Reverse Line Movement – What is it?

reverse line movement

There is an event which happens every week at sportsbooks, sometimes to more than one game. The public is betting one side of a wager heavily yet the link moves in the opposite direct. This is called “reverse line movement” and can occur for a few reasons.

  1. The number one reason why this occurs is if the sportsbook managers get wind that the “sharps” are betting the opposite way. They would rather move the line the other direction even with the public pounding the number.
  2. One of the other properties just took major action in the opposite direction. As you know, the company which owns your favorite sportsbook more than likely owns other sportsbooks as well. In their mind these books all feed into the same pool. So, even if a number is getting hammered one way, they very may have taken a huge wager in the opposite direction at another property or online.
  3. Liabilities on Other Types of Bets. If the game is late in the weekend and you see the line move the opposite direction than the public is wagering then consider that this particular game may be the key to a lot of parlays/pleasers/teasers winning, which means losing if you are the book. To encourage even more action than they are receiving they will reverse move the line.

We hope this little article about reverse line movement may have shed some light on the topic for you.