What is steam in sports betting?
A fast, sharp line move across many books at once.
At a glance
- Category
- Market moves
Run the numbers
What steam looks like
A number moves a full point across the whole market within minutes. That is steam, and it means significant coordinated money hit at once, or a piece of news landed that everyone repriced simultaneously.
Chasing steam is usually too late
By the time a move is visible, the good price has gone. Steam chasing means betting a number after it has already moved, which is buying at the new price rather than the old one. The value was in having the position before the move, not after.
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
What is steam in sports betting?+
Steam is a sudden, sharp line move happening across many sportsbooks at once, usually caused by large coordinated money or breaking news.
Should you follow steam moves?+
Usually not. Once the move is visible the price has already adjusted, so you are taking the worse number rather than the one that had value.
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