Darrell Thompson The point spread is a common wager in sports betting that helps to make the playing field even between two opponents of unequal strength. It is betting on the winning margin or the difference in points or goals between the winner and the loser.
A bet on the point spread
You must decide if a favorite will win by more than their point spread or if the underdog will pull off an upset or lose by less than their spread. In online sports betting, it is more challenging to bet on a favorite to cover the spread than for it to have an outright win. If you bet on the underdog, an outright win isn’t necessary for your bet to win.
How to read a point spread
Representing the point spread is a plus and a minus number. The team that’s the favorite to win gets the minus sign, and the other team gets the plus sign. The number is the same for both teams. For example, if the favorite is a -5, it must win by five points or more. A +5 underdog must lose by no more than five points or get an outright win.
If the difference is exactly five points, the bet is considered a ‘push,’ and you will get your money back. Another instance when you get money at a casino is with cashback programs, where cash accumulates automatically based on your total bet amounts.
To prevent a ‘push,’ bookmakers add a half point to the spread. This means that a -3.5 favorite must win by at least four points to cover the bet. If the favorite doesn’t win by at least four points, a bet on the +3.5 underdog would hit.
How much money do you win?
Point spread betting is very popular in football and basketball, two major sports on the sports events calendar in the U.S.
The number next to the point spread, or vigorish, is the tax a sportsbook charges to make the bet and how it makes its money. The ‘vig’ will tell you how much money you stand to win if your bet cashes.
Vig numbers are based around $100, and the standard ‘vig’ on a point spread or total is -110. You must risk a minus number to win $100 and your original bet back. Bet $100 on a plus number, and you make $100 in profit if the bet wins.
