Totals betting in AFL — also referred to as over/under — involves wagering on whether the combined final score of both teams will finish above or below a line set by the sportsbook. Given AFL's high-scoring nature, with match totals regularly landing between 150 and 200 points, even small edges in projection accuracy can yield consistent value. The market is particularly interesting because AFL scoring is influenced by conditions that casual bettors often underweight: ground dimensions vary significantly between venues like the MCG and GMHBA Stadium, and weather — especially wind at exposed grounds like UTAS Stadium — can suppress scoring dramatically.
The totals market tends to offer the most value early in the week, before sharp money corrects the line, and during the transitional weeks of the season when teams shift between offensive and defensive game plans. Bettors should closely monitor team news, particularly the availability of key forwards, and track how ruck matchups influence inside-50 entries. In terms of vig, AFL totals lines typically carry slightly wider margins than head-to-head markets, largely because they attract lower volume and books price in extra protection against weather-driven variance. Comparing vig across books on these lines is one of the more straightforward ways to preserve long-term edge.
Totals Vig Rankings
| # | Sportsbook | Vig | Grade | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DraftKings | 6.67% | C | 8 |
| 2 | BetUS | 6.98% | C | 8 |
Upcoming Totals Lines
| Matchup | Time | DraftKings | BetUS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fremantle Dockers @ Western Bulldogs | May 1, 9:30 AM | O/U 185.5 (-120) | O/U 184.5 (-115) |
| Port Adelaide Power @ Adelaide Crows | May 1, 10:10 AM | O/U 175.5 (-115) | O/U 177.5 (-115) |
| Brisbane Lions @ Essendon Bombers | May 2, 2:35 AM | O/U 185.5 (-120) | O/U 182.5 (-115) |
| Richmond Tigers @ West Coast Eagles | May 2, 6:15 AM | O/U 183.5 (-115) | O/U 184.5 (-115) |
| North Melbourne Kangaroos @ Geelong Cats | May 2, 6:35 AM | O/U 191.5 (-115) | O/U 190.5 (-115) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a totals (over/under) bet?
A totals bet is a wager on whether the combined score of both teams will be over or under a number set by the sportsbook. For example, an NFL total of 47.5 means you're betting whether the final combined score will be 48+ (over) or 47 or fewer (under).
How does totals vig compare to other markets?
Totals vig varies by sport but is generally moderate — between moneyline and spread vig. Totals attract less volume than spreads but more than most prop markets, putting them in a middle ground for vig. Weather and injury news can cause totals to move significantly, sometimes affecting vig.
What is AFL and when is it played?
AFL (Australian Football League) is the top professional Australian rules football league. The season runs from March through September, with finals in September-October. AFL is the most popular sport in Australia and attracts significant international betting interest.
How does AFL vig compare to US sports?
AFL vig tends to be moderate — comparable to NBA. Australian bookmakers offer the tightest lines due to local market depth, while US-facing books typically carry wider margins since AFL is a niche sport for their customer base.
What is vig (vigorish) in sports betting?
Vig — short for vigorish, also called juice or overround — is the margin a sportsbook builds into its odds. It's the difference between the true probability of an outcome and what the odds imply. Lower vig means you keep more of your winnings on every bet. For example, a standard -110/-110 line has about 4.76% vig.
How often is this data updated?
We pull fresh odds from The Odds API three times per day — at 6:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 10:00 PM UTC. Each snapshot captures the latest lines from every sportsbook that has posted odds. The timestamp at the top of the page shows the most recent refresh.
How is the vig grade calculated?
Each sportsbook is graded on a letter scale based on average vig: A+ (under 2%) is exceptional, A (2–3%) is excellent, B+ (3–4%) is above average, B (4–5%) is the industry standard, C (5–6%) is below average, and D (above 6%) indicates high-juice markets.
Why does lower vig matter for bettors?
Lower vig directly impacts your long-term returns. A bettor placing $1,000 per week at a book with 4% vig loses roughly $40/week to the house edge. At 2% vig, that drops to $20/week — a $1,040 difference over a year. For serious bettors, shopping for lower vig is one of the most reliable ways to improve profitability.
What sportsbooks do you track?
We track both regulated US sportsbooks (DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars) and offshore books (Bovada, BetOnline, MyBookie, BetUS, LowVig.ag, BetAnySports). Data comes from The Odds API, which aggregates real-time lines from licensed sources.
How We Calculate These Numbers
- Data Source
- All odds on this page come from The Odds API, which aggregates real-time lines from licensed US and offshore sportsbooks. We track moneyline, spread, and totals markets across every sport with active betting lines.
- Update Frequency
- We pull a fresh snapshot of every tracked market three times per day — at 6:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 10:00 PM UTC. Each snapshot captures the latest lines from every sportsbook that has posted odds for a given event. The timestamp at the top of each page tells you exactly when the data was last refreshed.
- Vig Calculation
- Vig (short for vigorish, also called juice or overround) measures the margin a sportsbook builds into its odds. We calculate it by converting the odds on each side of a market to implied probabilities, summing those probabilities, and subtracting 100%. For example, a market priced at -110/-110 implies 52.38% on each side — a total of 104.76%, meaning a vig of 4.76%. Lower vig means better value for bettors because you keep more of your winnings.
- Per-Market Breakdown
- We compute vig separately for each market type: moneyline (h2h), point spreads, and totals (over/under). The "average vig" shown for each sportsbook is the mean across all market types weighted by the number of events sampled in each market.
- Grading Scale
- Every sportsbook receives a letter grade based on its average vig: A+ (under 2%) is exchange-level pricing. A (2–3%) is very competitive. B+ (3–4%) is above average. B (4–5%) is the industry standard — a -110/-110 line is 4.76%. C+ (5–6%) is slightly below average. C (6–7%) is below average. D (7–8%) is high vig. D− (8–10%) is very high vig. F (10%+) is predatory pricing. See the full Vig Index Methodology for formulas, worked examples, and known limitations.
- Trend Tracking
- We store daily snapshots for 30 days, allowing us to show 24-hour and 7-day vig trends. A downward trend (improving) means sportsbooks are tightening their lines — often in response to increased competition or higher betting volume as a season heats up.