What is a favorite in sports betting?
The short answer
The side the sportsbook prices as likelier to win.
Betting basics guide
Knowing the language is step one — knowing the true price is the edge. The Cold Line’s signal desk tracks the no-vig fair number and the closing-line value behind terms like this, before the market moves.
In plain English
The team the book thinks wins. You usually pay more than even money to back them.
What to remember about Favorite
The definition
The side the sportsbook prices as likelier to win.
In plain English
The team the book thinks wins. You usually pay more than even money to back them.
Example in context
Chiefs -150 means the Chiefs are the favorite — risk $150 to win $100.
Check yourself
Term quiz
Check yourself: Favorite
1.A favorite is…
2.Chiefs -150 is on the board. What does that tell you?
3.How is "favorite" different from "chalk"?
Keep learning
Explore the next question before you place a bet.
Put the concept to work
Explore Favorite with a concrete research workflow. Build your own number, compare sportsbook prices with a sharp reference, or use Audits to review timestamped book moves beside play-by-play.
Browse the full A–Z betting glossary or read the complete betting guide. The Cold Line also publishes a free year-round sports calendar and an odds board (Free account: delayed odds).