What Does PK Mean in Betting?

Contrasting Point Spreads

What does PK mean in sports betting? It stands for ‘Pick’em’, or is sometimes referred to as ‘Zero Spread’. That’s a more accurate description for a point spread where there is no outstanding favorite or underdog.

The sportsbook calculates that the game is about as evenly-matched as you can get. Alternatively, there may not yet be enough sports data to determine who is the hot favorite. 

Scenarios for PK Betting 

First, let’s explain what the point spread is. It’s a handicap bet where the favorite is assigned a theoretical points deduction before the game begins. The underdog is assigned the same points, but has a pre-game “advantage”.

H3: NFL

Let’s use an NFL bet as our example:

•    Kansas City Chiefs +3.5 (-110)
•    San Francisco 49ers -3.5 (-110)

In a tight NFL game, the Chiefs are priced at -110 with a 3.5-point advantage. The 49ers are also -110 with a slight -3.5-point handicap. Essentially, whoever wins the game “covers the spread” and wins you the bet.

In this game, the moneyline (to win) odds are -180 for the Chiefs and +160 for the 49ers. It’s therefore better value to stick to the moneyline bet if you fancy the 49ers, or go for the point spread if you think the Chiefs will win.

H3: Basketball

Similarly, you can bet the PK spread on NBA basketball games. Some prices on NBA games are announced early, and this is where you can hunt out some value.

For instance, a game between the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers may have a point spread of +2/-2. The odds for either side to beat the spread are -110, but the moneyline odds may be listed as +105/-105. That’s when you can hit the moneyline wager hard before the odds drop. 

Push (Draw) Outcomes

We’ve answered the question, “What does PK mean in betting?” with regards to games like American Football and basketball that have two possible outcomes. But what about sports like soccer that have draw possibilities?

For 1X2 fixed odds wagers, any draw (X) outcome means your PK bet will be refunded, or “pushed”. However, in the Asian Handicap markets, where margins are tighter, you’ll see many more PK bets.

Here’s an example:

Manchester City +0 (-110)
Real Madrid -0 (-110)

In this tight UEFA Champions League game, the bookmaker can’t decide on an outright favourite to win on the spread. Whoever wins the game covers the non-existent spread. If the game ends in a draw (e.g. 0-0), the PK bet pushes and your stake is returned.

The benefit of playing the spread is that a draw bet is refunded. However, if you bet on a home win or away win on the moneyline/1X2 market, and the game ended a draw, you’d lose your wager. Essentially, it’s identical to a ‘Draw No Bet’ wager that you’ll find at many online sports betting sites.