Pleaser Betting Strategy Guide

What Is a Pleaser Bet?

A pleaser bet is a parlay (a wager involving two or more selections) that allows you to move the lines of a game. While adjusting the lines in the house’s favor, you generate higher odds and a bigger potential payout.

In pleaser betting, sportsbooks allow you to move the point spread or total line in the opposite direction. As a result, a pleaser wager is also known as a reverse teaser bet. Read on to learn about the difference between pleasers and teasers.

Pleaser Bets vs Teaser Bets — The Difference

It’s easy to understand why people confuse pleasers with teasers. Not only are the names very similar, but they’re also both types of parlays that involve altering lines. That said, they work in opposite directions. Here’s how each wager works:

Pleaser Bets: Lines are adjusted in favor of the house, decreasing probability but increasing potential payouts.

Teaser Bets: Lines are adjusted in the bettor’s favor, increasing probability but decreasing potential payouts.

How Do Pleaser Bets Work — Real Examples

Essentially, pleasers are high-risk, high-reward parlays. They allow bettors to generate giant potential windfalls, but they also produce higher odds due to the decreased probability of the wager winning.

We’ve created some examples using the NFL and NBA to help you better understand how pleaser gambling works.

Example 1: NFL Pleaser Bet (Point Spread)

Let’s say you want to set up a betting pleaser on two NFL games. Here are the games and their original lines:

- Game 1 (Original Lines): New England Patriots (-3) vs Miami Dolphins
- Game 2 (Original Lines): Green Bay Packers (+4) vs Chicago Bears

For a traditional parlay to win, you would need the Patriots to win by 4+ points and the Packers to either lose by -4 points or win the game. However, if you want to access higher odds, you can alter the lines in favor of the sportsbook. Here are the adjusted lines:

- Game 1 (Adjusted Lines): New England Patriots (-9) vs Miami Dolphins
- Game 2 (Adjusted Lines): Green Bay Packers (-2) vs Chicago Bears

Now, the Patriots must win by 10+ points, and the Packers must win by 3+ points. If both predictions come to fruition, you win the pleaser bet and receive a bigger payout. If either team fails to cover the adjusted spread, your wager loses.

Example 2: NBA Pleaser Bet (Game Total)

In addition to point spread pleaser betting, you can also place pleaser bets on totals. Imagine you want to wager on these NBA games:

- Game 1 (Original Total): Los Angeles Lakers vs New York Knicks (Over/Under 210 Points)
- Game 2 (Original Total): Golden State Warriors vs Houston Rockets (Over/Under 220 Points)

You want to change the totals to increase your potential payout, so you make these adjustments:

- Game 1 (Adjusted Total): Los Angeles Lakers vs New York Knicks (Over/Under 220 Points)
- Game 2 (Adjusted Total): Golden State Warriors vs Houston Rockets (Over/Under 230 Points)

Let’s say you chose the over option for both games. The Lakers vs Knicks game must produce 221+ points, and the Warriors vs Rockets game must produce 231+ points. If either game fails to hit the new totals, your wager loses.

Are Pleaser Bets Worth It?

It is difficult to say whether pleaser bets are worth exploring because there are several factors to consider. While they can significantly increase your winnings, there is also a greater risk due to the less favorable lines.

It also depends on the size of your bankroll. Bettors with deep bankrolls can afford the potential losses that inevitably come with pleaser sports betting. If you have a bigger budget, you can afford to hold out for the higher payouts. Bettors with the patience to handle variance can also benefit from pleasers.

By contrast, bettors with smaller bankrolls will likely struggle to benefit from pleaser betting. Due to the increased risk of pleasers, a handful of losses can quickly drain your budget. You should also avoid pleaser bets if you have poor discipline. Instead, you can focus on traditional wagers with lower risk.

Ultimately, pleaser betting is great for experienced and disciplined bettors with deep bankrolls. If you have a limited budget or struggle to control your emotions, you may want to seek alternative options.

Pleaser Gambling Strategy

Considering the somewhat complex nature of this type of gambling, it’s crucial to employ a proper pleaser betting strategy. After all, following a pre-planned system will only increase your chances of success. We have compiled a list of tips to help you get started.

Target Heavy Favorites and Clear Underdogs

We recommend betting on teams with a strong track record, covering the spread or dominating opponents. You can also target matchups that have a big disparity between the teams. These games tend to produce a higher success rate for pleaser bettors.

Orange expert tip icon showing a brain inside a lightbulb.

Carry Out Extensive Research

This may sound like an obvious thing to do, but it often gets overlooked. If you’re serious about winning your pleaser bets, you should always conduct thorough research. This can involve looking at stats, trends, head-to-head records, player performance, injuries, and other factors.

Don’t Place Pleaser Bets All the Time

Due to the big potential payouts, pleaser sports betting can be extremely exciting. However, don’t let the excitement get the better of you. Avoid the temptation to place pleaser bets on every game you see. Instead, only place pleasers on games that make sense.

Orange budget icon showing two bank notes.

Manage Your Bankroll Wisely

We recommend allocating a small portion of your gambling bankroll to pleaser bets. This can help you avoid damaging losses when partaking in pleaser betting. Remember that pleaser gambling is supposed to be fun. Set a budget, and only risk what you can afford to lose.

More Betting Markets Explained

The Sports Geek has created a range of strategy guides for other betting markets and wagers. If you like our guide to pleaser sports betting, be sure to check out our similar guides:

Moneyline Betting Explained Learn the ins and outs of the simple moneyline bet, the starting point of all sports betting.

Totals (Over/Under) Betting Guide Discover everything about this innovative bet type that relies on the total combined score rather than the overall winner.

Point Spread Betting Strategy Guide Master the art of predicting the margin of victory with our in-depth guide to point spread betting.

Parlay Betting Information and Strategy Delve into combining multiple wagers into exciting parlays for greater rewards at a higher risk.

Prop Betting Strategy Guide Uncover the various in-game events you can bet on besides the overall winner with this in-depth guide.

Sweetheart Teaser Betting Guide Discover everything you need to know about sweetheart betting, from understanding the odds to calculating their overall value.

How to Bet on Futures Learn how to keep the betting excitement going throughout the tournament/season with our guide to futures betting.

Sports Betting Pleasers: Key Takeaways

These have all been tips you can use to level-up your pleaser betting. It’s not easy and there’s no guaranteed wins, but by following our tips you’ll be able to enhance your chances of success!

If you’re ready to begin your pleaser betting journey, we recommend starting with BetUS. Here, you can place pleasers on various popular sports and leagues, including the NFL and NBA. BetUS also accepts pleasers on NCAA football and NCAA basketball games, so you won’t be short of options.

About the Author

Ben Morris

Casino & Sports Writer

Ben Morris is an enthusiastic sportswriter with almost a decade of experience in the industry. As an Englishman, Ben specializes in soccer. But he also enjoys betting on tennis, cricket, and many other sports. While living in Australia for a few years, Ben fell in love with Aussie rules and skill-based slot machines. Today, he loves to share his knowledge of sports betting and casino games with gamblers around the world.

Click to Contact Ben