Taken to a single game, "Can an over under bet push?" splits into three questions. Three bet types carry most of the action on team sports: the point spread, the moneyline and the over under total. Each asks a different question about the same game. What the spread asks is by how much, the moneyline asks who wins, and the total asks how many points both sides score together. Reading all three makes most of a betting menu clear.
Prefer to listen?
Over under betting, also called a total, ignores the winner and asks about the combined score. The book sets a line, and a bet on the over wins if both sides together score more, the under if they score less. How over under bets work around whole numbers matters: a line of 45 can land exactly, and an over under bet can push, returning the stake. A half point line such as 45.5 removes the push. Totals usually include overtime as well.
Is over under a good bet? It carries the same margin as a spread, so it is neither better nor worse by design. To bet over under well, a bettor needs a view on pace and scoring that the line has not already absorbed, which is rare against a market that sees every public number. The honest summary for all three types is that none beats the margin by itself, and a price is only good when the true chance beats the implied one.
Whether both sides together score more or less than the line the book sets, regardless of which team wins.
In most sports it does, and the final score after overtime settles the bet unless the market says regular time only.
A moneyline market that adds the draw as a third outcome alongside a win for either side.
The favourite gives points and the underdog gets them, so a favourite at minus seven must win by eight or more to cover.