What is an Odds Boost in Sports Betting?
In sports betting, an odds boost is when a sportsbook offers increased odds on a specific bet. This means that you will receive better odds than what you would have gotten otherwise.
Many times a sportsbook will show the previous odds of the bet before it was boosted. This can help show how much of a boost there really is.
If you want to calculate how big your odds boost is, you can use the odds boost calculator to show the percentage increase.
Sportsbooks typically offer odds boosts on a daily basis, so it is worth checking in to see what offers are available.
Are Odds Boosts Worth It?
Odds boosts may be worth it, but you need to do some checks first.
Often times it is not clear what the previous odds of a boosted bet are. Sometimes sportsbooks don’t show the previous odds, so it is harder to trust how good of a boost the bet is.
If you like to bet parlays, odds boosts may offer you some value as odds boost bets are typically player prop parlays.
How to Use an Odds Boost
To use an odds boost, you will typically need to navigate a “Promo” tab at your sportsbook. Most sportsbooks will list all of their odds boost offers on that page.
To bet an odds boost, just select the bet and make your wager as you would with any other bet. The odds are already boosted, so no need to apply any special promotion once the bet is in your bet slip.
Some sportsbooks offer a single odds boost per game, so you will need to navigate to each specific game to find those.
Why do Sportsbooks Boost Odds?
Sportsbooks boost odds to increase player engagement. Although sometimes an odds boost does offer the bettor a positive expected value, sportsbooks are hoping to make that bettor a loyal customer.
Bets like odds boosts are also a good marketing tool for sportsbooks. Odds boosts specifically make it seem like something is “on sale” and convey a sense of urgency as the bet is only offered for a limited time.
Which Sportsbooks Offer Odds Boosts
Odds boosts are offered at all of the major US sportsbooks:
- FanDuel Sportsbook
- DraftKings Sportsbook
- PointsBet Sportsbook
- Caesars Sportsbook
- BetMGM Sportsbook
- Barstool Sportsbook
Where to find FanDuel Odds Boosts
Odds boosts at FanDuel can be found in the Promo tab.
Here you will find all of the odds boost bets currently available.
Where to find DraftKings Odds Boosts
DraftKings odds boosts can be found in the Promos tab in the navigation bar:
You will then see the odds boost filter at the top:
Alternatively, you can find an odds boost filter on the home screen. Sometimes the filter isn’t visible, so you will need to scroll horizontally to find it:
After clicking on this filter, you will be taken to a page that lists all available odds boosts:
Where to find Caesars Odds Boosts
Caesars odds boosts can be found right at the top of the home screen. They also show a badge telling you how many boosts are currently available:
Clicking on the Boosts tab will take you to the page with all of the odds boosts available that day:
They also offer filters by league which can be convenient when browsing offers.
Odds Boost Examples
Odds boost bets can come in many forms. Each sportsbook has a slightly different way of surfacing odds boosts to their users.
FanDuel Odds Boost Example
FanDuel Sportsbook shows the previous odds as well as the boosted odds. This is nice because it gives you an idea of how much the original bet is being boosted.
For example, FanDuel has boosted the following bet from +175 to +250:
The “Was” column shows you the original odds of the bet while “Now” shows you the current boosted odds.
DraftKings Odds Boost Example
DraftKings Sportsbook also shows the previous odds on a given odds boost bet, however it is shown as a strike through rather than a separate column:
In this example, the odds for Nikola Jokic to have at least 45 combined points + rebounds was boosted from +210 to +250.
Caesars Odds Boost Example
Caesars Sportsbook is one example where they don’t show you the base odds for an odds boost:
This odds boost example is essentially a moneyline parlay: Pelicans, Raptors, and Suns to win at +700.
It is difficult to tell how much value there is in this bet due to Caesars not showing the previous odds. They do display the time left to make a wager which can be helpful.
Caesars also prominently displays the max bet amount which is helpful for sizing your bet.
PointsBet Odds Boost Example
PointsBet Sportsbook also just shows you the current odds:
This odds boost again is just a simple moneyline parlay:
Gonzaga, Villanova, Texas Tech, and Arizona all to win at +565.
PointsBet does not show the base odds for this bet, similar to Caesars.
Odds Boost Bet Tips: Things to Look Out For
One thing to look out for is inaccurate base odds on a boosted odds bet.
If you have the time, it is worth cross referencing what the base odds would be if you were to manually create the bet yourself.
Similar to other promotional tactics in other industries, sportsbooks are incentivized to show an odds boost as being great value or a +EV bet.
Another thing some sportsbooks will do is not show the base odds at all. This is a little suspicious, and it may be worth seeing what the base odds are if you manually create the best yourself.
Below you can see an example where the odds boost was +750 for the Cavaliers, Raptors, and Timberwolves to win. However, when I manually put together a moneyline parlay on these teams, the odds were actually better at +764.
Odds boosts are manually created by sportsbooks, meaning they are hand picked. That means a few things:
- Odds boosts are typically for bets that settle that same day
- Odds boosts might not be available earlier in the morning (depending on your time zone)
- Odds boosts are used as a marketing tool and will typically be offered on the biggest games that day
- There are usually a small number of odds boosts offered due to the manual nature
Another important thing is to remember the difference between an odds boost and profit boost. While these are generally similar, they often have different rules that apply to each.