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Bet Spread Meaning

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  1. The spread is also known as 'the line' or 'morning line'. This provides the basis for wagering: points may be 'given' or 'taken' to equalize a bet, or bets may be made that the difference will be larger or smaller than the estimate. In simpler terms its when one team is the favorite over the other so the spread is how many.
  2. Simply put, covering the spread is the goal of every bettor who has placed a point spread bet. This SI Gambling 101 feature explains what it takes to cover the spread. What is a Point Spread?
  3. May 14, 2020 Simply put, covering the spread is the goal of every bettor who has placed a point spread bet. This SI Gambling 101 feature explains what it takes to cover the spread. What is a Point Spread?
  1. Money Line Vs Spread Bets
  2. Bet The Spread Football
  3. Sports Bet Spread
  4. Spread Betting Meaning In Urdu
  5. Betting Spread Meaning

The 'spread' is the betting line or odds used to determine the parameters for wagering on either the favorite or underdog in a sporting event. Wagering on a spread is intended as a method to. The Point Spread: Betting the spread For those new to sports betting, the point spread is the simplest, most straightforward approach to placing wagers. Sports books set a predetermined margin of.

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Most sporting events have a perceived favorite, so applying a spread to the game is the bookmakers' way of creating an even playing field. This is most often seen when betting on the NFL. When you bet 'against the spread,' it's not enough for the favorite to win the game; now, they have to win by more than a specified amount (the spread) in order for them to 'cover the spread.'

As we explained with moneyline betting, a negative number (-) indicates the favorite and a positive number (+) indicates the underdog.

ATS (Against the Spread) Betting: Case Study

As you can see, New England is the favorite in this game by 7.5 points, since they have the negative number. You will often see half-points attached to the spread to avoid 'pushes,' or ties for the newbies. As we covered in our how to read odds guide, games with half-point spreads are said to contain a 'hook.'

In this circumstance, favored New England is said to be 'laying' 7.5 points. This means you subtract 7.5 points from their total score when the game concludes. If they still have more points than the Chiefs, then they 'covered.' Therefore, the Patriots will have to win the game by at least 8 points for you to win your bet.

While New England is 'laying' 7.5 points, Kansas City is 'getting' 7.5 points. This means you add 7.5 points to their total score when the game concludes. If, after doing so, they have more points than the Patriots, then they 'covered.' So, in order to win your bet, the Chiefs just cannot lose the game by 8 points or more. For example, if the Chiefs only lose by 3 points, you would win if you bet on Kansas City.

Here are a couple of mock outcomes, with the team who covered the spread in bold.

  • Kansas City 21 – New England 24
  • Kansas City 17 – New England 25
  • Kansas City 3 – New England 41
  • Kansas City 30 – New England 27

What Can Change the Spread?

The spreads in football games are subject to change based on where the money is going and weekly injury reports. If Tom Brady is hit by the Madden Curse before the season even starts and is unable to suit up, you'll see the spread decrease, likely landing around New England -3.5.

Calculating Payouts Against the Spread

Money Line Vs Spread Bets

Betting spread meaning

Now you may have noticed in the chart above that there is a three-digit number next to each spread, which looks an awful lot like a moneyline. It is, in essence. Those negative numbers (-110 in this case) indicate how much you have to bet in order to win $100. (Sportsbooks still take their cut when you're betting against the spread.)

Generally, you will see 'even bets,' meaning the payout is the same no matter who you bet on. But that's not always the case, as you'll see in the chart for our next example.

If the result of this game is Seattle 21 – Green Bay 28, would you win if you bet on Seattle to cover?

(NO! They lost by more than three points.)

Do Other Sports Have Spread Betting Options?

Bet Spread Meaning

Now you may have noticed in the chart above that there is a three-digit number next to each spread, which looks an awful lot like a moneyline. It is, in essence. Those negative numbers (-110 in this case) indicate how much you have to bet in order to win $100. (Sportsbooks still take their cut when you're betting against the spread.)

Generally, you will see 'even bets,' meaning the payout is the same no matter who you bet on. But that's not always the case, as you'll see in the chart for our next example.

If the result of this game is Seattle 21 – Green Bay 28, would you win if you bet on Seattle to cover?

(NO! They lost by more than three points.)

Do Other Sports Have Spread Betting Options?

Betting against the spread on the NFL is undoubtedly the most popular form of spread betting, but there are other options.

You will also see point spreads in hockey, baseball, and soccer. They are referred to in different terms, but they refer to the same principle of operation as the spread.

In hockey, the spread is called apuck line; in baseball, it is a run line; and in soccer, it is a goal line.

Puck lines and run lines are almost always fixed at 1.5.

Learn the Basics of Sports Betting

Want to learn more about the basics of betting on sports? Educate yourself with sports betting 101.


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.

Bet The Spread Football

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.

Sports Bet Spread

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.

Cards against humanity online with friends. 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.

Spread Betting Meaning In Urdu

© 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

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 Spread Meaning

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.





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