Photo: Jill Burrow

What does a negative 4 spread mean?

Betting Line Following this example, the Chiefs are at -4.5. This means that in order to win on the point spread or cover, Kansas City would need to win the game by five points or more.

bettingpros.com - What Is The Point Spread And How Does It Work? - BettingPros

What is the best bet in Three Card Poker?

Basic strategy for the ante-bet portion of Three Card Poker is to make the bet of equal to your ante any time you're dealt Queen-6-4 or better, but...

Last updated May 11, 2020

Are bonuses always paid?

Some bonuses are distributed quarterly, others yearly. Some are a one-time thing, others are recurring. It all depends on what role you're in, what...

Last updated Mar 5, 2019

Make Your Bookie Cry And Pull The Hair By Generating $23,187

Promotion

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 has to ‘cover’ or beat that margin for you to win your bet. If you’re new to this, let’s take a closer look at what it is and how it works.

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:

Betting Line

Oakland Raiders +4.5

Kansas City Chiefs -4.5

The first thing you’ll want to notice is either the ‘+’ or ‘-‘ sign. The minus sign denotes that that team has to win by more than that margin while the plus sign indicates that the other team can lose by that margin, or win the game, and they cover the spread in either case. Following this example, the Chiefs are at -4.5. This means that in order to win on the point spread or cover, Kansas City would need to win the game by five points or more. On the other side of the equation, Oakland is listed as a 4.5-point underdog. This means that as long as the Raiders either win outright or lose by four, three, two or one point, they will cover the spread. When it comes to the point spread, the team that has the minus sign is laying points and is always the favorite. On the other hand, the team that has the plus sign and is getting points is the underdog.

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. When there’s a minus sign in front of those odds, it suggest the amount of money you need to bet to win $100. In this case, it would be risking $110 to win $100. If you place a $110 bet on the Chiefs at -4.5 and they win by five or more, you will get your original $110 back along with another $100 in winnings for a total of $210. If you risk $110 on the losing side, then you lose that amount.

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. Usually, the oddsmakers try to use half-points so that we don’t end up in a tie, but there are many lines throughout the week that land on whole numbers. If you push, you get your original stake back.

Check out our PointsBet review and promo codes >>

Dave Golokhov is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Dave, check out his archive and follow him @davegolokhov.

Betting 101

What's the best position in rugby?

The best position to play in rugby also happens to be the most influential and important position on the pitch, and that is the fly-half. The fly-...

Last updated May 21, 2018

What is the best weight for darts?

between 22 grams and 26 grams The bestselling weights for darts falls between 22 grams and 26 grams. The better a player is the more often they...

Last updated Jul 26, 2021

Promotion

What happens if the spread is 7 and they win by 7?

If you bet on them, they have to win by more than seven points. If you bet on the Saints, the wager will win if they come within seven points. Betting on an NFL point spread means it doesn't matter who wins the game. It's all about the spread.

americangambler.com - What does +7 and -7 mean in a NFL bet? - American Gambler

If you are placing an NFL bet, one of the ways to do so is on the spread. An NFL point spread indicates how much the favorite has to win by and the margin of error for the underdog. The favorite to win the game will have a plus number, while the underdog will have a minus. Contrary to a moneyline bet, the favorite has to cover the spread in order to win the bet. If you bet on the underdog, they just have to come within the point spread. As an example, let's say the New Orleans Saints (+7) are playing the Los Angeles Rams (-7). In this case, the Rams are the favorite to win the game. If you bet on them, they have to win by more than seven points. If you bet on the Saints, the wager will win if they come within seven points. Betting on an NFL point spread means it doesn't matter who wins the game. It's all about the spread. In the example, if the Saints lose by 6 or if they win by 10, the wager will be a winner and pay exactly the same. When looking at the NFL best bonuses for the spreads, both teams will be similar. Spread bets are typically around -110.

Why do point spreads use half points?

If an NFL point spread doesn't use half points, like -7, there is a chance for a push. So if you bet on the Saints in the above example and they lose by seven, the bet would push and you would get your money back. If half points are involved, then there won't be any pushes. Every wager made will either win or lose.

What game app pays the most cash?

Best Game Apps To Make Real Money Blackout Bingo. Blackout Bingo is a fresh, social, competitive twist to the classic game where you can win real-...

Last updated Mar 16, 2019

What is the poorest team in the NFL?

All franchises saw their value rise compared to 2021. The Cincinnati Bengals were deemed the least-valuable NFL franchise at US$2.84 billion, which...

Last updated Nov 28, 2018

Promotion

How do I withdraw from Caesars $300?

You can place bets with the money after registering. However, in order to withdraw any winnings from the free $300, you need to make a deposit. Of...

Last updated Nov 11, 2020

Promotion

How do you avoid being limited by bookies?

We´ve listed our best tips below on how to avoid sportsbook limitations: Round your stake. ... Consider your betting pattern. ... Make a small...

Last updated Apr 19, 2021