What Is Point Spread Betting? Point Spread Vs Moneyline Betting

This numbers consists of the first betting line received from one of our Las Vegas or Global Sportsbooks. The opening line varies depending on the sportsbook but it provides a clear-cut rating that the oddsmakers use. If you’re betting on the NFL or any other sport, it’s a great idea to view the open line first.

Again, this is where being familiar with the sport you’re betting on can come in handy. Even if you’re not a paid analyst, you should still know what stats are important and whether one team stands out over the other. Next, you’ll want to think about the strengths and weaknesses of both teams involved. Moving average This is where it helps to bet on sports you’re familiar with and watch regularly. One of the first things you should do is look at the betting line of a game, as well as the history of that betting line. As we mentioned above, bookmakers are at liberty to change point spreads if they wish.

When Is The Best Time To Make A Single Bet?

Instead of looking at the game as a whole, break it down into quarters. How many points do you think each team will score in the first quarter? Once you’re able to look at all your stats and information and make a prediction, move on to the second quarter. Either bet can also be wagered during a given halftime or single quarter. For one football game, you could conceivably bet the over/under on seven different occasions . From our NFL sample, you can see the Bills are getting 4.5 points while the Steelers are laying 4.5.

You have to continuously check the odds to make sure you are getting the best value for your wager. Similar to college football point spread bets, college level basketball also has some enticing opportunities. In the same way, college basketball teams can be mismatched in a game based on skill level. NFL point spreads can vary greatly from college football point spreads. However, in college football, there can be much more serious mismatches based on talent. College football games can be very high-scoring events as well.

Sportsbook Advertising Is A Total Game

Without a point spread, it would be too easy for bettors to simply take the favorite in every matchup. That’s similar as to why you see moneyline betting odds priced accordingly. Football and basketball are the most synonymous with spread betting. However, it’s good to keep in mind where the other sports come into play when wagering. Whether wagering on collegiate basketball or the NBA, the process of betting on point spreads does not change.

Lines tend to move together across different sites, but they don’t always move together. The Mice still need to cover 21.5 points to win this bet, but instead of getting paid out at (-110) you are now getting paid out at (-115). On the other side of the bet, the Toads bet is the same spread but is now paying out better at (-105) instead of (-110). A $10 bet on the Mice would have paid $9.09, but now it only pays $8.70. A $10 bet on the Toads would have paid $9.09, but now it would pay $9.52. Again, it doesn’t seem like much, but it makes a difference in the long run.

Shop Your Spreads

However, point spread bettors will be on the edge of their seat waiting to see if the underdog can close the point spread gap. Players get to utilize the entirety of their sports knowledge to predict how certain teams will matchup and what the overall outcome will be. As mentioned in the previous example, +5 and -5 reflect the point spread margin between two teams. The spread is set by sportsbooks in the build up to a match and depends on numerous different factors. This is because sports like football and basketball do not have half points.

With a moneyline bet we don’t care how they win as long as they are the winner at the end. Since moneyline is picking a winner it doesn’t get any simpler than that. As is the case with most major league spread betting, overtime counts in NHL betting. And if the game includes shootouts, the final score will reflect the winner of the shootout with the addition of one goal to the victor’s game total. With the point spread, your bet will require more thought, as you’re picking a team to win against the spread, not straight up. With this extra step, you get extra benefits; it’s easier for the underdog bet to come through and more challenging for the favorite to win.

The Connection Of The Point Spread To The Moneyline

If the spread bet hits but they lose the game, you’d get paid $31.82 in profit. You would lose your $15 moneyline bet, but you’d still walk away with a profit of $16.82. But, if BYU happens to win the game, you’d get $31.82 on your spread bet, plus you would get $49.50 in profit on your moneyline bet for a total profit of $81.32. You could just bet the spread bet and take home an easy $31.82. But, if you want to take a little risk on some of your profit and go for the big win, this is a great way to do it. Designed to create action on both sides when one is deemed superior to the other, point spread betting was invented by mathematician Charles K. McNeil and introduced in the early 1940s.

Penn State is +6.5 and needs to either lose by 1-6 points, or win the game, to cover the spread and win the bet. For spread bets, this can mean the favorite is winning by a huge margin, or the underdog seems about to pull off an upset. A sportsbook will sometimes let you cash out of a bet before the outcome is official.

How To Handicap Nfl Point Spreads?

As you may know, it’s possible to ignore the point spread of a game and make bets only based on the moneyline. It’s important to understand the difference between the two methods so you can follow a betting strategy that works for you. When you bet on a game using the point spread, you don’t necessarily pick the team you think is going to win. You pick either the favorite or the underdog to win against the spread. Most sports bettors and handicappers use the acronym when referring to a teams won loss record against the spread AKA ATS.

In that scenario, betting on Alabama to cover the point spread won’t be as appealing as it was a couple of days ago. If you decide to start making bets against the spread, one thing you should keep in mind is that betting lines betting the spread don’t always stay stagnant. Remember that bookmakers usually prefer betting to be relatively equal on both sides of the spread. If someone you know bet $110 on the opposite result, that person lost all of that money.

It is also possible for spreads to include half points (eg. 3.5, 7.5, etc), in which case it would not be possible for the bet to push. Your guide to placing a legal, online sports bet on the 2020 World Series, with betting the spread tips and advice for betting on baseball. It’s not a matter of a team winning or losing like in a moneyline bet. Point spreads are subject to change based on where the money is going and weekly injury reports.

Posted by: Paul R. La Monica