What Is Points Spread Betting?

Betting on the point spread in sports betting, particularly basketball and football, is quite common. This is because, in these two sports, more points are scored during the game compared to other sports such as baseball and hockey. Therefore, before making a bet, it is vital to understand how point spreads operate.  Suppose bettors want the most value for their money and put themselves in the greatest position to win while betting against the spread. In that case, they should always pay attention to the movement of the lines and keep an eye on the odds offered by several sportsbooks.

Top 5 Rated Sportsbooks For Best Point Spreads

An Explanation of Spread Betting 

One of the most common forms of wagers placed at a sportsbook is the point spread, especially when betting on football and basketball. The point spread is a figure that oddsmakers use to make the playing field more level. It is a means for the bookmaker to level the playing field in a contest between two teams of unequal strength by either awarding points to the underdog or deducting points from the favorite in the final score.  Oddsmakers in the NFL, where spread betting is by far the most popular method for individuals to wager on sports, could decide to set the point spread for a matchup between the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 4.5 points. Score comparison between teams would be: For example, the New England Patriots are favored by 4.5 points (-110) over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+110). This indicates which team is the favorite (minus sign) and which club is the underdog (plus sign). If a bettor takes Tampa Bay to win the game on a spread of 4.5, the Bucs will need to win the game outright or lose by less than 4.5 points. The Pats have to win by 4.5 if a bettor wagers on them to win. 

How do oddsmakers formulate the spread on an event?

In the example above, the Patriots and the Buccaneers had odds of -110 next to the point spread. This betting line is used most often with a point spread. With odds of -110, bettors pay a 10% commission to the sportsbook for accepting their wager. This commission is often referred to as juice or vigorish, meaning that bettors must risk $110 to earn $100 on the point spread.  As the week progresses, bookmakers often lower the juice on one side of a game such that the line is something like -100 or -105. This allows bettors to gain $100 while risking less money than they would otherwise. Conversely, bettors are required to stake more money to win $100 on the point spread if a sportsbook raises the juice because more money is being wagered on one team than the other. Because their ultimate objective is to maintain an even level of activity on both sides of the bet, sportsbooks may sometimes adjust the juice, also known as the point spread, by either increasing it or decreasing it. When sportsbooks set the first spread that the public will see, they calculate the point spread by employing various parameters analyzed by computer algorithms and human oddsmakers.  A team’s record, its key statistics, the location of the game, whether the team performs better at home or on the road, public perception, and outside circumstances such as the weather, injuries, or the outcome of previous games played between the two teams in a matchup are all critical considerations.  The more significant the perceived gap between the two teams, the larger the point spread will be based on these considerations. Changes to any of these variables before the game can cause the spread to move.  For instance, if a team’s quarterback is ruled out halfway through the week, the sportsbook will adjust the point spread appropriately to reflect the loss of the injured player. This is done to account for the opposing team’s bigger advantage.

Can A Point Spread Change?

It is not unusual for point spreads to shift in both directions, which may occur numerous times within the space of only a few minutes or even hours. The closer it gets to the start of the game, the more likely it is that one will see this “line movement.” So what justifies the bookmakers’ decision to make these changes? There are several explanations for this, but the following are the three most prevalent.

Lopsided Action

The ultimate objective of a sportsbook is to have the same amount of money bet on both sides of every game or event. This will always, in theory, minimize the book’s financial risk and allow a maximum profit.  Imagine that several wagers totaling five figures are placed on a four-point underdog while the other side, a four-point favorite, has only gotten a few hundred dollars worth of bets. In this scenario, the book may modify the point spread to -3.5/+3.5 to bring the action into equilibrium (attracting more money on the favorite and less on the underdog). 

Injuries/Suspensions/Trades/Rest

If it becomes known that a key player won’t participate in the game, odds can be updated quickly and sometimes by a significant margin. For example, losing the quarterback in football, the pitcher or the best hitter in baseball, the best player in basketball, or the goalie in hockey will cause lines to move.  One can be sure that oddsmakers will adjust the point spread accordingly to reflect the updated competition if one of the players above is changed unexpectedly. The amount is determined by how valuable the player was to their squad. 

Weather Conditions

It should go without saying that this only applies to sports played outdoors. So this does not affect sports like the NBA or Hockey.  Adverse weather conditions such as wind, rain, or snow might cause a change in the point spread. However, these weather conditions more often cause line movements with totals (also known as the “Over/Under”) than spreads.

Top 5 Rated Sportsbooks For Favorable Point Spreads

Spread Betting FAQs

What Is Meant by the Term “Push” in Spread Betting? 

A game is considered a push when the final score is equal to the number specified on the spread before it began. For instance, if a bettor takes the Toronto Raptors to beat the Orlando Magic with a spread of -6 and the Raptors win the game by six, the wager is considered a push, which means that the user gets the money back and the game is regarded as a push. It is impossible for there to be a push in games with point spreads that include half points.

How Do You Make a Spread Bet Online?

• Sign into the online sportsbook of your choice. 
• Choose the sport you want to bet on by clicking it, then look at the list of games to see the spreads. 
• Choose your team by clicking on the favorite (minus) or the underdog (plus). 
• Decide how much you will put on the line with this game, and then make the wager for the amount desired. 

Should You Place Your Bets on Spreads? 

Bets with point spreads are advantageous because they enable users to wager on underdogs without exposing them to the associated financial risk. One further advantage of spread betting is that it allows users to bet online without making them deal with complex odds and riskier parlay wagers.