What Is Middling in Sports Betting? How to Middle Guide

Middle betting is an interesting way to wager on sports to take both sides of the game. The reason a gambler would take both sides in a middle bet is that he took the first side at a vastly different price from the second side.

The concept has to do with significant line moves that create a price gap. Ultimately, whoever makes a middle bet is trying to win both bets based on that pointspread gap.

In most cases, the gambler will win one of his two middle bets and lose the vig. But when the middle bet hits, it can mean profits on a long-term basis.

Understanding the Middle in Sports Betting

With more online sportsbooks than ever before, there are more middle bet opportunities because of the different lines posted at sports betting sites.

These days, a widespread practice is to bet one part of the middle wager at one sportsbook and then make the second middle bet at a different sportsbook because this allows one to shop for the greatest price discrepancy. Keep in mind that the greater the pointspread gap, the better the chance of hitting the sweet spot in the middle, where you win both bets. Thus, shopping for the widest gap in lines is imperative for having long-term success.

Such bettors usually open accounts at multiple sportsbooks to best maximize their middle bet success rate. The bigger the gap in lines, the higher the rate of profits and success.

When considering middling in sports betting, it’s all about securing the best possible prices, which is the responsibility of the gambler.

How Middling Works in Practice

Several factors contribute to middle betting.

The opening line can fluctuate greatly based on news leading up to a game. For example, if a key player is ruled out of the lineup for a game, the opening line will move, often by several points.

Other factors that cause middles include weather, social media trends, and sports media narratives.

In the current era of “noise,” a narrative can take on a life of its own and cause the opening line and the closing line to be dramatically different, creating middling sports betting opportunities in the process.

Middling Example with Point Spreads

Let’s look at a middling example with point spreads, such as an opening line of the Kansas City Chiefs -7.5 against the Las Vegas Raiders +7.5.

Say that during the week, it is announced that some key players for the Raiders will miss the game due to injury. Eventually, the Chiefs are bet up to -10.5 point favorites with the Raiders as 10.5 point dogs, creating a 3-point gap. Based on that gap, the middle bet would be to take the Chiefs -7.5 as the first bet and then place a second bet on the Raiders at +10.5.

With this scenario, there are three middle betting possibilities. First, the Chiefs could win the game by 11 points or more to cover the bet. If that is the case, the Chiefs ticket would pay, the Raiders ticket would lose, and the gambler would be out the juice.

The second possibility is that the Chiefs win by seven points or less. In that case, the first bet wagered on the Chiefs would lose while the second bet on the Raiders would win. Again, the gambler would be out the vig.

But then there is the third possibility of the Chiefs winning the game by exactly eight, nine, or ten points. In that scenario, both tickets win, and the gambler is paid on both wagers, because the final score ended in the middle of the gap between the two wagers.

Middling Totals Example

A fitting example of middle betting totals would come from our Chiefs vs. Raiders example.

Let’s say the opening total for the Raiders and Chiefs is 39.5, but it was bet up to 44.5. In such a line move with the higher closing price on the over, it is likely that, because of defensive injuries that were later revealed, the news caused gamblers to expect a higher-scoring game than what was originally anticipated, moving the line upwards in the process.

Thus, in this middling sports betting example, a gambler could make a first bet on the Chiefs and Raiders to go over the total of 39.5.  But after the line moves, that same gambler can come back and take this same matchup under the total of 44.5.

If the combined final score were between 40 and 44, the middle bet would win. Otherwise, the gambler would be out of the juice with a win on one bet and a loss on the other.

Live Middling

For many gamblers, live betting epitomizes the question, “What is middling in sports betting?”

Sharps often use live betting as a hedge to an original bet, thus creating potentially numerous middle betting opportunities during the game.

An example of a live betting middle would be taking an original bet on the Dallas Cowboys as four-point favorites to beat the Philadelphia Eagles. In this example, let us say that the Cowboys take a 14-point lead into the second quarter. When this happens, the live betting odds could shift to make the Eagles a 7-point dog on the live bet.

This sets up a gap with the lines compared to the original bet. If you bet the Eagles live at +7 after the first quarter after having bet on the Cowboys at -4 to start the game, you have a good middling sports betting opportunity.

Should the Eagles pick up their play and make a game out of it, and the game finishes with a Dallas win of 26-20, you have hit the middle on your live bet and are on the way to the cashier’s cage.

Is Middling Profitable?

Middle betting can be profitable over a prolonged period, but it requires patience and a full commitment to the strategy. It also depends on the sport.

Many gamblers believe that college football and college basketball offer the best opportunities because of the high-scoring games and the greater potential for numerical discrepancies between the teams in a matchup.

This is not a good practice for impatient gamblers. It's also not ideal for drive-by bets or gamblers who are not fully committed.

Middling sports betting can be profitable for those who fully commit to it and use all available resources, including access to as many different betting lines as possible.

Risks of Betting the Middle

One of the benefits of middling sports betting is that it is lower risk than other betting strategies and practices. Because a gambler is taking both sides of a game instead of just one, the worst that can happen is a loss on the vig.

With time, you would have to hit approximately one wager out of 21 to break even, which is a 4.8% clip.

Still, it is unlikely that a gambler will hit his middle bets with regularity. Thus, patience is mandatory for a gambler who decides to pursue the middle betting option for his portfolio.

Most gamblers like the lower risks compared to regular betting. Also, they love the fact that they don’t have to handicap or try to guess which side will win. Instead, all they must do is shop for the biggest line gaps and make their middle wagers.