What is public money in sports betting?

What is public money in sports betting? Bets from recreational bettors, usually on favorites and overs. In plain terms: public money is the crowd — favorites, overs, home teams, stars. It shows up late, on the popular side, at whatever the price is. “Did you see the public money in the Chargers game? 82 percent — I'm all over the dog.” Let's use this example. By Sunday morning, seventy percent of tickets are on the favorite and the over. Books expect it and shade prices toward the crowd — which is why the number you get on a public darling is usually a little worse than it should be. Lines and prices can differ by sportsbook. Nothing here guarantees a result or tells you to bet. Lines move and books differ. Nothing here is a guarantee or a command to bet — it's how the number works.