The point spread (i.e. The margin of victory or defeat) is indicated by the top number in the Spread column. A minus sign (-) means that a team is favored, whereas a plus sign (+) indicates an underdog. Want a clear understanding of risk and reward? The number underneath the spread shows you the amount a bettor would have to wager to win $100. The point spread is the great equalizer, giving every team an equal chance to cash a bet for you. It’s impossible to separate sports betting in America and the point spread. They will forever be linked. Point spreads are most commonly associated with higher-scoring sports like basketball and football, but can be used in any sport.
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Point spread betting is one of the most common forms of sports betting today. This is largely due to the popularity of betting on such sports as football, with scorelines typically wider than those in baseball, hockey, and soccer.
If you’re used to betting on the money line, you might find it uncomfortable to even think of betting on anything other than a team straight-up winning the game. However, while the money line remains the foundation of all betting, the point spread really opens things up.
When new to point spread betting, a point spread can seem like random numbers with little meaning behind them. The reality is very different, however. Once you know how they work, they make a lot of sense.
How does spread betting work?
Jackpot city best payout slots 2020. Based on multiple statistical factors, one team in every football game stands out as the favourite. However, if the only bet you can make is who you think will win between a clear favourite and an equally clear underdog, it wouldn’t make for a very exciting bet.
When a sportsbook creates a point spread, they're attempting to even the playing field in order to create a new set of betting opportunities. They achieve this by taking a certain amount of points away from the favourite team and giving them to the underdog. This makes betting more interesting, as you can bet on the losing team and still win money.
Here's an example of what a basic NFL point spread looks like:
![Spread Spread](/uploads/1/3/3/6/133692161/922189818.jpg)
In this example, the Ravens are the favourites going into this game, as indicated by the (-) sign before the 6. The (+) sign indicates the underdog. The point value (6) is the number of points a team could either win or lose by. If you think that the Ravens will win by more than six pouts, then you would bet on them to “beat the spread”.
Point spread odds
A point spread is typically set with -110 odds, which is the sportsbook’s edge. When the odds are -110, you need to bet $110 to win $100.
In a bid to even out the money on both sides of a bet, the sportsbook will move the spread to appeal to customers to bet on the side that is failing to attract a lot of money.
Let's take a look at another example of a spread, this time including the wager and final score.
Team | Spread | Score |
Bills | -6.5 (-110) | 30 |
Jets | +6.5 (-110) | 21 |
Let's say you bet $100 on the Bills to win by more than seven points and the score at the end of the game is Bills 30 Jets 21. The Bills have won by nine points, which means that they’ve covered the sprea dand you have won the bet. Your bet has yielded $190 in total, including your original bet of $100, giving you a profit of $90.
The point spread odds are often referred to as the vigorish (or “vig”) for the sportsbook. They’re also known as the “juice”.
Cover the spread and against the spread
You may have heard these phrases in spread betting circles. If the favourite team wins an event, factoring in the point spread, or if the underdog wins with extra points, they have covered the spread.
Betting against the spread is betting on the point spread in a specific event, as opposed to a different type of bet, such as the money line. A bettor often looks at a particular team’s ATS record to assess its “against the spread” history. For example, the Cleveland Browns were 10-6 ATS in 2018, which means they covered the point spread 10 times and failed to cover it in the other six games.
Getting a free bet
- FanDuel ranks among the more popular sportsbooks in football betting, with plenty of point spread options available. They also offer a $500 risk-free bet, which is a nice incentive to new customers. Basically, if you lose your first bet (up to $500 in value), they will refund you within 72 hours.
- DraftKings offers the same $500 risk-free bet as FanDuel, but they also award you $25 before you even make a deposit, which means that you have a little extra to play with.
- Another sportsbook we recommend here at Oddschecker is FOXBet. The sportsbook offers $20 on sign-up and up to $100 in free cash when you make your first deposit.
The Spread Meaning Sports Betting
Oddschecker provides an odds comparison service so you can see all the odds, offers, and promotions from every single sportsbook in one place. They also provide free picks and analysis across every single sport. This means that at Oddschecker, you will always be able to see the best NFL odds and picks the market has to offer.
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FAQ
On which sports can I bet on the point spread?
You can bet on the four major sports: football, basketball, hockey, and baseball. However, point spread betting is mostly popular among football fans. Cached.
Sports Betting Spread Definition
What if the result is a tied game?
This is known as a “push”. A push occurs when the final score point differential is equal to the spread number. In this case, the spread has failed to be covered by either team, and the sportsbook refunds your stake.
Can you bet on a point spread at various stages of the game?
Yes, sportsbooks offer spreads for different points in the game, such as at the end of the half. This opens up more opportunities for you to take advantage of the various spreads available.
Spread Meaning In Sports Betting
As a fan, you don’t care if your team wins by a point or 100. A win is a win, though that 100-point win would be a little easier on the nerves.
In sports betting, how much a team wins by is usually all that matters.
The most popular way to bet for the two most popular sports, basketball and football, is with the point spread, also known as the “side.” Most baseball, hockey and soccer bets are on the moneyline, which is betting on a team to win straight up with adjusted odds. Football and basketball have moneyline bets available too, but most people will take the point spread.
The concept can be a bit confusing if you’ve never dabbled in sports betting before.
Why bet with the point spread?
The point spread was created to attract more action on a game. When the San Francisco 49ers are expected to blow out the Arizona Cardinals, it’s not enticing to lay $300 to win $100 on a moneyline. But when the 49ers are 11-point favorites and each side is -110 odds? That’s much easier.
In that example, the 49ers are spotting the Cardinals 11 points before the game starts, at least for bettors. The 49ers have to win by 12 or more points to cover the spread. If the Cardinals win or lose by 10 or less, that side wins the bet. If the game lands on 11, like a 21-10 49ers win, it’s a push and all bets are refunded. If you see a -11 that means that team is favored, and +11 means you’re taking the underdog.
Nothing sharpens your math skills better than trying to figure out how big your lead as a bettor is if you have a 22.5-point basketball underdog that is losing 90-72.
The problem with the point spread can be when a team — which really doesn’t care that you bet the favorite at -11 — has a 14-point lead but gives up a meaningless score at the end to win by only seven points. They’re still happy with the win. You, as a bettor, are not.
© Provided by Yahoo! Sports Sportsbooks have large boards that display point spreads for all games that day. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)Point spreads lead to bad beats
Sports Betting Spread Meaning Against
The most infamous example of a bad beat with the point spread probably came in the 2004 Final Four at the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
Duke was a 2.5-point underdog against UConn. The Huskies rallied late and took a 79-75 lead on a free throw with 3.2 seconds left. The game itself was over; Duke couldn’t score twice in a few seconds. But Duke guard Chris Duhon pulled up for a running 3-pointer just over the half-court line and banked it in at the buzzer. Duke lost 79-78, but bettors who had Duke and 2.5 points won. March Madness is a huge event for bettors, and reports at the time estimated that Duhon’s “meaningless” shot resulted in a $30 or $40 million swing in Nevada. UConn players celebrated at the final buzzer. UConn bettors doubled over in pain. That’s the difference between betting the moneyline and the point spread.
Baseball and hockey have point spreads too, the “run line” in baseball and “puck line” in hockey. It’s generally 1.5 with odds adjusting accordingly. Taking a big baseball favorite at -1.5 runs can make the odds more palatable. Of course, betting the New York Yankees at -1.5 to bring down the odds from -190 to -110 isn’t too fun when they win 4-3 and you don’t cash a bet.
Betting on the point spread is the most common way to wager on sports. And the first time you take a favorite that wins the game but doesn’t cover the spread, you’ll understand every bettor’s heartbreak.