How does a spread bet work?

For point spread betting purposes, the value of the point spread is added to the team's total as part of the wager. Bettors who choose the underdog win their wager when that team either wins the event outright OR loses by an amount less than the point spread.

What does a +7 spread mean?

The underdog odds will be +7, meaning the team can win outright or lose by less than seven points to win the bet. A loss by exactly seven points would cause a push bet.

What does a minus 3 spread mean?

A minus 3 spread means that the team that is favored is expected to win by 3 points. This means that if you bet on a team's spread at -3, then the team must win by at least 3 points for you to win your bet.

What does +1.5 spread mean?

A spread of +1.5 or -1.5 basically indicates both teams are pretty much evenly matched—essentially, a +1.5 underdog has just about as good of a chance to win as a -1.5 favorite (at least in the eyes of oddsmakers).

Do you win if you hit the spread?

Each team has a favorite and an underdog, and if a bettor wagers that the favorite will win by more than the point spread, thereby covering the spread, then they'll win their bet.

What is the "Spread" in Sports Betting

Is it better to bet the spread or win?

Betting on favourites against the spread results in better payouts than when taking the moneyline. With underdogs, covering the spread requires winning the contest or losing by a less than the point spread.

What happens if the spread hits exactly?

A push in sports betting occurs when the point spread or point total hits the exact number in which you bet. For example, you can bet the Dallas Cowboys as a -7 point favorite to beat the Green Bay Packers or the Packers as a +7 point underdog.

What does a minus 5 spread mean?

In simple terms, a point spread is a bet on how much the favorite team will win by. If the team has a minus sign, that means they're the favorite and they'll have to win by the specified number or more for you to win your bet.

How do you read a bet spread?

What happens if the spread is 3 and they win by 3?

A spread of -3 means that that team must win by over 3 points to cover while a spread of +3 means that the team must win or lose by less than 3 points to cover. If a spread is +3 and the team loses by 3, the bet would be a push.

What does +/- mean in spread?

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.

What does +7.5 spread mean in NFL?

If you bet on them to win, they must beat the opposing team by at least 7.5 points. On the opposite side of the wager, the New England Patriots are the underdog to win. To beat the spread, they must close the point gap to within 7.5 points or win outright.

How do plus minus spreads work?

The Money Line: Odds for a game based on $1. A "minus" (-) preceding the number indicates the team is a favorite. A "plus" (+) preceding the number indicates the team is an underdog.

What does +8.5 mean in spread bet?

Let's say that a team is favored as 8.5 point favorites or written as -8.5. For the favored team to “cover the spread,” they must win by at least nine points. If they win by eight points or less, it doesn't matter that they won because they didn't cover the spread.

What does +7.5 spread mean on Fanduel?

When you bet the spread, you're betting on a team's margin of victory or defeat. So, if you bet on the favorite (indicated by the “-”), they have to win by more than the number shown. If you bet on the underdog (“+”), they have to win outright or lose by less than the number shown.

What does +13.5 spread mean in football?

So, if you bet on the Chiefs and they win the game, but by less than 13.5 points, you would lose that bet. If you bet on the Broncos you would win the bet if they win, OR if they lose by 13.5 points or less. A Chiefs 28-17 sounds great for Kansas City, but that's a winning bet for Denver.

How do you play the spread?

Bookmakers set a spread with the hopes of getting equal action on both sides of a game. For example, the Colts are a -3 point favorite against the Texans. The -3 points is the spread. If you want to bet the Colts on the spread, it would mean the Colts need to win by at least three points for you to win the bet.

How does spread vs moneyline work?

At its core, sports betting is putting money behind an outcome of your choice and getting paid if that outcome is achieved. If a bet is on the winner of a game, that is called a moneyline bet. If you're betting that a team will win or lose by a certain amount of points, that is called a spread bet.

What does +7.5 mean in alternate spread?

What Does a +7 Spread Mean? A spread of +7 means the underdog must either win the game or lose by fewer than 7 points to win the bet. Let's say an NFL game is listed like this: Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers.

Is negative spread good or bad?

Spread bets are always denoted by positive and negative versions of the same number next to each team's name. There must always be a positive and a negative. It's not possible to have two of each sign for a spread. The team with the negative (-) number is the favorite, or team predicted to win the game.

What does negative 7.5 spread mean?

For example, if a spread is (-7.5) points, your team needs to win by eight or more. If you bet on an underdog, they can lose by fewer than the assigned spread or win outright for you to win. For example, if a spread is (+5.5) points, your team can lose by 5 or fewer or win outright.

What happens if you don't cover the spread?

You win $100, and your total payout would be $210. You wager $110 on the Chiefs to cover the spread. But you are wrong, and the Chiefs only win by three, 17-14, which means they fail to cover as a 7.5-point favorite. This means the Broncos cover the point spread, and you lose $110.

Can you lose money on a spread?

If you lack sufficient funds in your spread betting account to enable you to hold your bet position when the market makes a large move, your spread betting firm will automatically close out your trade at a loss even if you wished to hold onto it.

Is a negative spread bad?

Betting on a team with a negative point spread means they are the favorites. If they still seem likely to win and cover, they can start to pay out pretty well. Some hate the idea of trusting the underdog team to stay competitive in a matchup.

What if the underdog wins the spread?

The underdog

For point spread betting purposes, the value of the point spread is added to the team's total as part of the wager. Bettors who choose the underdog win their wager when that team either wins the event outright OR loses by an amount less than the point spread.