What Is a Point Spread? Point Spread Betting Explained

Point spread betting is a popular sports betting market in the US, with odds and lines available across NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, soccer, and more.

This guide will outline the details of spread betting across various sports and games, with examples of how you can bet on point spreads included. Fanatics Sportsbook offers point spread betting markets across a range of sports and events.

What is the Point Spread?

In sports betting, a point spread is a points advantage or disadvantage between two teams, set by sportsbooks to level the playing field.

Traditional moneyline betting allows you to wager on a team to win a game, while point spread betting focuses on each team to cover or fail to cover a specific spread. For example, a favorite in an NFL game may have a point spread of -3.5, with the underdog point spread at +3.5. Point spreading effectively aims to even things out between favorites and underdogs.

Point spread betting is available on the NFL, NBA, soccer, MLB, NHL, and more with Fanatics Sportsbook. Join Fanatics Sportsbook and get $350 in bonuses when you bet $20, by clicking 'CLAIM NOW' below.

Reading the Spread, Favorites vs Underdogs

The aim of point spreads is to level the playing field in games between favorites and underdogs, with varying point spreads available depending on how big sportsbooks deem the mismatch between two teams.

A favorite is given a negative (-) point spread, meaning they must win by that amount or more for your wager to win. An underdog is given a positive (+) point spread, meaning they can lose by up to that amount and your wager will still win.

Point Spread Bet Example:

The Seattle Seahawks is -200 moneyline favorites against the New England Patriots, who is +175 moneyline underdogs.

As the Seahawks is moneyline favorites, sportsbooks have set their point spread line to -3.5 points. If you back the Seahawks on the -3.5 point spread, they must win by 4 points or more for your wager to land. If the Seahawks win by 2 points, your spread bet will lose. Point spread betting allows bettors to get bigger odds on favorites.

As the Seahawks is -3.5 on the point spread, this means the underdogs, the Patriots, is +3.5 on the point spread.

If you back the Patriots on the +3.5 point spread, they must win the game outright, or lose by 3 points or less for your wager to land. If the Patriots lose by 4 points or more, your spread bet will lose.

Point Spread Odds (-110) Explained

Standard pricing on spread lines is typically -110 for each team. This pricing strategy from sportsbooks is called the vig or juice, which is a fee that acts as a commission to the sportsbook in order to ensure that they make a profit on the spread.

By pricing both teams at -110 on the point spread, sportsbooks are guaranteed to make 10% commission from the vig, assuming bets are even across both the favorite and the underdog to cover. Sportsbooks also offer alternate point spread lines, which are priced bigger or shorter to the standard -110 point spread pricing structure.

Plus and Minus Odds Explained

Sports betting is made up of plus (+) and minus (-) odds. Plus odds represent the underdog and indicate profit on a $100 wager, and minus odds represent the favorites and the amount required to wager to win $100. Even odds are priced at +100.

Here are a few examples of plus, minus, and even money betting odds and payouts, looking at alternative spreads:

Covering the Spread

To win a point spread bet in sports betting, the favorite must win by more than the spread, or the underdog must win the game, or lose by fewer points than the spread. Spread betting allows sports bettors to wager on favorites and underdogs.

Favorite Covers

Given that the favorite is deemed the most likely winners by sportsbooks, they are given a negative (-) point spread, effectively giving them a disadvantage to level the playing field.

In order for the favorite to cover the spread, they must win the game by more than the assigned spread number.

If a team is -4.5 on the point spread and you bet on them to cover, they must win by 5 points or more for your bet to come in. If they win the game by 4 points or less, or lose the game, your bet loses.

Underdog Covers

Given that the underdog is deemed unlikely winners by sportsbooks, they are given a positive (+) point spread, effectively giving them an advantage to level the playing field.

In order for the underdog to cover the spread, they must win the game, or lose by less than the assigned spread number.

If a team is +6.5 on the point spread and you bet on them to cover, they must win the game, or lose by 6 points or fewer, for your bet to land. If they lose the game by 7 points or more, your bet loses.

Pushes

Pushes in point spread bets are a tie between the bettor and sportsbook, which results in your stake being refunded as cash.

Pushes can only happen if the point spread is set as a whole number, such as -3 or +5. Pushes are when the final score lands on the sportsbook's line, voiding the bet.

For example, if you back a favorite to cover a -3 point spread, and they win by exactly 3 points, this is a push, and your bet will be refunded. Likewise, if you back an underdog to cover a +5 spread and they lose by exactly 5 points, this will result in a push, too.

Typically, sportsbooks use a half-point point spread system (for example, -3.5, or +5.5) to avoid pushes, as your bet is either a winner or a loser with this half-point method.

Common Point Spread Terms

ATS

ATS is short for Against The Spread, which is a betting format where rather than betting on a moneyline result, you are betting on favorites to cover a negative spread, or underdogs to cover a positive spread.

Hook

The hook is the half-point that is added on to the point spread, for example, with the hook the spread would be +2.5 instead of +2. The hook is added to prevent the possibility of a push, and ensure that your bet either wins or loses.

Cover

By betting on a team to cover, you are betting on them to perform better than the spread set by the sportsbook. If a team has a -4.5 point spread, they must win by 5 points or more to cover. If a team has a +6.5 point spread, they must win outright, or lose by 6 points or less to cover.

Point Spread Betting FAQs

How does a point spread bet work?

A point spread bet works by betting on a favorite to cover a negative (-) point spread, meaning they must win by that amount or more for your wager to come in, or by betting on an underdog to cover a positive (+) point spread, meaning they can lose by up to that amount, or win the game outright, and your wager will still win. Point spread betting attempts to level the playing field between favorites and underdogs.

How do you place a spread bet?

Placing a spread bet on sports is simple with Fanatics Sportsbook. Navigate to the game or event you want to bet on via the Fanatics Sportsbook app, find the point spread markets, and make your picks. Once you are happy with your picks, you can place your wager on the app.

Fanatics Sportsbook offers point spread markets and alternative point spread lines for NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, soccer, and more. You can combine spread bets into parlays with Fanatics Sportsbook, combining various games and sports.

What does negative spread mean?

A negative point spread is provided for favorites. A negative (-) point spread means that the team must win the game by more points than the point spread for your bet to win.

For example, if you wager on a team to cover a -5.5 point spread, they must win by 6 points or more for your bet to win. If the team wins by 5 points or less, or loses the game, your bet loses.

What does positive spread mean?

A positive point spread is provided for underdogs. A positive (+) point spread means that the team must win the game outright, or lose by fewer points than the point spread for your bet to win.

For example, if you wager on a team to cover a +5.5 point spread, they must win outright, or lose by 5 points or fewer for your bet to win. If the team loses by 6 points or more, your bet loses.

What happens if a point spread bet pushes?

If a point spread bet pushes, you will receive your stake back as cash. A point spread bet can only push if the spread you bet on is a whole number, such as -3 or +5.

If you wager on a favorite with a -3 spread and they win by exactly 3 points, your wager is settled as a push. Likewise, a push will also be the outcome if you back an underdog with a +5 point spread, and they lose by exactly 5 points.

Sportsbooks often use a half-point point spread system to avoid pushes completely. In the case of parlays, if one of your selections ends in a push, that leg will typically be removed and the total wager will be re-calculated by the sportsbook.

Can you bet alternate point spreads?

Yes, several sportsbooks offer alternative point spread lines, including Fanatics Sportsbook. Alternative point spread lines and markets give you greater control over your point spread bets, with full flexibility over how many points you want to back the favorite or underdog to cover.

Which sportsbooks offer point spread betting?

Fanatics Sportsbook offers point spread betting markets across NFL markets, as well as NBA, soccer, MLB, and NHL games. You can also access a range of alternative point spread markets with Fanatics Sportsbook, as well as team and player prop lines, futures markets, and more.

Which sports use point spread betting?

Point spread betting is available across a range of sports, including NBA, NFL, soccer, NHL, MLB, and more. Fanatics Sportsbook offers point spread betting markets for all of these sports, as well as a range of alternative point spread betting lines.

Reviewed By Fanatics Insider