Line Shopping Tool

Half-Point Calculator

Is it worth paying -130 to move from -3 to -2.5? Use historical push data to determine if buying 'the hook' is a smart investment or a sucker bet.

Half-Point Calculator

Analyze "The Hook"

Enter the key number you are trying to cover (e.g. enter '3' if moving from -3 to -2.5).

Key Numbers: In the NFL, ~15% of games land on 3 and ~9% land on 7. Buying onto or off of these numbers is expensive for a reason. This calculator checks if the price is fair.

AnalysisGOOD BUY

Buy the Point

Value Exceeds Cost

Cost (Juice)
3.17%
Implied Prob. Increase
Value (Push Rate)
14.50%
Hist. Freq of 3
You are paying 3.17% extra to cover a number that hits 14.50% of the time.
Net Edge: +11.33%

Stop guessing lines: EdgeSlip's odds screen highlights when books are offering 'off-market' lines so you don't even have to buy points.

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What is "The Hook"?

In sports betting, a half-point (0.5) attached to a spread is often called "the hook." It eliminates the possibility of a push (tie). For example, if a team is favored by -3.5, they must win by 4. If they win by exactly 3, you lose. If you buy the half-point down to -3, you push (get your money back) on a 3-point victory.

Buying the hook allows you to turn losses into pushes, or pushes into wins. However, sportsbooks charge extra "juice" (vig) for this privilege.

When should you buy points?

When crossing 'Key Numbers' (3, 7 in NFL)
When the cost is less than the push frequency
Ideally in lower-scoring games (points are worth more)
Rarely in the NBA (too much variance)

Key Numbers in the NFL

Not all points are created equal. Because of how football scoring works (touchdowns = 7, field goals = 3), games land on certain margins far more often than others.

MarginApprox. Frequency
3 Points~14-15%
7 Points~9-10%
10 Points~6%
6 Points~6%
Other Numbers~2-4%

Paying 20 cents of juice (e.g. -110 to -130) to move off the number 3 is mathematically sound because 3 hits ~15% of the time. Paying 20 cents to move off the number 5 (which hits ~1.6% of the time) is a terrible bet.

Don't buy points. Find better lines.

Often, you don't need to pay extra juice to get a better number. You just need to check another sportsbook. EdgeSlip scans every book instantly to find you the extra half-point for free.

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