Looking to increase your odds of winning on your next sporting bet? Learn more about how point spread betting works, and when best to use it, with our guide.
Are you an experienced bettor who feels like they have a handle on traditional betting methods? Are you looking for a more nuanced betting style that will give you a wider range of options when it comes to putting money down on your favourite teams?
If so, then we’d wager that point spread betting might be right up your alley.
What is point spread in betting?
A tried and tested betting format for many major US sports, point spread betting helps to level the odds between mismatched teams for a more exciting betting experience.
However, like prop betting and moneyline betting, point spread can definitely be a little confusing – at least at first glance – which is why we’ve broken down everything you need to know about the topic.
From the difference between covering the spread and betting against it, to the subtle distinction between spread betting and handicap betting, we’ve covered all the essential elements of this bet type below.
Point spread betting explained
A point spread bet, or betting spread, is a specific bet stating that one of the teams in question needs to either:
Win by a certain number of points.
Not lose by a certain number of points.
Or to put it another way, your chosen team must have a final score that sits past or within the spread bracket assigned to them (more on this soon).
Basically, the team you might be betting on doesn’t necessarily have to win the game in order for your bet to be successful – making point spreading a more balanced betting option should your chosen team be classed as the underdog for the game.
How does point spread betting work in action?
In order for a point spread to be calculated, a bookie will need to assess the skill difference between the two teams and assign one as the favourite and the other as the underdog. From here, they will then assign an equivalent point spread between the teams as an adjustable numerical value.
This spread value is then assigned to both teams in the form of a minus (-) and a plus (+), with the minus value going to the favourite and the plus to the underdog – the lower the value assigned, the lower the spread difference and the tighter the margin is for winning.
What all this means in principle is that, for the favourite to win, they must beat the underdog by a minimum of their assigned point value, which is calculated by subtracting their spread from their final score – if they’re still ahead, your bet wins.
In contrast, for the underdog to win, they must either win the game outright or lose by less than their assigned spread value. To calculate this, an underdog’s spread will be added to their final score at the end of the game, and if they come out ahead of the favourite, again, you win.
An example of a point spread bet in the NBA
Still not quite sure how spread betting works at the counter? Here’s an example of it applied to an NBA game.
Let’s say the Los Angeles Lakers are playing the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA. The Lakers enter the game as clear favourites, and the spread is set at 9.5 points. This means that the point spread market on the sportsbook would look like this:
Lakers -9.5
Pelicans +9.5
So, if you back the Lakers to cover the spread, then they must win the game by 10 points or more for your bet to be a winner. Alternatively, if you back the Pelicans against the spread, then they must either win or remain within 10 points of the Lakers’ score for your bet to come in.
Simple, right?
Why use point spread betting?
As you may already be able to tell, point spread betting comes with numerous advantages over standard betting options, allowing for different win potentials and making for a more subtle betting experience.
Specifically, point spread betting promotes the following benefits:
Not requiring your chosen team to win outright in order for you to win your bet.
Letting you bet on underdogs in mismatched games by evening the betting playing field.
Allowing you to bet on either team as a means of further guaranteeing a win.
Letting bettors rely more on their sports knowledge to assess how best to place their bets on a game-by-game basis.
Experienced bettors who are confident in their skills can make a custom spread bet if they think the score might be tighter or wider than those given by the bookie.
Do point spread bets include overtime?
Yes, point spread bets typically include overtime – so there’s still a chance for your team to close or exceed the gap should the game go into extra time.
What is the difference between betting against the spread and covering the spread?
Betting against the spread refers to betting on the underdog, as you’re betting that they will do better than the spread suggests. Covering the spread, on the other hand, refers to backing the favourite, as you’re confident that they will meet or exceed their assigned spread value.
How does point spread betting work in other sports?
For high-scoring games, such as the NBA and NFL, point spread betting works in the manner we’ve outlined above. However, that’s not to say it can’t be applied to lower-scoring sports, like NHL and MLB, where point margins are often very close.
For example, the NHL and MLB use a matching betting system known as Puck Line spreading and Run Line spreading.
Here, the spread will almost always sit at 1.5 (unless under specific circumstances), due to the relatively low-scoring nature of the sport – in this case, the favourite in an NHL game will be assigned a spread of -1.5, and the underdog will be set at +1.5.
Besides this, all the usual spread betting rules apply, with the favourite needing to win by at least two points, while the underdog needs to stay one point behind the favourite’s score, for you to win.
Try point spreading today with Betway
spreading is and how to bet against the spread. Which means there’s only one thing left to do – try it out for yourself!
Whether you’re an NBA aficionado or an NFL enthusiast, we cover spread betting for all major US sports. Head over to the relevant betting page today to see the odds and decide whether you think the latest underdogs have a chance of upsetting the favourites.
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