Pick'em
A matchup with no favorite at all -- the spread sits at zero, so the wager reduces to nothing more than choosing the winner.
A pick’em, often rendered as “pick” or “PK” across betting boards, is a contest in which the oddsmakers refuse to favor either side. The point spread rests at zero, signaling that the sportsbook regards the matchup as a genuine coin flip. With no spread to speak of, there is neither favorite nor underdog in the conventional sense – the bettor’s only task is to decide which team prevails outright.
Lines of this kind surface infrequently, because most games carry at least some daylight between the two sides. When a pick’em does appear, it tells you the oddsmakers and the wider market judge the teams to be exceptionally well matched. Considerations such as home-field advantage, injuries, rest, and recent form may cancel one another out neatly enough to leave the spread at zero.
For the bettor, the pick’em strips the decision to its essentials. There is no margin of victory to fret over, no specific number to cover. The lone question is who wins. The vig, however, does not disappear. Both sides usually sit around -110, so you stake slightly more than you stand to gain no matter which team you choose.
Example
The Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers are posted as a pick’em for their upcoming meeting. The board shows PK, and both sides are priced at -110. Suppose you stake $110 on the Packers. Should Green Bay prevail 21-20, you collect $100 in profit along with your $110 stake. Should San Francisco win 17-14, your $110 is lost. And if the game finishes level (rare in the NFL, though possible in other sports), the bet is graded a push and your $110 is returned.
Key Points
- No spread involved: A pick’em carries a spread of zero. Whoever wins the game wins the bet, with no margin to satisfy.
- Signals an even matchup: Oddsmakers post a pick’em when they consider the two teams essentially equal in strength for that particular game.
- Displayed as PK: On sportsbook boards and betting apps, pick’em lines are commonly shortened to “PK” rather than shown as a zero spread.
- Ties result in a push: Where a draw is possible, a tied game settles pick’em bets as a push and the stake is returned.
- Vig still applies: Despite the absence of a spread, both sides are typically priced at -110, so the sportsbook still earns its commission on the wager.