The sports betting point spread is one of the most popular betting options available to sports fans around the world. Though it may seem simple at first glance, you’ll find that this form of betting has intricacies and nuances that you need to understand to win big bets over time. This guide will help you understand the different types of point spreads used by sportsbooks and how they affect your chances of winning at various odds on any given wager. Let’s get started!
What is point spread betting?
Point spread betting, also known as an odds spread, is the most popular type of sports wager. It pits two teams against each other, where one team must win by more than a set number of points. Most bettors wager on their favourite team, meaning they would have to win by more than three points or more for the bet to pay off. If you predict that a certain team will lose by less than three points, you are betting on the underdog.
How do sportsbooks set odds?
Sportsbooks set odds by considering who is favoured, the point spread, and the amount wagered. As long as the outcome of a game doesn’t affect the betting line for that game, it can be used as an indicator of what to expect. The more favoured a team is, the lower the point spread will be, all other things being equal. Likewise, the higher the favoured team is over its opponent, the higher they need to lay on a point spread because they will be expected to win by more points with each possession. When deciding which game to bet on, you want to look at teams’ records and recent performance trends.
What are the different types of spreads?
Four different types of point spreads are used in betting on sports. They can be a positive or negative spread and be either a straight-up bet, an underdog bet, or a favourite bet. Positive point spreads are where the favourite will have more points than the underdog and will be the wager most people make when they know who they think will win. Negative point spreads indicate how many points you will receive if you put money on the underdog instead of the favourite. The third type is called over/under, betting whether the total combined score (points for both teams) will be over or under a certain number set by Vegas oddsmakers.
Can you predict them?
Since sports betting is a game of probability, there are many ways to make your picks. You can stick with the traditional point spread and put your faith in whichever team you believe will emerge victorious. Alternatively, you can try to use a more advanced strategy by using the money line or betting on over/under totals. In these types of bets, it’s not about who wins but how much the winning team covers or how much they beat the total score.
Conclusion
Sports betting is a popular hobby, and point spreads are the most basic way to bet on a team. The higher the line or point spread between the teams, the more likely that team is going to win. Before making any bets on this type of sports betting strategy, ensure you understand which type of point spread you’re dealing with.