Explain Betting Point Spread
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Explain Betting Point Spread
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A ' point spread ' references the spread of points when two teams compete – one being the favorite and the other being the underdog. Point spreads are popular options in sports betting; they even the playing fields.
Bookmakers calculate a points total – point spread – that can be added/subtracted to the end result of the match. By adding this point spread, it is possible to determine whether the sports bettor won or lost the bet. Point spread betting is extremely popular in football and basketball.
No doubt you're eager to learn more about point spread betting – let's get started!
As a sports bettor, you are going to come across many different odds and stats. The point spread is one of the most common ways to reflect odds at a bookmaker.
Many bettors can identify a point spread, but they don’t exactly know what it means. This guide is filled with many useful betting tips to help you understand point spreads, puck lines, money lines, and run lines.
In simple terms, a point spread is effectively a median number calculated by a bookmaker when 2 teams are competing against one another. The goal is to spark interest in the favorite and the underdog.
If one team is expected to win, the odds need to reflect enough enticement for people to place bets on that team. Conversely, if one team is the underdog the odds need to be attractive enough to generate bets to counter all the bets on the favorite.
Next time you’re looking at the NFL odds for the upcoming week, and you see the point spread between two teams, such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints, you’ll understand what it really means. Consider the following:
In sports betting lingo, ‘the chalk’ is the favorite team. This team will always have a (-) value alongside it. In our example, Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the favorites to win by 3.5 points in this game. The underdog in this game is New Orleans. The Saints have a +3.5 value. You will notice that both teams have a -120 value associated with them. We will explain this in further detail as we go.
Since the point spread is 3.5 points, a bet on the Buccaneers would be placed if you believe they can win by at least 4 points or more. In the above example, if Tampa Bay wins the game by margin of 20-14, then the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win the match and they cover the spread (they win by 6 points).
In case you're wondering what does cover the spread mean, here's a quick explanation for you: When a team covers the spread, they stay within the points that have been allocated to them by odds makers. In the above example, Tampa Bay Buccaneers beats New Orleans by a margin of 6 points – they covered the spread of 3.5 (they needed to win by at least 3.5 points).
However, the Buccaneers may win the NFL game and lose if they don't cover the point spread. For example, if the final score is 20-17 they win by 3 points but lose the point spread of at least 3.5 points. The New Orleans Saints have remained within the 3.5-point spread.
A quick way to understand how this works is as follows:
Final Score – [Favorite Team Score (20) minus Favorite Value (-3.5)] = 16.5
In the above example, 16.5 is less than the 17 points scored by New Orleans.
Take the Underdog Total (3.5) + Underdog Score (17) = 20.5
In the above example, 20.5 is more than the 20 points scored by Tampa Bay.
The team that has more points wins.
Favorites often win games straight up (SU) but fail to cover the spread. In sports betting lingo, this is known as losing against the spread (ATS).
If we look at this from the perspective of the underdog team, this time with a + 4.5-point spread on the New Orleans Saints, the following is evident:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20, New Orleans Saints 14 + 4.5 = 18.5. In this example, the Saints lose the game straight up, and they lose against the spread.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20, New Orleans Saints 17 + 4.5 = 21.5. In this example, the Saints still lose the game straight up, but they win against the spread.
In the above example, you will see the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New Orleans Saints both have -120 next to them. The -120 is known as the vigorish, or the juice – that’s the fee charged by the bookmaker for allowing you to place bets on these teams.
Typically, sports bettors pay 10% to the bookmaker, the equivalent of a brokerage fee. In our example, the figure is -120, and it indicates that you must risk $120 to win $100.
Sometimes, the vigorish can be reduced to a lower figure like -105, meaning that you need to risk a little less win that same $100.
The example below clearly illustrates how this works:
If you see -6.5 (-108), then you only need to bet $108 to win $100. This translates into a savings of $2. If you happen to see -6.5 (-103), then you only need to bet $103 to win $100. The lower the negative number, the better for the bettor.
Successful sports bettors are often found shopping for the best odds at the lowest risk. This is true of money line betting and point spread bets.
This price shopping is about getting value for your bets, and it’s common with professional bettors. Think of it in the same way as being able to buy an identical NBA Jersey for $108, or $103 – which one would you pick?
Let's look at two iconic NFL teams; the Miami Dolphins and the Philadelphia Eagles . We have assigned odds for illustrative purposes:
Recall that with spread betting, the (-) indicates which team is the favorite to win, and the (+) indicates which team is the underdog. The (-) effectively removes 10 points from that team, leveling the playing fields to make it a more equitable bet. At the same time, odds makers have given the Miami Dolphins (+) 10 points because they are the weaker team a.k.a. the underdog.
In this example, spread betting odds indicate that a bet on the Miami Dolphins will pay out if they beat the Philadelphia Eagles by more than 10 points, while a bet on the Philadelphia Eagles will pay out if they lose by less than 10 points.
Sometimes, the bookmaker will not show the odds for the underdog, but it is assumed to be the opposite number of the favorite.
When you place an NFL point spread bet, you will win if the final result of the sports match, with the point spread factored in satisfies the bet requirements.
Assuming the Philadelphia Eagles vs. Miami Dolphins example above, with a bet on the Philadelphia Eagles, you will win if the Eagles beat the Dolphins by at least 10 points. That (-) 10 is the minimum number of points that the Philadelphia Eagles must be ahead of the Miami Dolphins at the final whistle.
If the final score is Philadelphia Eagles 42-21 Miami Dolphins, clearly there is a 21-point victory margin so the Philadelphia Eagles win by more than 10 and the bet pays out. The Philadelphia Eagles covered the spread.
If you decide to bet on the Miami Dolphins, they can lose up by up to 10 points and still win the bet. If the final score is Philadelphia Eagles 42-33 Miami Dolphins, there are 9 points separating the teams. Clearly, Miami Dolphins have lost the game, but when we add +10 to the final score, it is Philadelphia Eagles 42-43 Miami Dolphins.
The Dolphins have won this game with the point spread factored in, and your bet will pay out. The Miami Dolphins covered the spread because they stayed within 10 points. That's how you win with NFL point spread betting!
If you win your point spread bets, you all received your original stake of $110 + the $100 you won on the point spread for a grand total of $210.
Ready to try point spread betting in NFL games?
If you bet on the Philadelphia Eagles vs. Miami Dolphins , and you lose the point spread bet, you will forfeit your $110. The bookmaker will then receive the additional $10, finishing in the money for that bet.
Even if you were to place a new bet on another NFL game and bet $110 and win $100, the bookmaker still gets to keep that additional $10 and end up ahead.
All new bettors at 888sport NJ can qualify for a Free Bet No Deposit , so feel free to put your sports betting prowess to the test.
Let's use the Philadelphia Eagles vs. Miami Dolphins example to illustrate how a Tie result affects your point spread bet. If the final score is Philadelphia Eagles 30 – 20 Miami Dolphins, there is a 10-point differential between the teams.
Since the Philadelphia Eagles need to win by more than 10 points, and the Dolphins need to lose by less than 10 points, the result is a Tie or a Push. In this case, the bookmaker will simply refund your money. Since neither the Philadelphia Eagles nor the Miami Dolphins covers the spread, there is no winner.
PK is sports betting lingo for Pick’em. It is a reference to even money bets in point spread betting. In this case, there is no favorite, and there is no underdog. The point spread is effectively 0.
When you place a PK bet, the ‘point spread’ is irrelevant; you're simply betting on one team or another to win the game.
It doesn't matter what the winning margin is; only the winning team matters. Extrapolating from our example of Philadelphia Eagles vs Miami Dolphins , you can easily see a PK match up if it is listed as follows:
Philadelphia Eagles – PK (-110), Miami Dolphins – PK (-110) advertised.
You have to bet $110 to win $100 on either team.
Remember the Tie result we spoke of earlier? That is known as a Push in sports betting. This is a common outcome with NBA point spreads and NFL point spreads. Whenever a sports event, game, or match ends in a draw, and a spread was involved, the outcome is known as a Push.
You will always get your money back in sports betting when a Push results, provided that the final result lands on the listed point spread.
Absolutely! It's entirely possible to bet on point spreads for the first quarter, the second quarter, third quarter, or the fourth quarter. You can also bet on point spreads for the first half, or the second half – it's your call.
Odds makers routinely set point spreads for different parts of the match. These odds are changing all the time, and you as the sports bettor must decide which team will be ahead, or behind, at specific checkpoints.
Using our example of Philadelphia Eagles vs. Miami Dolphins with a first-quarter spread:
Clearly, the Philadelphia Eagles are favorites to lead at the end of the first quarter with 3 points or more. The Miami Dolphins are 3-point underdogs, indicating that they need to be ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles by more than 3 points, or not trail the Philadelphia Eagles by less than 3 points at the end of the first-quarter.
Come on over and enjoy our full spread of NFL betting options!
NBA point spreads and NFL point spreads are the most common applications for spread betting in sport. In basketball and football, odds makers don't have preset limits on the margins of victory/defeat for these sports.
When it comes to NHL and MLB betting, point spreads are also used, but they are known by different terms.
In hockey and baseball, the terms puckline and runline are used. They are typically set at -1.5 or +1.5. As with basketball and football, the (-) indicates the favorite team, and the (+) indicates the underdog. You will notice that the number – 1.5 – is much lower than you would see in NBA point spreads and NFL betting lines . The reason is attributed to much lower scoring in these sports.
‘Puck Line Bets’ or ‘Puckline Bets’ are the hockey equivalent of NFL point spread bets or NBA point spread bets. They are also similar to ‘Runline’ bets in baseball which we are going to address shortly.
In the NHL, favorites are given (-)1.5 odds and underdogs are given (+)1.5 odds. The puckline can be tailored accordingly, depending on how well the favorite is performing and how poorly the underdog is performing. The 1.5 goals standard in NHL bets is used because hockey is typically not a high-scoring game.
‘Run Line bets’ or ‘Runline bets’ are used in MLB games. These types of bets are far less popular than money line bets for MLB betting, but still an important form of betting for baseball fans.
With Run Line bets you must pick a baseball team, with the Run Lines at 1.5. When the Run Line is 1.5 you will bet on your favorite team to win by at least 2 runs+. Alternatively, you will bet on the underdog to lose by 1 run, or to win the baseball game. As with Puckline bets, the (-) indicates the favorite and the (+) indicates the underdog.
Check out our NHL betting and MLB betting at 888sport!
Handicapping is a term commonly used in sports. NFL handicapping in sports betting lexicon means ‘leveling the playing fields’ so that both NFL teams have odds worthy of betting on. The strong team has some points ‘deducted’ to make it more difficult for them to be an easy win.
Hence the (-) point spread that is posted alongside the team. The weaker teams naturally aren’t expected to win against the stronger teams; that’s why they are gifted an advantage in the form of the (+) point spread. Oddsmakers or handicappers determine the NFL point spreads assigned to each team in a matchup.
Let’s refer back our example of the Philadelphia Eagles vs the Miami Dolphins:
Miami Dolphins +5 (-110)
Philadelphia Eagles -5 (-110)
The Philadelphia Eagles are favored to win by 5 points, as indicated by the -5 posted next to their name. The Miami Dolphins are the underdogs, as indicated by the +5 posted next to their name. They are the ones getting the points to try and help them in this matchup. This is how the playing fields are levelled by oddsmakers.
Football point spreads indicate how oddsmakers level the playing fields between unevenly matched teams. Once the final results have been tallied, the spread is factored in and winners can be determined.
Remember: the negative sign indicates the favorite and the positive sign indicates the underdog.
Or, we could have the following NFL point spreads:
In all cases you will note that the stronger team has the negative sign in front of it, and the weaker team has the positive sign in front of it. Now that you understand NFL point spreads, you can confidently place a bet in NJ online at 888sport!
The purpose of basketball point spread betting is to determine by how much a basketball team will win a game or lose a game. Once again, there are favorites and underdogs to consider. Without the point spread, nobody would bet on the underdog.
Let’s take a look at some examples of basketball point spreads:
In this example, a bet on Oklahoma City requires them to win by 5 points in order for you to win the point spread bet. If the final score is 86-80 for Oklahoma City, then they win by 6 points. This is greater than 5 point spread on this basketball selection, indicating that your $110 bet will win $100 profit on Oklahoma City.
Conversely, if you bet on the LA Lakers to win – the favorites - and they lose by less than 5 points, or they win, you're in the money. A final score of 86-80 in favor of the LA Lakers is an automatic win for you. In other words, if the LA Lakers win by fewer than 5 points, the bet loses and if the LA Lakers win by 6 points or more, the bet wins.
Following from the Oklahoma City vs LA Lakers example above, let's assume the following point spread posted by an oddsmaker.
The bookmaker believes there is a 50% probability of Oklahoma City winning outright or losing by less than 5 points. The bookmaker also believes there is a 50% probability are the LA Lakers winning by more than 5 points.
We all know that the LA Lakers are expected to win this basketball game, but the odds are engineered to make it as even as possible. This is done to generate lots of interest in the sports match which a moneyline simply may not do.
If the LA Lakers beat Oklahoma City 110-102, they clearly covered the point spread of 5 points and won by more than 5. By subtracting the handicap from the score, we can see who the winners are.
If we bet on Oklahoma City, the handicap adds 5 points to their total, making it 110-107. Oklahoma City still loses the game and the bet.
A 7-point spread simply refers to the number of points posted alongside a team's odds of winning. When there is a 7-point spread, it means that the favorite team needs to win by more than 7 points to win the bet. It also means that the underdog can lose less than 7 points to win the bet.
When we have fractional point spread options like a 2.5-point spread, it means that the favorite team (-2.5) needs to win by more than 3 points to win the bet, and it means that the underdog can win or not lose the game by more than 2 points to win the bet.
That’s everything you need to know about the point spread in NBA, NHL, NFL and MLB sports betting.
Now you’re ready to get your Free Bet at 888sport NJ and start betting on your favorite sports.
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Spread betting - Wikipedia
Point Spread Betting Explained - How it Works | 888sport NJ
Point Spreads Explained ~ How To Read The Point Spread In Betting
What Is A Point Spread ? | How to Bet on Point Spreads
What Is Spread Betting ?
The point spread is probably the most common bet when you think of wagering on a single sporting event. That is because it's designed to bring the two teams to an even playing field through the use of a handicap installed by oddsmakers.
Without a points handicap, it would not make sense to pay both sides of a wager the same amount when it's clear that not all teams are on equal footing. In fact, it is entirely possible for a team to lose the game in real-life but still win a bet if they only lose by less than a set number of points. Vice versa, a team can win a game, but lose the wager if they do not win by more points than what was predicted.
When wagering against the spread, you bet on the team that will cover the betting line, and not necessarily win the game. Obviously, by taking the favorite, a bettor believes that a team will not only win the game but also win the game by a certain number of points to cover the betting line. But when wagering on the underdog, that team does not necessarily have to win the game to cover the line. For examples of point spreads and how those bets are won, please keep reading below where we give real-life examples explain betting odds for the spread in detail.
The point spread might be the most common betting line for which people are familiar with. This is where the terms 'favorite' and 'underdog' are derived. But, when exactly can wagers on the point spread be placed? There are actually several points in time, and several different ways that a bettor can put action on the spread in a given matchup.
Obviously it starts with action before the game. Point spreads prior to the game will be available up until the start time before going off. Depending on the sports and league + which online sports betting site is consulted, point spreads can be up for days before the start to a matchup.
One of the nice things about online betting is that point spread wagering doesn't stop at the start of the game. With the advance in technology, bettors are able to place live wagers on the points spread, plus bet different spreads at different intervals in a game.
Beginning with live betting, point spreads are routinely adjusted predicated on the flow of the game, meaning how the favorite and underdog are performing. Live point spreads can come and go very quickly, with the potential for scores to change at any moment.
Betting the spread at different intervals in a game means that adjusted spreads are created during breaks, such as quarters or halves, and halftime lines. Oddsmakers will check out the game and how it went for a quarter or half, and then reinstall overall game lines, as well as point spreads for only that particular quarter or half.
How Do Half / .5 Point Spreads Work?
Oftentimes a point spread will not be a whole number, and will be accompanied by a decimal point and a half number. This can be significant for a point spread. Essentially what it comes down to is that a whole number point spread gives the opportunity for a wager to push. A push means that if the favorite is favored by 10 points and wins by 10 points, bettors get their money back. Just like when betting on the over/under total for points, the spread is a half-point in addition to the whole number, there is no chance to push.
Understanding Payouts When Betting On The Point Spread
The whole nature and goal behind the point spread, is to provide an even playing field for the favorite and the underdog. Obviously not every team is equal, so the point spread adjusts this. As a result, the payouts that are generally seen around a point spread is right around Even.
This is different from a moneyline, where payouts can vary greatly because there is not point spread that is installed. It is simply picking the winner straight up. Therefore, a bet on the favorite would not profit as high as it would betting the spread since no points are given. Payouts on the point spread are not always the same, but they do not vary like a moneyline.
Examples Of How The Point Spread Works
How To Read College Football Spreads
Here in this example, the Florida State Seminoles have been set as seven-point favorites over the Florida Gators. That means, for the Seminoles to cover this spread, they will need to win the game by at least eight points to win the bet for a person who wagered on them.
On the flip side, the Gators are receiving seven points. They could lose the game by six points or less, and still win the betting line for a bettor who placed a wager on them.
If the Seminoles win by exactly seven points, then that would result in a push on the bet, with no payout and the bettor getting their money back.
How To Read NFL Football Point Spreads
Since betting on point spreads in the NFL is the most popular bet that people make, it is probably pretty important that you know what you are doing. The point spreads in the NFL are always alot closer then college football because you are dealing with the best of the best. You will almost never see a team favored by more then two touchdowns in the NFL, and most of the NFL point spreads are less then one touchdown. So, here is are best try at helping you understand how to read point spreads in NFL games.
Take this NFL point spread for example.
Here in this point spread example for the NFL, the Falcons are playing the Panthers. Atlanta has been set as a three-point favorite on the betting line. That means that for Atlanta to cover the spread that has been set, they will need to win by at least four points. And for Carolina to cover the point spread, they can do so with a loss by two points or less, or obviously a win straight up. If the Falcons win by exactly three points, the bet would result in a push with no payouts.
The Orlando Magic are playing the Chicago Bulls in this NBA point spread example. The Magic have been set as 5.5 point overall favorites according to this betting line.
For Orlando to cover the spread, the Magic would need to win by at least six points. For the Bulls to get the win against the spread, a loss by five points or less is needed.
Either the Magic's bettors or Bulls' bettors will get the result they need in order to win this bet because of the half point spread that is in-play; there can be no PUSH in this wager.
Bovada Sportsbook - Best Sports Betting Site For Betting On The Point Spread
The best sportsbook out there has to have a few things for it to be considered as one of the best online sportsbooks and Bovada more than a few. The point spread is just one that raises players' eyebrows and has them think about putting money on the line on these point sports. In both basketball and football and baseball, the point spread is the most important thing to pay attention to when it comes to wagering.
It is hard to say that even with a team be very start that it will be a blowout so most point spread would be pretty close to each other. With that being said, this is why using Bovada point spread is the best place to go. With a team like the Seahawks playing a team that they could easily blow out like the Miami Dolphins have very close point is there is without question an easy bet and easy money for fans to make. These are the kind of bets players need to take advantage of because once the games begin, there is no turning back. Bovada gives players plenty of chances to win big and it starts off with the point spreads offered.
SportsBetting's Sportsbook - Lots Of Betting Odds When Betting On Point Spreads
SportsBetting is the clutch sportsbook that a lot of players like to sign up for. There are so many great things that are offered here but the points spreads are one of the best that players will find if they are shopping for them while looking for an online sportsbook. While there are great bonuses along with great banking methods, the point spreads for all these games are important and are favorable for the players. These bets are the top way that players continue to cash.
The point spread is based on how good teams are and the matchup that is set up. Even those these teams could be a lot better than their competition, the point spread always for the most part are very close. This is great because sometimes this always gives the underdogs to cover with a close game and that could mean big money. Even betting on an underdog to cover the spread doesn’t mean that players pick that team to win the game and that’s why betting on point spreads is so profitable.
BetOnline Sportsbook - Point Spreads The Best On BetOnline
Point spreads are big to a lot of players because these could perhaps be the easier bets to win. This is because to win these bets, players don’t have to pick the actual team to win. With BetOnline, there are many point spread options and that goes through to every game and every sport. Players know that they can pick a team that could lose but cover the point spread and gets a huge payout!
The thing about these point spreads also here on BetOnline is that they don’t move much with the big news coming out for each team. This is why these betting options are the best to go for on BetOnline. The consistency is huge and also knowing that your team could lose but cover the spread is huge. Most of the team there is no major blowouts but when there is and you take a team to cover the spread, cash will be rolling in from BetOnline
MyBookie Sportsbook - Top Sportsbook With Point Spreads
There is no doubt that players like to place wagers on games point spreads which is why MyBookie makes sure to have the best point spreads than any other sportsbook out there. That is important and brings in more traffic for MyBookie. The thing that point spread is about is the hitting on the number the team is expected to cover. Betting point spread doesn’t really have anything to do with betting on a team to win.
Looking at both team's past offense experiences will tell players how to handle the point spread. The Cowboys are always in tight games so the point spread on their games are usually going to be very close. Players would see a game like the high scoring Cowboys game go down to the wire and a touchdown could determine if they hit the spread on not. Although their offense is good, their defense will help the other team cover the spread so betting on the opposite team hitting the point spread could be profitable for MyBookie players.
Point Spread vs. Betting On The Moneyline
Betting on the point spread is completely different from betting on teams to win a game outright. Known as "betting on the moneyline ", instead of using points to handicap each side of the wager, the sportsbook will use greater payouts versus the amount risked to reflect their relative perceptions; teams not expected to win (underdogs) pay more, sometimes exponentially, than when betting on the favorite to win when wagering on moneylines.
While it makes more sense to have a point spread for sports with a lot of scoring like football and basketball, there are point spread bets for low-scoring sports at online sportsbooks. You may see NHL betting lines with one team favored to win at -2.5 and the same principles for how to cash in on that line are the exact same as other sports. Even MLS, Premier League, or other soccer matches come with a point spread. Most of the time that point spread is only a single point but there are times you may also find a team favored at -1.5. If you check out one of the online betting sites we recommend you will surely find point spread bets for these types of sports.
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