A point spread is used in sports betting to even the odds between two unevenly matched teams. Each team is given a point total by the oddsmaker that can either be added or subtracted to the final score, thus factoring into if the bet was won or lost. A spread of minus-seven (-7) means that a is favored to win the game by a touchdown (technically, a touchdown and the extra point). A team favored by -7 must win the game by eight or more points to win the bet. If the team wins by seven, the result is a “push” and the bet is refunded. Point spreads are determined by football 'experts' to even the playing field between two teams. Normally one team will be favored to win over another team. These 'experts' determine the number of points that one team will beat another team. For example, Chicago is favored to beat Minnesota by 10 points. What does “spread” mean as a sports betting term? An abbreviation for “point spread” or another term for “line.”The “spread” is the betting line or odds used to determine the.

• How Spread Works In Football
• Nfl Point Spread Betting Explained

In sports betting, there are just a few bets that are considered to be regular bets and the over/under is one of them. The over/under is a simple wager where the bettor decides whether the final score of a specific game will be over or under a published number. The number represents the sum total of points scored by both teams. Thus, you either bet on the over or the under.

Over/Under

The over/under is listed in the following manner with the visiting club first.

Chicago Bears

o/u 34.5

Minnesota Vikings

In this game, the over/under is listed with a decimal, which is an impossible outcome. That’s done to avoid a push, which means the total points for this game will end up either above or below the number posted. If the over/under were 34 or 35, then the teams could end up with 34 or 35 points. That would mean there would be a push, a tie, and all bets would be returned.

In our example if the point totals are under 35, the under wins, of they are over 34, the over bets win the money. It’s that simple.

Using the Spread with the Over/Under

In NFL sports betting, the over/under is not simply picked out of the air. Like the point spread, moneyline and all other bets, it’s based on a number of factors, including specific stats related to scoring offense and defense.

How Spread Works In Football

Prior to wagering on the over/under check out the point spread. This will tell you how close the experts believe the score will be. Compare that to the over/under number. That will give you a good example of how the scoring is expected to go.

Nfl Point Spread Betting Explained

In other words, if the point spread on the game listed above has Minnesota favored at

-10.5 that would mean that the scoring when considered against the over/under is expected to be something like:

Chicago 12

Minnesota 22

These numbers are approximate, but they give you a good idea of what 35 total points would look like if they follow the spread. If you think Chicago will score less but Minnesota will score about the same number of points, then you may want to go with the under. Likewise, if after doing your research you believe Minnesota will score another touchdown and Chicago will score about the same as you’ve figured, then you’d wager on the over.

However, what if the point spread has Chicago at -3.5? How would that look like with the same over/under?

Chicago 19

Minnesota 15

Once again, looking at that probable outcome based on coordinating the point spread with the over/under, you’d ask yourself if the point total for each team makes sense. If the totals don’t, then based on your analysis, you’d decided if more or less points would be scored by either team and also what your calculated over/under would be. Then you would bet on the published over/under.

Sports Betting is About Information

If you’re able to use all information at your fingertips, including numbers presented by the handicappers, you can objectively determine how accurate the over/under may be. Use this tool to help you make winning bets.

How do NFL Point Spreads Work?

(The Spread) - Are you wondering how do NFL Point Spreads work? The 2012 NFL regular season is almost here as bettors can hardly wait to get in on the action. The NFL is one of the biggest sports to bet on as it offers multiple betting options, like betting on the point spread, the over/under and picking the moneyline winner. In this article I will explain how NFL Point Spreads work.

This is basic information that you must know in order to make informed bets. A Point Spread is a range of numeric outcomes expressed in points and the bet is whether the outcome will be above or below the spread. This is where the pay-off is based on the accuracy of the wager, rather than a simple 'win or lose' outcome, such as fixed-odds (or money-line) betting. The point spread is essentially a handicap towards the underdog. The wager becomes 'Will the favorite win by more than the point spread?' Instead of a win or lose scenario. The spread is intended to create an equal number of wagers on either side for the bookmaker, where the implied probability is 50% for both sides of the wager.

Here is how the point spread works. Say the New England Patriots are playing the Pittsburgh Steelers and NFL oddsmakers have New England as -4 point favorites over the Steelers. This is how that would look on a betting website.

New England Patriots -4 (-115)

Pittsburgh Steelers +4 (+105)

This means if you pick the Patriots (-4) to cover the spread, the Patriots would have to win by more than four points. If the total at the end of the game is Patriots 25 Steelers 15 you would win. If you picked the Steelers (+4) to cover the spread, the Steelers would have to come within four points of the total score at the end of the game. So if the score at the end is Patriots 25 Steelers 24, you would win. Spreads are frequently, though not always, specified in half-point fractions to eliminate the possibility of a tie, known as a push. In the event of a push, the game is considered no action, and no money is won or lost.

The numbers in the brackets beside the NFL Spreads in the example above represents the amount you’d have to bet and the amount you would win. Since the Patriots are “The Favorites” you would have to bet $115 to win $100. If you picked “The Underdog” Steelers to cover the spread, you would have to bet $100 to win $105.

Doing some research before making a bet is smart and advantageous. If a certain team is an underdog, but is on a winning streak, you might want to go with the underdog where you bet minimal money to win big money. There’s nothing like the feeling of picking the underdog and winning, especially if they’re up against a heavy favorite. Sometimes talented players get hurt and will miss a game or two. This can also help you in your decision. Research when the last time this player, or players, where last out of the lineup and see how there team did. Did they lose or win without them?

Betting on sports is never a “Sure Thing” but doing your homework and analyzing team and player stats can definitely increase your odds.

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