what is point spread betting

Points Spread Glossary
- Cover. That means to beat the spread. …
- Spread. A forecasted number projected by the oddsmakers for which a stronger team (favorite) is supposed to defeat the weaker team (underdog).
- Favorite. The team that’s expected to cover the spread.
- Underdog. The team that’s not expected to cover the spread.
- Bet The Spread. …
- Buying Points. …
- Push. …
What is the point spread and how does it work?
A point spread bet is also referred to as betting the spread or handicap betting. Point spread betting is a sports betting market in which a team either has to win by a specific number of points or goals, or not lose by a specific number of points or goals.
How does a spread work in betting?
A point spread represents first the oddsmaker’s and then the betting market’s best guesses at the numerical separation between two competitors. Sometimes the spread can be …
What does spread mean in sports betting?
Jun 25, 2019 · The point spread is one of the most popular sports betting options when it comes to betting on college football and the NFL. A point spread is a figure set by the oddsmakers that really serves as a margin of victory. The team you bet on …
What does 6 mean in betting?
What is a Point Spread Bet? Betting against the spread goes beyond the simple wins and losses of a sporting event. Betting on the favorite with the spread requires your team to win the game by a certain point margin. Betting on an underdog with the spread allows your team to lose the game, as long as it’s not by more than the given number of points.

What does a +7 spread mean?
What does +7 spread mean? If the spread is seven points for a game, it means the underdog is getting seven points, noted as +7 on the odds. A team posted at -7 is the favorite and is laying seven points.May 27, 2020
How does a point spread bet work?
Point spreads involve a winning margin. If you bet on a favorite, they need to win by more than the assigned spread. For example, if a spread is (-7.5) points, your team needs to win by eight or more. If you bet on an underdog, they can lose by fewer than the assigned spread or win outright for you to win.
What does point spread +1.5 mean?
Point spread betting in baseball The point spread in baseball odds is often referred to as the run line. In MLB, the run line is almost always set at 1.5, meaning the favorite needs to win by two or more runs.
What does +4.5 mean in point spread?
+4.5. -110. As you can see, Dallas is the 4.5-point favorite, which means the Cowboys would need to win the game by five points or more to win the bet. Conversely, New York is a 4.5-point underdog, which means to win the bet the Giants would need to win outright or not lose the game by more than four points.
What does +3 spread mean?
In a spread bet, the odds are usually set at -110 on both sides, depending on the sportsbook and state. That means whether you bet the Colts -3 or Texans +3, you’ll win the same amount of money if you win the bet.
What does a +200 money line mean?
A +200 moneyline indicates how much money a bettor would win with a $100 wager. It means that a bettor who wagers $100 would win $200 (plus the original $100 wagered) if that team wins the game outright.Sep 8, 2021
What does +4 spread mean?
The Rams needed to win by 5 or more points to cover the spread. Cincinnati was a 4 point underdog. This appeared as Bengals +4. That means the Bengals would have needed to win the game outright or not lose the contest by 5 points or more.
What is a 8.5 spread?
Let’s say that a team is favored as 8.5 point favorites or written as -8.5. For the favored team to “cover the spread,” they must win by at least nine points. If they win by eight points or less, it doesn’t matter that they won because they didn’t cover the spread.Sep 22, 2021
Does point spread include overtime OLG?
All outcomes for a Money Line, Totals or Spreads selection do not include overtime or shootouts.
What happens if a team hits the spread?
You may have heard the term “covering the spread” or the phrase “betting against the spread.” This means that if the favorite team wins an event with the point spread taken into account or that the underdog team wins with additional points, they have covered the spread.
How does a point spread bet work?
A point spread bet is also referred to as betting the spread or handicap betting. Point spread betting is a sports betting market in which a team e…
What is a 2.5-point spread?
If New York is +2.5, that means they are the underdog and have been spotted or given 2.5 points. If New York loses by two or fewer points, then it…
What does against the spread mean?
When it comes to point spread betting, and you bet against the spread, it won’t be enough for the favorite to win the game outright. The favorite w…
What is point spread betting?
Point spread betting is the most popular form of sports betting. The vast majority of sports wagers use a point spread thanks to the popularity of football and basketball. Even though this type of betting is so popular, it may take awhile to understand. The point spread is sometimes known as an equalizer for sportsbook operators.
What is the odds on point spreads?
Point spreads are usually set with -110 odds, but pricing often fluctuates at online sportsbooks. This is the sportsbook operators’ house edge. The odds guarantee the sportsbook operator will see a little money over time. When the odds are set at -110, the bettor must wager $110 to win $100 (or $11 to win $10).
Why do sportsbooks use point spreads?
All teams aren’t created equally, so sportsbooks can create a point spread for a game so that each team playing has an almost even chance of winning the game . In a way, the point spread will even the field for both teams. The point spread gives a reason …
How many points are spreads in the NFL?
NFL spreads are most commonly between one point and four, with six being a heavy favorite and extremes coming out around 15-20 point favors. (For those wondering, the 1941 Chicago Bears hold the NFL record of point differential at +15.7 points per game.
How do sportsbook operators maximize their profit margin?
Sportsbook operators often aim to have equal money on both sides of a point spread. When the money is exactly split the sportsbook operator will see the exact vigorish as their profit margin . If all things are equal over time this will maximize how much money the sportsbook operator can make.
What sports are money lines?
The less popular major sports, baseball and hockey, are mostly bet using a moneyline. In an effort to make baseball and hockey more appealing to point spread bettors, the sportsbook operators offer run and puck lines, respectively.
Explaining The Point Spread
The easiest way to better understand the point spread is by using an example. Let’s look at a potential matchup between the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs:
How To Calculate Winnings
Typically, on the point spread, both teams are assigned both a point spread number and a money line value. Now that you know what the point spread is, we’ll explain how to calculate the payout.
The Point Spread Push Explained
In addition to wins and losses, the third potential point spread outcome is the “Push.” A push is any instance when the final margin of victory is the exact same as the point spread. For example, if the Chiefs were listed at -5 in the example that we used above and then beat Oakland 32-27, this would be considered a push.
Why Should I Bet Against the Spread?
The point spread is the great equalizer. Who would want to bet on a football game between the best team in the league and the worst? The outcome gets a lot more interesting when you give the bad team a 20-point head start. It creates a level playing field between the teams.
How Much Can I Win on a Point Spread Bet?
When looking to bet an individual basketball or football game against the spread, you will traditionally have odds of -110. That juice can vary from sports book to sports book, but laying -110 is the industry standard. That means that you need to lay $110 to win $100 (collect $210 on a winning bet).
How Does the Point Spread Get Made?
How do Las Vegas oddsmakers make the point spread in sports gambling? WagerTalk co-founder The Prez sat down with Golden Nugget Race & Sports Book Executive Director Tony Miller to go over what goes into creating point spreads.
