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Points Spread Bet
Point spread in betting is a form of wagering in which margin of victory is taken into account rather than just the outcome of the game. Also known as "the spread", it is one of the most popular forms of betting that serves as a handicap between two opponents. In every sport, inequalities exist between two teams or opponents, and spread betting is effectively used in leveling the playing field by sportsbooks.
The main objective of point spread betting for sportsbooks is to create the opportunity for bettors to wager on teams in a given contest by evaluating their strength relatively against each other. It pretty represents oddsmaker's belief and the best market guesses at the numerical separation between two opponents involved in a contest. Point spread is increasingly popular in football and basketball, as well as baseball where it is known as "line" and hockey where it is referred to as "puck line".
How to Read a Point Spread
In explaining how point spreads are read, a practical example will be made between "Team A" and "Team B", taking a look into what number and side indicates.
.
Team A
+1.5
-120
Team B
-1.5
-120
The Handicap
The two teams in the contest have been closely examined by sportsbooks and have concluded the game has a high probability of being decided by just a point. Therefore, a handicap of 1.5 points is assigned to the game by oddsmakers. Here, there is what is called a "hook", which is the addition of 0.5 to what has been earlier decided as the winning margin. The "hook" is meant to avoid the possibility of a "push" where the result ends on the exact number the bettor has predicted. The half points simply eliminate the possibility of that.
The Favorite
The favorite of a contest in a point spread is identified with the negative sign in front of their handicap. In this scenario, Team B is deemed more likely to come out victorious in the game by the oddsmaker and has been made the point spread favorite for this contest. With a handicap of -1.5, the expectation of oddsmaker is that Team B wins the game by one or more points. Therefore, winning a point spread bet for Team B demands them to win the game by more than one point. The bet would be lost if Team B won the game by just a point or failed to win at all.
The Underdog
The underdog of a matchup in a point spread is identified with the positive sign in front of their handicap. Team A are the weaker team in terms of competitiveness in this scenario, and are deemed not to bring out anything from the game by the oddsmakers. Team A being +1.5 underdog in this matchup means they are expected to lose the game only by a point. Therefore, winning a point spread bet for Team A demands that they win the game outright or at least lose by exactly a point. The bet is lost when they lose by two or more points.
The Vig
In a point spread bet which involves handicap, sportsbooks assign what can be seen as a second set of odds which effectively serves as the prices for wagering on the game. These prices are referred to as the "vig" or the "juice" The oddsmakers have assigned for both favorite and underdog a vig of -120 in the game involving Team A and Team B. This adequately communicates to bettors that winning $100 in this game requires a stake of $120, with the total payout being $220. What can be won by bettors in this game is determined by their stake, respective towards the prices.
Covering the Spread
Assuming Team B ended up coming out victorious over Team A in the contest with a scoreline of $ 26-18. There is a win margin of 8 points, which is greater than the -1.5 point spread. Team B therefore covered the spread as they won by a bigger margin than the handicap.
Point Spread FAQs
What is the Purpose of Point Spread?
In most of the sports available to wager on by bettors on sportsbooks, there are few matchups in which the teams are evenly matched in terms of competitiveness. In essence, points spread attempts to create a line where each team involved in the game has similar odds covering the spread. This establishes a level playing field for both teams and extinguishes all forms of inequality that exist between them. Frequently in a point spread, the teams involved in the contest get to receive the same odds.
Which Sport Use Point Spread?
Point spread betting has become popular among bettors in a couple of sports today, especially in football and basketball. It pretty much serves as a great equalizer in the comparison of two teams involved in a game. Point spread betting is also used in the game of baseball where it is called "runline" as well as hockey where it is known as "puckline". In recent days, sportsbooks are beginning to diversify their offerings by introducing point spread betting into sports like tennis, golf, boxing, etc.
What is Push in Point Spread?
A push is a scenario when the point spread ends in a tie. It occurs in a situation in which the betting line matches the exact outcome. For example, if a spread is 7 and the favored team in the contest also wins by 7, that effectively becomes a push. When games have only spreads that are whole numbers and do not involve half points, there's a chance of it resulting in a push. A push is most likely to occur in a game of football or basketball. Bettors have their stake fully refunded when contests result in a push.
What Does PK or pick 'em Mean?
PK or pick 'em simply means that there is no spread due to the fact that the two teams involved in the contest are evenly matched. None of the two opponents is favored in the matchup and therefore sportsbooks do not make a spread available. In essence, whichever of the two competing teams a bettor picks prolly has to win the game outright. It is a kind of game deemed a complete toss-up by sportsbooks. This is quite rare in sports betting, as there is often a favorite in every game even if it's slight.
What Does the Negative and Positive Sign Indicate in Point Spread?
The positive and negative sign works in point spread exactly as it does in the moneyline. The negative sign is used in indicating the favorite team, which has a higher implied probability of winning the game. The positive sign on the other side represents the underdog, which holds a lower implied probability of winning the contest. The higher the number next to the negative sign is, the more favored the team is in the game. The higher the number next to the positive sign is, the less likely that the team comes out with a win.
Can Point Spread Change?
Just like every other sports betting market, point spread is an active market and is liable to change at any time until the start of the game. Sportsbooks can decide to move a spread depending on a number of factors which include injuries, weather, professional bettors decision and the likes. When scenario of this sort occurs, the spread is adjusted to accurately reflect the current situation by the sportsbook.
