Learn to Bet on Sports: What is a Point Spread and How to Bet Them

It is the most popular form of sports betting today. It can also be quite confusing for the novice bettor. Betting on the point spread can be both fun and rewarding as long as you understand exactly what you are getting into.

What is a Point Spread?

There are numerous definitions of the term “point spread.” It is a number established by oddsmakers to provide an advantage or disadvantage based on the margin of victory for a given team. It is also an equalizer for sportsbooks to attract an even amount of money on both teams involved.

A point spread works to even out two unevenly matched teams. Without a point spread, bettors would simply wager on the favorite in every matchup. To attract wagers on an underdog, sportsbooks select a number of points the favorite must win by, or “cover”, this number is the point spread and how you bet “against the spread”.

How the Spread Works

When a sportsbook establishes a point spread for a given game, it creates a favorite and an underdog. Let’s use the following NFL example.

HOUSTON       +10 (-110)

KANSAS CITY -10 (-110)

The favorite is identified by the minus “-“ sign (giving points) and the underdog is indicated by the plus “+” sign (getting points).

In this example, Kansas City is the favorite (-10) and Houston is the underdog (+10). The spread indicates that in order to win a bet on Kansas City “against the spread”, the Chiefs must win by more than 10 points. Likewise, a winning bet on Houston occurs when the Texans win or lose by fewer than 10 points.

Essentially, in the betting world, before kickoff, the score was Houston 10 – KC 0.

If the point differential between the two teams at the end of the game was exactly 10 points, a “push” occurs. In the case of a push there is no winner or loser. The bettor receives his or her wager back. Learn more, read what is a push?

In order to avoid a push, sportsbooks will often post odds in halves. Instead of a 7-point spread – a common point differential in football – a sportsbook may post a 6.5-point or 7.5-point spread.

Note: when you wager two or more point spread bets in a single wager, that is called betting a parlay.

What Does the (-110) Mean?

In the example, the (-110) refers to the price of the bet. Essentially, it is the brokerage fee or commission paid to the sportsbook for executing the wager. The fee is often referred to as “juice” or “vig” which is short for vigorish.

Placing a bet on Kansas City to cover the 10-point spread would mean the bettor must risk $110 in order to win $100. If the Chiefs do cover, the bettor receives the $110 wager and the $100 winnings – a total of $210 – in return.

In a perfect world, sportsbooks would set the juice at -110 and command an even amount of betting action on both teams. That doesn’t always happen, so there are times when you may see a bet listed at -105 or even -115 or -120. There are also some wagers that offer even odds, which will pay out whatever the amount of your bet.


What is the “Spread” in Sports Betting


Point Spread Movement

It is common in the sports betting world for point spreads to shift.

A number of factors can influence a sportsbook to change the spread.

In the Kansas City-Houston example, an injury to Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes could lead to a change. A weather forecast that shows the game will be played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City in a driving snowstorm could have a similar effect.

Remember the goal of the sportsbook as well. The idea is to attract an equal amount of betting action on both sides of a bet. Moving the spread is one way to do so.

Depending upon the direction of the line movement, a bettor may have gained an advantage or be put at a disadvantage. Let’s say the following change occurs:

HOUSTON TEXANS +13.5 (-110)

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS -13.5  (-110)

If you were fortunate enough to put your wager on Kansas City in when the spread was -10, you have a distinct advantage over those who bet on the Chiefs at these new odds. The Chiefs only have to win by 11 or more for you to win, but they must win by 14 or more for those who bet on K.C. at -13.5.

One feature that ScoresAndStats.com is proud to offer is line shopping and odds comparison. We have real point spreads from our trusted sportsbooks, getting you the best line for your bet. You can find this in EVERY preview for EVERY game in the major sport leagues. Leading up to every game, visit our pick pages to see this feature in action. Take a look at the NFL picks page here.

Run Lines and Puck Lines

Because of the lower scoring in baseball and hockey, point spreads are different in those sports. Baseball uses a “run line” and hockey uses a “puck line.” In both sports the run line or puck line is set at -1.5 for the favorite and +1.5 for the underdog. The lines never change, but the odds will vary.

DETROIT RED WINGS -1.5 (-175)

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS +1.5 (+150)

In the above example, the Red Wings are favored and must win by two or more goals in order to produce a winning bet. The number in parentheses is the odds you are paying for that side. You will have to pay $175 to win $100 when betting on the Red Wings on the puck line.

A $100 wager on Toronto would result in $250 if the Maple Leafs win or lose by one goal. The bettor receives the $100 bet and the $150 in winnings back.

Point Spread Betting FAQ

What Is PK in Betting?

The term “PK” is an abbreviation for “pick’em”, which is equivalent to a -0/+0 point spread. When a game is expected to be very close, the point spread will be a PK, which is the same as betting the moneyline.

What Does 1.5 Mean in Betting?

If the point spread is -1.5, the team is favored and needs to win by 2+ points for the bet to cash. If the spread is +1.5, the team can lose the game by 1 point or win the game for the bet to cash.

What Does -2 Mean in Betting?

If the point spread is listed at -2, the team needs to win by 3 or more points. If they win by exactly 2 points, the bet is a push (tie). If the team only wins by 1 point, the bet will lose.

What Does 2.5 Mean in Betting?

A point spread of -2.5 means the team needs to win by 3 or more points to cash the bet. If the spread is +2.5, the team can either win the game or lose by 2 or less points and the bet will win.

What Does -3 Mean in Betting?

A negative point spread means the team needs to win by X amount of points. So, -3 in betting means that the team needs to win by 3+ points. If they win by exactly 3, the bet is a push. If they win by 4 or more points the bet will win and if they win by 2 or less or lose the game, the bet would lose.

What Does -4 Mean in Betting?

As you now know, a negative point spread means the team needs to win by X amount of points. The spread -4 in betting means the team needs to win by 5+ points for the bet to win. If the team wins by 4 points, the bet is a tie. If the team wins by three or less points or loses, the bet loses.

What Does -5 Mean in Betting?

A team favored by a -5 point spread needs to win by 6 points to cash the bet. A win by 5 points means the bet is a push and if the team wins by 4 or fewers points or loses, the bet will be a non-winner.

What Does -7 Mean in Betting?

A common football point spread is -7. The spread -7 means the team needs to win by 7+ points. A win by exactly 7 points means the bet will push. If the team wins by 8+ points, a -7 spread bet will win.