six points toward the bettor, and the sportsbook pays a standardized, lower price for that configuration according to its payout chart.

When a leg is voided because an event is cancelled, postponed beyond the settlement window, or otherwise removed from the market, most operators define in the house rules how that leg affects the teaser and whether the remaining legs are re-evaluated per the payout chart Sportsbook House Rules and cancellations.

Because off-time cancellations and player availability issues can change the context of a line, check the operator's void rules before placing the teaser so you understand whether the ticket will be graded, refunded, or modified in that scenario.

Checklist: open the specific operator's house rules, find the teaser payout chart, confirm minimum-leg requirements, and read the sections that define pushes, voids, and timing rules for settlement; the published rules are the authoritative source when a ticket settles Market Rules and payout schedule.

Minimal 2D vector split infographic showing parlay on left and teaser on right illustrating point movement and lower payout how does teaser bet work

When in doubt, do not assume a common practice across operators; verify the exact language in the posted rules so your previewed outcome matches how the sportsbook treats edge cases at resolution.

Sport-by-sport suitability: why football often fits teasers better

NFL and college football specifics

Football's discrete scoring increments make key numbers especially relevant, which is why teasers are most commonly applied to NFL and college football games where moving a spread across 3 or 7 can shift the win probability meaningfully for a given leg NFL Teasers and Wong Teasers.

Because a single field goal or touchdown often corresponds to those key numbers, a modest point purchase via a teaser can have an outsized effect on whether the adjusted line wins, making the tool more useful in football contexts than in most other sports.

Basketball considerations and when teasers matter

Basketball typically features high scoring with each point carrying less marginal value than in football, so the same teaser point movement usually buys less win probability and therefore often yields smaller practical value relative to the teaser price Teasers: How They Work, Payouts, and When They’re +EV (see Fox Sports: What Is a Teaser Bet?).

That said, there are situational spots in basketball-such as when totals or spreads cluster around particular margins or when late-season totals are unusually mispriced-where a teaser can still be useful, but these instances are less common than in football.

For sports with fractional scoring or low scoring frequency, teasers are rarely advantageous because moving a line by whole points does not meaningfully change win probability the way it does in football; always compare the operator's price with your probability view before using a teaser in other sports Teaser basics and cross-sport notes.

Remember that operator-specific pricing for non-football sports varies, and that a teaser's viability will depend on that pricing rather than on a general rule of thumb.

Example walkthrough: a two-team 6-point NFL teaser

Step-by-step selection and adjusted lines

Start with two spread lines you like for the slate, then apply the 6-point teaser adjustment to both legs so each spread moves toward the bettor; for instance, a team at +2 becomes +8 after a 6-point teaser, and a favorite at -4 becomes +2 for teaser settlement.

Before submitting the ticket, confirm the adjusted spreads shown on the bet slip and note the two-team 6-point payout shown by the sportsbook so you can compare implied breakeven probability to your combined win estimate Teaser Bet: Meaning, Calculation, and Example.

How to read the payout and compute implied probability

Take the operator's posted two-team payout and convert it into an implied breakeven probability; for example, if the sportsbook lists a specific payout for a two-leg 6-point teaser, you translate that payout into the percent chance of success required to break even and compare it to your combined probability from the adjusted lines Teasers: How They Work, Payouts, and When They’re +EV.

Use a simple combined-probability approach for two independent legs by calculating the chance that both adjusted legs win using your model or probability estimates, then decide whether that estimate comfortably exceeds the breakeven implied by the operator's price.

Before clicking submit, verify the sportsbook's settlement rules for pushes and voids so that you know whether a pushed leg will void the teaser, reduce it, or be treated as a winner; the house rules govern the final outcome Sportsbook House Rules. Check sportsbook sites such as FanDuel house rules for specific language.

Finally, if your combined probability estimate materially exceeds the breakeven implied by the operator's two-team 6-point payout, the teaser can be a reasonable, rules-aware way to modify line risk, but always keep in mind market efficiency and the cost implied by the teaser price.

Checklist: how to decide whether to use a teaser for a specific slate

Quick decision checklist

Open the operator's teaser payout chart and confirm the exact two-leg price for the teaser size you plan to use, because payout charts are the operative reference for teaser settlement and breakeven math Market Rules and payout chart.

Check each leg to see if the adjusted spread or total crosses key NFL numbers like 3 or 7 and estimate whether that crossing meaningfully increases your probability of winning each leg.

Red flags and common mistakes

Red flags include a teaser price that sits well outside typical ranges for the configuration you want, legs that do not cross meaningful key numbers, ambiguous language in the house rules about pushes or cancellations, or mixing sports when operator pricing penalizes cross-sport combinations Teasers: How They Work, Payouts, and When They’re +EV.

Avoid assuming that a common practice at one operator applies everywhere; differences in payout schedules and minimum-leg rules change the breakeven math and can turn an apparent edge into a loss.

Next steps and resources

Re-run the worked two-team 6-point example with live lines and the exact payout chart from your chosen operator, and keep a running log of outcomes to learn which scenarios produce repeatable value over time What Is A Teaser Bet? How They Work and When To Use Them.

For readers who use skill-focused, challenge-style platforms such as Funded Plays that simulate funded accounts, treat teasers as a rules-led tool to manage risk and focus on consistent decision-making rather than chasing infrequent perceived edges.

What is a teaser bet in simple terms?

A teaser is a parlay-style wager where you move spreads or totals in your favor across multiple legs and accept a lower payout; all legs must meet the sportsbook's settlement rules to cash.

Do pushes or voided legs cancel a teaser?

Treatment varies by operator; some mark pushed legs as voids or winners per their house rules, so always check the sportsbook's payout chart and settlement language before betting.

Are teasers more useful in football or basketball?

Teasers are generally more useful in football because key numbers like 3 and 7 can change win probabilities materially; basketball is less likely to offer the same value per point.

Teasers are a rules-first tool: they can simplify risk by buying points, but their value depends entirely on the operator's posted price and the particular lines you choose. Use the checklist in this article, confirm house rules, and rerun the worked example with live lines before committing funds to any ticket. If you track outcomes over time and stick to disciplined selection criteria, teasers can be a measured part of a broader approach that prioritizes repeatable decision-making over one-off bets.