Point Spread Betting Guide
What Does Point Spread Mean?
With money line you are only wagering on who will win the match straight up. With spread betting you are predicting by how much a favourite team will win or how close the underdog will be in the contest (or win it). In sports like basketball and football, the point spread is a flat number of points. Let’s imagine there is a Warriors/Celtics game. If the Warriors are -6 on the point spread, the bookmaker believes they are a six-point favourite. So from their final score, you would need to subtract six points.
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What Is An Against The Spread Bet?
If you wager on the Warriors -6, it means that they would have to win by seven or more points for your bet to payout. If they win by exactly six points, it is called a push, and you will get your money refunded. You can also wager on the Celtics +6, and in this scenario, your bet will hit if they either win or if they lose by five or fewer points. If they lose by exactly 6 points, it will be a push with your money that will be returned.
This market is called puck line and run line in hockey and baseball. In these sports, unless the two teams are very unbalanced, the spreads will almost always be -1.5. You will find daily point spreads betting picks on our dedicated page across all the most important US sports.
Why Do Spread Lines Change?
Spreads tend to fluctuate leading up to a game for several reasons. The line could be affected if a key player is unavailable due to injury. Oddsmakers are also adjusting the spreads in response to bettors actions, especially the proven winners, called sharps. If plenty of sharps money is on one side, for instance, Warriors -6, sportsbooks might move the spread in that direction and make the Warriors -7.
