Wager Mage
Photo by Karolina Grabowska Pexels Logo Photo: Karolina Grabowska

What does a spread of +2 mean?

A point spread is a bet on the margin of victory in a game. The stronger team or player will be favored by a certain number of points, depending on the perceived gap in ability between the two teams. A minus sign (-) means that team is the favorite. A plus sign (+) means that team is the underdog.

Who is the best gamer in the world?
Who is the best gamer in the world?

Who is the most famous gamer on YouTube? The most famous gamer on YouTube is PewDiePie. Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg, known as PewDiePie, is one of...

Read More »
How to earn a Bitcoin for free?
How to earn a Bitcoin for free?

Methods To Earn Free Bitcoins #1) Pionex – Use Bitcoin Growth Trading Bot to Earn Bitcoin. #2) Bitstamp – Using Staking Rewards. #3) Freecash.com –...

Read More »

A point spread is a bet on the margin of victory in a sporting event. It’s the most popular bet type in basketball and football. The perceived stronger team (the favorite) must win by a certain number of points/runs/goals to cash your bet. The worse team (the underdog) can lose by fewer than that same amount of points, or just win the game.

Let’s use a 2022 NFL Week 1 game as an example.

The Ravens are a -7 favorite against the Jets. That makes New York a +7 underdog.

Ravens win by 8+ points: Ravens bettors win

Ravens bettors win Ravens win by 1-6 points: Jets bettors win

Jets bettors win Jets win the game: Jets bettors win

Jets bettors win Ravens win by exactly 7: It’s a push, and bets are refunded Baltimore is expected to be much better than New York, hence the big spread. Sportsbooks apply the spread concept to way more than just the final score. Things like France -2.5 corner kicks vs. Germany, or Chiefs total touchdowns -1.5 vs. the Cowboys are also spreads.

Here’s how point spreads work.

Point Spreads, Explained

Point Spread Definition

A point spread is a bet on the margin of victory in a game. The stronger team or player will be favored by a certain number of points, depending on the perceived gap in ability between the two teams.

A minus sign (-) means that team is the favorite.

A plus sign (+) means that team is the underdog.

Here’s how DraftKings displays its point spreads for football, with the point spread boxed in red.

NFL Point Spread Examples, How it Works

It’s easiest to understand point spreads by seeing them.

Example 1

Let’s take the 2022 Super Bowl example:

Rams -4.5 (must win by 5+)

Bengals +4.5 (can win or lose by 1-4 points)

Score: Let’s say the Rams win 27-24 — Bengals spread bettors would win their bets. If the Rams win 30-20, Rams spread bettors would cash.

Example 2

Who lost the most money in gambling?
Who lost the most money in gambling?

1. TERRANCE WATANABE: $127 MILLION. Terrance Watanabe was the son of a successful businessman, inheriting the Oriental Trading Company when his...

Read More »
Who is the best sport predictor?
Who is the best sport predictor?

PredictZ is hailed by many as the best and most reliable football prediction site in the world. They provide football tips, free analysis, football...

Read More »

From Week 11 of the 2021 NFL season:

Bills -13.5 (must win by 14+)

Jets +13.5 (can lose by 1-13 or win)

Score: BUF 45, NYJ 17 (Bills cover -13.5, because they won by 28)

Example 3

Let’s take another example Week 11:

Rams -3.5 (need to win by 4 or more)

49ers +3.5 (need to lose by 3 or fewer, or win)

Score: SF 31, LAR 10 (49ers cover +3.5, because they won the game outright) You can learn more about American odds, but the number next to the spread is the juice associated with that bet. Most spread bets will be -110, so the sportsbook takes a 10% cut. That means for every $1 you want to win, you have to risk $1.10. So if you want to win $20 on a bet, you’ll have to risk $22. If you bet $22 on the Bills -13.5 and Buffalo wins by 14 points, you’ll win $20. If they only win by 10, you lose $22. Point spreads have an even tax on both sides because we expect each team to cover the point spread about 50% of the time. When betting moneylines — which requires you to pick the winner straight-up — you can get bigger payouts because the likelihood of the worse team winning the game outright is much lower than it just covering the spread.

How Do I Make a Spread Bet?

It’s easy to bet point spreads at a book like FanDuel or DraftKings. Here’s how it works:

Navigate to your desired sport.

Click on the spread you want to bet in the game module (it will be lined up with the team you want to bet). Head to the bet slip on the right side of the page (on your phone, it will pop up automatically).

Click “Login to Place Bet” and login, then submit your bet.

How Are Point Spreads Calculated & Made?

Can you lose money on a bet even if you win?
Can you lose money on a bet even if you win?

Yes, you can lose money on a winning bet – but there's nothing underhand about this fact. There are several scenarios where you will get a return...

Read More »
What are the 3 most important components of forecasting?
What are the 3 most important components of forecasting?

The following 3 components are the essential best practices of workforce forecasting that companies need to consider to optimize their staff...

Read More »

We could write another 5,000 words about how point spreads are truly made, but in the simplest terms, it’s a 3-step process. Oddsmakers build mathematically-driven ratings for each team before the season and continue to tweak them as games are played. They use those ratings, plus factors like home-field advantage, rest, and injuries, to create a point spread in advance of a scheduled game. Bettors then begin wagering on that initial point spread, which will influence the spread and move it to the most accurate possible number. Most sportsbooks do not create their own lines, and simply copy the movement they see at market-making books.

What Does Covering the Spread Mean?

“Covering the spread” is another way to say that a team won a point spread bet. In the above example, the Bills or more as a -13.5 favorite means they covered the spread. If the Jets (+13.5) lost by 13 points or fewer, or won the game, they covered the spread.

ATS Definition

What does it mean when a team is 9-2 ATS this season? ATS stands for “against the spread.” So an ATS record is simply wins and losses against the spread.

Run Lines & Puck Lines, Defined

Low-scoring sports like hockey and baseball do have point spreads, but they’re almost always -1.5 and +1.5. In hockey, a spread is referred to as the “puck line.” In baseball, it’s the “run line.” The odds are just changed depending on the ability of the team — you won’t get -110 on both sides. So you’ll get paid less for betting the Yankees -1.5 against the lowly Orioles than you would for betting the Yankees -1.5 against the Astros, when the two teams are more evenly matched.

How many strokes do you need for a 9 handicap?
How many strokes do you need for a 9 handicap?

In reality, the scratch golfer should match 36 every time he plays. A 7 handicap player should shoot a score of no greater than 40, and the 9...

Read More »
What details does a scammer need?
What details does a scammer need?

Your name, address and date of birth provide enough information to create another 'you'. An identity thief can use a number of methods to find out...

Read More »
Who has the fastest backhand in tennis?
Who has the fastest backhand in tennis?

Fastest average backhand speed MEN WOMEN 1 Nikoloz Basilashvili Camila Giorgi 2 Pedro Sousa Bernarda Pera 3 Aslan Karatsev Aryna Sabalenka 4...

Read More »
Is 7 8 9 10 anything in poker?
Is 7 8 9 10 anything in poker?

Straight. The player with the highest top card wins. This means that a straight of 7-8-9-10-J would beat a straight of 5-6-7-8-9, as J is higher...

Read More »