What is a Backdoor Cover in Sports Betting?

So long as the spread winds up being covered, it doesn’t necessarily matter who the winner or loser of the game themselves is. Usually, these backdoor covers occur more often with underdogs. Most bettors are inclined to wager on the over more than the under, and understandably so. When an over pulls through to cover a spread, then that is known as a front door cover.

Most people want to root for higher scoring games, and there’s theoretically infinite potential for an over to be an “over”. However, underdog wagers usually dole out slightly bigger payouts, and when they manage to come through with a backdoor cover, it can yield an even more exciting payout. Learn more about backdoor cover bets, how they work, and where you can make them.

As you’ve probably gathered, backdoor cover bets are very situational. A game needs to hinge on a very specific set of conditions for backdoor covers to become a viable option, if they’re even necessary for your wager to win in the first place. They aren’t just a standard bet you could place in a sportsbook, like singles, parlay bets, or round-robin wagers. 

They usually come about through points scored late, and as we’ve reiterated previously, usually from the underdog side, lest you’re counting on a front door cover bet. If you’re betting on any underdog teams right now and hoping they pull through, consider sticking with underdogs with choice players who are known at excelling in what they do. 

Backdoor cover bets would NOT apply to moneyline wagers. As those are simply just wagering on whom will win or lose the game, and not the final score point total of the game, last-minute touchdowns, goals, home runs, or score points won’t have relevancy beyond changing the outcome of a game. That wouldn’t qualify as a backdoor cover, nor a front door cover. 

There’s not really much of any other way to raise your chances beyond focusing on these areas in particular. Furthermore, there are only a few games where backdoor covers can really deliver a bombastic payoff; get to know them in the next section.     

Backdoor cover bets are predominantly common in higher scoring sports like collegiate and NFL live betting. Even if it isn’t the turning point that ultimately wins the game for the underdog team, a late-game touchdown or field goal could make a world of difference for winning your own game; the wager.

For example, imagine that you were wagering between Rutgers and Penn State as they faced off at SHI stadium. The Nittany Lions are placed as the underdog +2.5 on the spread. Even if it wouldn’t win them the overall game against the Scarlet Knights, a last-minute field goal would potentially be the satisfactory thing to cover the spread.

A similar situation could unfold in NBA live betting. If the odds are placed at 2.5 either way, then a deep, half-court three-pointer could be sufficient to cover the spread, whether as a front door or backdoor cover. 

That said, these backdoor covers don’t just exclusively apply to higher-scoring sports. An empty-net goal in soccer or hockey could be just the thing needed to pull off a successful backdoor cover. Nevertheless, if you’re counting on a backdoor cover to pull through and win your wager, then you’ll have better luck doing so through higher-scoring sports.

Since 2018, sports betting has effectively been made legal nationwide. However, currently only 14 states (as well as Washington D.C.) allow legal online sports betting apps:

New Jersey

Michigan

New Hampshire

Pennsylvania

West Virginia

Indiana

Colorado

Tennessee

Iowa

Illinois

Arizona

Virginia

Connecticut

Mississippi 

With that said, this industry is only bound to keep growing, flourishing, and expanding to reach wider markets of bettors across the country. Some of the most prominent, best online sportsbooks in the industry include:

Caesar’s Sportsbook

FanDuel

PointsBet

BetMGM

WynnBet

Unibet

Fubo

Golden Nugget

Borgata

DraftKings Casino

This is an odd question to ask. Backdoor covers in bets, like finding the middles in bets, is a very situational thing. You can’t just force them on a whim; a window of opportunity has to open up by chance, and when it does, you can potentially turn some really exciting results.

If you’re counting on multiple underdogs to pull through with exciting back covers, then that may not be so wise a decision. It only takes the failure of one leg to derail your entire wager award. You can mitigate that risk by taking advantage of a parlay insurance promotion, which will partially refund one leg provided only one leg of your wager fails. 

That said, we wouldn’t recommend starting with these types of wagers as a novice bettor, especially if you’re counting on a bunch of underdogs to pull through and come out on top. Moreover, you just shouldn’t wager more than you’re comfortable wagering, with any bet in general. 

For the best results, consider cushioning your bet with satisfactory deals, discounts, or no-deposit welcome bonuses that could cut some of your losses. Underdogs have a lower likelihood of pulling through, but when they do, they can pay off big, sometimes even bigger than over or favorite wagers. For the best results, consider counting on OddsSeeker to deliver the iGaming industry’s most exciting developments directly to your inbox.