What is a teaser bet?
Written by A teaser is a parlay with a cheat code. You move every spread a set number of points your way. In return, the book pays you a lot less.
How it works
Why 3 and 7 matter
NFL games land on a margin of 3 or 7 more often than other numbers, because of field goals and touchdowns. A teaser that moves a line across both, like -7.5 to -1.5, picks up a lot of real outcomes. A move from -10 to -4 crosses fewer common margins and is worth less.
What it pays
A 2-team, 6-point teaser is often priced somewhere around -120, but it varies by book. Compare that to a normal 2-team parlay at about +264. You're giving up most of the payout for the extra points, so the points have to be worth it.
What happens with a push
Books handle a pushed teaser leg differently. Some drop the leg, some grade the whole teaser as a push and some count it as a loss. Read the house rules before you bet.