Bodog’s Betting Tutorial: Point Spread Explained
When it comes to sports talk, you might’ve heard the phrase “the spread” being tossed around during games; covering the spread, betting on the spread, spread points, spread betting. These terms, and others like them, refer to the point spread, and it’s an extremely common type of bet. You may even notice there’s a ton more excitement surrounding the spread than the actual game!
When it comes down to it, the point spread is an entirely different way to view the game. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll see that it also brings with it incredible opportunities to make bank, especially in games with opposing sides that are totally lopsided from the start.
In fact, point spread betting at Bodog Casino is the second most popular way to bet on most major sports (next to the moneyline), including the NFL, NBA, EPL, and more. If you don’t want to miss out on the action of spread betting, we’ll explain in detail how it’s done and how you, too, could be the one celebrating, even if your favourite team technically lost the game.
Spread betting makes it all possible, and this is how it’s done. Are you spready?
What Does +/- Actually Mean?
You’ll know you’re looking at a point spread when you see plus (+) and minus (-) signs next to their spread points, followed by their odds.
The plus sign (i.e. +4.5) is given to the underdogs. The positive points you see are added to the final score of the game, which essentially gives them a head start.
The minus sign (i.e. -4.5) is for the favourites. The negative points you see are subtracted from their final score in the game, which is referred to as a handicap.
Sometimes there is a “.5” point for each team. This is commonly done so that the bet does not end in a push, or a tie – with both teams on ‘0’ – and so a full point is still in play..
How do you know the winner on a point spread?
Essentially, the point spread is the sportsbook levelling the playing field before the match even begins. The underdog is given more points, and the favourite receives fewer than the default of zero. In order for your team to win in point spread betting, they have to “cover”, or outperform, that number of points.
That means you can still bet on your favourite team, even if you don’t imagine they’d actually win. You can still celebrate even if they technically lost!
Point Spread Example
Let’s take an example of a point spread in action so you can see how a team could win it. This is the point spread from Super Bowl 55, when the Chiefs faced off against the Buccaneers.
Kansas City Chiefs: -3.5 (-110)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: +3.5 (-110)
If you bet on Kansas City to win against the spread, it wouldn’t be enough for them to win the game outright. They would have to win by at least 4 points in order for this bet to be considered a win.
If you bet on Tampa Bay, they could either win the game outright or lose by 1-3 points, and still be considered a win against the spread.
As we well know, the winners of Super Bowl LV were the Bucs by a big margin (31-9), and the bettors who backed the underdogs were paid handsomely for their assumption of risk.
Can The Spread Change?
Simply put, yes. When a point spread changes, it’s referred to as the “lines” moving. It does happen frequently, and this is why:
The sportsbook determines the spread based on multiple factors that fluctuate and evolve throughout the season, which include wins/losses, individual performances, team changes of any kind, and injuries. As the game draws closer, the biggest line-changing factor is the volume of bets on either side.
So let’s look at Super Bowl 55 again.
As soon as the teams for the Super Bowl were announced, the Chiefs were the -3.5 favourites, and the Buccaneers were the +3.5 ‘dogs, just as they were before:
Kansas City Chiefs: -3.5
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: +3.5
Since many bettors were banking on Tom Brady, they flooded the market with money on the Buccaneers as the game got closer. In an effort to balance out the books and make backing the Chiefs more appealing, the sportsbook changed the odds:
Kansas City Chiefs: -3.0
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: +3.0
This closed the gap of the point margin, and made the Chiefs more enticing to bet on. In this case, the difference was very small at just 0.5 points. In some cases, you might see the line move more dramatically; from 3.5 to 4.5 or more.
The general rule of thumb is that when you see the margin of points growing bigger, the majority of the bets are being placed on the favourites. If you see the spread tightening up, it means most bets are being placed on the underdogs.
Why Is Point Spread Betting So Popular?
Considering that the moneyline is such a simple bet based on the outright winner of the game, you might be wondering why point spread betting, which is slightly more complicated, is so popular.
For one, betting on the spread allows you to have more fun in imbalanced games. As much as we love watching our favourite team win, nothing is really fun about watching one dominant team consistently thump another again and again. Throwing a spread in the mix makes the game even, and more exciting for both sides to watch.
Another reason is that the point spread allows you to back your favourite team, even if they’re not technically doing so hot in the season. Even if the Minnesota Timberwolves are 23-49 for the season, that doesn’t mean they won’t be able to win against the 76ers with a +6.5 point head start.
When it comes down to it, point spread betting at Bodog Casino is actually pretty easy. It might take you a few tries before you get the hang of it, but when you do, you’ll be enjoying a whole new side of your favourite sport and, hopefully, cashing out on it as well!
Feel free to head over onto our recent article explaining some more general information on sports betting in Canada.
See you over there!