The vast majority of point spread wagers are made on football and basketball because of the proliferation of points that are scored in comparison to sports like baseball and hockey, where 1-0 or 2-1 games aren’t that out of the question or out of the norm. Their goal is setting a pregame point spread with the intention to generate an equal amount of betting action/volume on both sides of the ledger – as much total money being bet on the favorite as on the underdog. Sports books aren’t in the business of predicting who will win or lose games. For an underdog: The underdog must outright win OR lose by fewer than the point spread.For a favorite: The favorite must win by more than the point spread.It’s not a matter of a team winning or losing like in a moneyline bet.
That’s why you’ll often hear people say the team won, but they “didn’t cover the spread” so their bet still came up short. Sports books set a predetermined margin of points on a game and a team must win – or not lose – by that set number. The point spread: Betting the spreadįor those new to sports betting, the point spread is the simplest, most straightforward approach to placing wagers. Understanding the different types of betting options is crucial when you’re getting a start as a first-time sports bettor. Auto Racing / NASCAR Picks and Predictions.NFL Fantasy Football Rankings, Sleepers and Analysis.
