Have you ever found yourself watching a game and thinking, “I bet they’ll win by more than 10 points”? Well, that’s where point spread betting comes into play. It’s like a balancing act for sportsbooks to level the playing field between mismatched teams. Imagine the Miami Heat are set to play against the Orlando Magic, and everyone expects the Heat to blow out their opponent. To make things interesting, bookmakers might set a point spread of -9 for the Heat. This means they need to win by at least 10 points for you to cash in on your bet.
Examples of Point Spread Betting
Now, let’s say it’s Sunday, and you’re eyeing an NFL showdown between the New England Patriots and New York Jets. The Patriots are favorites, so they might have a point spread of -7.5. If you back them, they need to triumph by 8 points or more for your bet to be victorious. On the flip side, if you’ve got faith in the underdog Jets with a +7.5 spread, they can either win outright or lose by up to 7 points for you to cash your sports betting ticket.
Betting on point spreads isn’t just about picking winners; it’s about gauging how teams will perform. Odds usually hover around -110 for both sides, meaning you’d wager $110 to win $100. But keep your eyes peeled. These spreads can shift before game time based on where bettors are putting their money or if there’s breaking news like an injury update.
Point spreads are typically available for football and basketball. Baseball and hockey have similar spreads that go along with moneylines. In baseball, it is called a run lin, and in hockey, it is a puck line.
In baseball, the run line is usually 1.5. There is also a moneyline attached to it as the typical -110 point spread lay does not work here. Moving a baseball moneyline to a run lie typically flips the money. For example, if a baseball team is -130 on the moneyline, it will end up as an underdog on the run line. For example, the team laying 1.5 runs would flip to about +150 or more and the one receiving +1.5 could be -170 here, depending on which is the home team. It takes a large favorite for the team laying 1.5 runs to still lay odds there, too.
Hockey has a puck line. It is usually -1.5. However, a lopsided match-up can become -2.5. Like baseball, the team laying the puck line is typically an underdog on the money when laying the goals.
Always Gamble Responsibly
It may be tempting to bet that huge favorite, or even parlay a basket of them. Upsets are always possible. There is no such bet as a sure thing. There are few rewards and a mountain of risk backing massive favorites on the moneyline.
Huge underdogs present the same problem. You may think that a 10/1 moneyline dog will pull off the upset. There is a reason why you will win so much on that massive upset. The experts don’t think it is possible. If you must bet on longshots, always make sure that it is with money you can afford to lose.