Closing Line
The final line right before kickoff. The most efficient version of any market.
The closing line is the last price posted by a sportsbook before the event begins. It’s considered the most efficient version of the market because it incorporates every piece of information available; including all sharp money flowing in late.
Beating the closing line is the gold-standard measure of betting skill. If you took +3 and the line closed at +1.5, you got value the market didn’t see yet.
See closing line value (CLV) for the math.