PK means pick'em: a game with no line, where the handicap is 0, so neither team gets a points start and a bet on either side wins only if that team wins. US previews write PK or pick beside such a game, and the US betting terms guide maps it beside the rest of the US slang.
A pick'em line means the market rates the teams as even, so both sides sit just under even money: $1.92 on each side (illustrative) has implied chances adding to 2 / 1.92 = 104.2%. Pick'em is also the name of a more-or-less player-stat product, which pick'em betting explains; it has nothing to do with a line of 0.
How a PK line settles
With $40 on each side at an illustrative $1.92:
| Final score | $40 on Team A PK | $40 on Team B PK |
|---|---|---|
| Team A wins 24-20 | Wins: 40 x 1.92 = $76.80 | Loses $40 |
| Team B wins 21-17 | Loses $40 | Wins: $76.80 |
| Tied 20-20, refund rule | $40 back | $40 back |
| Tied 20-20, dead heat rule | 76.80 / 2 = $38.40, a $1.60 loss | $38.40 |
Your bookmaker's terms say which tie rule applies. In NSW, the rule book for bookmakers authorised to take sports bets sets a points start to half a point unless agreed otherwise (clause 5.1.3), so a line of 0 is an agreed exception. Where a tie is not offered as an outcome, the rule book divides the payout by the number tied and multiplies by the placings they fill, here one (clause 5.1.8), as in the last row. A stake handed back on a level result is a push in betting.
PK in sports with and without draws
- No draws: an NBA game plays overtime until there is a winner, so a PK line settles like the head to head. At a fair 50%, an illustrative $1.95 on the head to head returns 0.50 x 1.95 = 97.5c per $1, against 96c for the PK line at $1.92.
- Draws possible: under each league's 2026 rules, an NFL regular-season game can finish tied and an AFL home-and-away match can be drawn, so the two can settle differently on that result. Compare the tie rules as well as the prices.
Line betting covers every line other than 0, and the US sports betting guide covers the leagues where you meet PK.
PK compared with draw no bet
Draw no bet refunds the stake on a drawn soccer match, so it settles like a PK line with a refund rule. Under a dead heat rule a PK line pays less on a draw, so it needs a higher price. With an illustrative 40% chance of a win, 25% of a draw and 35% of a loss:
- Draw no bet at $1.85 returns 0.40 x 1.85 + 0.25 x 1 = 99c per $1.
- A dead heat PK at $1.85 returns 0.40 x 1.85 + 0.25 x 1.85 / 2 = 97.1c per $1.
- To match draw no bet, the PK line needs 0.99 / (0.40 + 0.25 / 2) = $1.89.
PK lines beside head to head prices on the Terminal
Where a sport has no draws, a PK line at one bookmaker and the head to head at another are the same bet at different prices. B337's Terminal sets bookmakers' head to head and line prices side by side, from 40+ bookmakers across racing and sports, though not every bookmaker prices every game. Prices are read on a repeating cycle, so check the price and the tie rule with your bookmaker before you bet. A free account opens a limited view of the Terminal with live odds.
Risk: Betting involves risk. A higher price on the same result changes what you are paid, not whether your team wins, and a tie rule can turn a level game into a small loss. See responsible gambling for limits and support.