A popular bet type in football and basketball, point spread betting involves wagering on the margin of victory between two competing sides, where one is a favorite and the other is the underdog. It aims to level the playing field, creating better odds and adding more excitement to sports betting.
Want to learn more about betting the point spread and how it works in the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, soccer, etc? We’ll inform you with all the essential details about this bet type – how to bet against the spread, the pros and cons of the wager, how to read odds, plus much more.
What is Point Spread Betting?
What is point spread in betting? It refers to the point, run, or goal margin a team must win or lose by for a bet to be successful. Although more commonly used in football and basketball, point spread bet is becoming increasingly popular across other sports in the United States. Known as handicap betting in soccer, point spread is also called the run line in baseball, and the puck line in hockey’s NHL.
In every sporting event, the competing sides cannot have the same level of skill or ability, as there’s always the favorite team or athlete expected to win comfortably and the underdog, who is more likely to lose. In a bid to level the playing field, sportsbooks make a point spread that creates a form of handicap between the opponents. This is a great way to spice up sports wagering and increase bettors’ chances of winning. Now, we have point spread betting explained.
Betting on the point spread is exciting because it makes wagering on the underdogs seem more attractive, compelling bettors to stake on that team or player. This bet type differs from a moneyline wager or over/under betting, as it requires a deeper knowledge of the sport and competing sides to “beat the spread” and land a win.
How to Read and Understand Point Spreads
Understanding how to read a point spread is essential for anyone looking to answer the question – ‘how does point spread betting work?’ The point spread, often represented as a positive (+) or negative (-) number, provides crucial information about the predicted margin of victory or defeat between two teams.
Typically, point spread odds are displayed in a half-point format (+.5 or -.5) on the best spread betting sites in the US, ensuring no tie in any bet, as a winner and loser must emerge.
Now, we’ll explain what these plus and minus signs signify and illustrate their meaning with relevant examples.