Betting Spread - Complete Guide

Online betting brings an incomparable thrill to sports enthusiasts. This way, you are following sports not only because you love the game, but you also have high hopes that your bets will win!

Sports betting, however, can be overwhelming for the uninitiated. You can place different types of bets, and one of the most popular is spread betting. If you are clueless about what is a spread in sports betting, we got you covered. Read this short guide and learn from the valuable insights we’ll be sharing below.

How Does Betting Spread Work?

To understand how betting spread works, we must define the concept first. A point spread refers to how the teams are handicapped head to head. It is a way for bookmakers to even a match despite the significant differences that exist between teams. During these games, there is a clear favorite and underdog.

Regardless if it is in basketball, football, or other sports, most matches will have favorites. The game will not be exciting if the only wager that bettors could place would be on who the winner will be. To make betting more interesting, spread betting was invented.

In betting spreads, you will see a – or + sign next to a number on each team. For instance, in a game of football, below is an example of how a spread would look like:

• Dallas Cowboys: -7.5, -110
• Detroit Lions: +7.5, -110

There are three elements that you should understand. The first, obviously, is the name of the team. The second value is the spread, and the third is the payout.

The use of the “-” sign shows the favorite team. In our example, it is Dallas. The “+” sign, on the other hand, is the underdog, which is the Detroit Lions in our example.

If you are betting on the first, this means that you are betting on the win of Dallas by more than 7.5 points. If Dallas loses, then you will also lose your bet. If Dallas wins, but only by seven points or lower, then you also lose the bet. To win the bet, Dallas must win, and the win should be more than eight points.

If you place the second bet, on the other hand, this means that you believe that Detroit will win the game. If Detroit loses the game, there is still a chance for you to win the bet, as long as the loss will correspond to less than 7.5 points. As you can see, betting on the underdog will give you two scenarios of winning when compared to betting on the favorite.

Meanwhile, the -110 in the example above shows how much is the payout from the bet. This means that if you bet $110, you will win an additional $100, so you will be receiving a total of $210.

How Do you Use Betting Spread in Sports Betting?

Now that you know what is spread betting, you also have to understand how it works. Below, we’ll talk about some of the best tips and strategies that will help you increase the chances of winning big.

• Understand the Numbers: Know what the number means, such as the point spreads and the payouts. Also, research about the performance of the team in the past games, which will make it easier to predict the outcome of the game where you will be betting.
• Predict Line Movement: Even a half point can make a lot of difference in your bet. This can be a thin line between winning and losing. With this, you should predict how the lines will move and decide if you should bet now or later. After making a bet, it is already locked. So, you might want to wait and see if there are changes before wagering. It is also a good move to shop around various bookies to see the differences in lines, and from here, you can predict if there will be a movement.
• Know Where to Place Your Bet: With legalized gambling, you can see a lot of websites accepting bets from people around the world. Do not fall into the trap of false marketing. Take the time to research the website to be sure that it is legitimate, especially before funding your account. Never divulge confidential information, such as credit card details, if you are unsure about the betting platform’s reputation.

What Happens When the Point Spread Changes?

To fully understand a spread in betting, you should also know that it can change. Sportsbooks have the right to change the spread before the start of a game. The weather and conditions of the players are some of the factors that will affect this occurrence. This can also be based on the number of bets that the bookie receives.

When there is a change in the point spread, you can be at an advantage or disadvantage depending on the bet that you have earlier placed. When this happens, the best thing to do is to shop from one bookie to another and understand where it is best to wager. You can also bet in online casinos to capitalize on the change in a spread. By betting online, it will be easier to monitor the changes in real-time.

Betting Spread Odds

As mentioned earlier, the odds in betting spreads will have three main components – the name of the team, the spread, and the payout. The odds do not always favor the favorite team. As you can see from the example above, there are two probabilities to win when you bet on the underdog compared to only a single possibility when you bet on a favorite team.

Final Verdict

Now that you reached the end of this spread betting explained guide, we hope that you can already place well-informed bets. You don’t always have to bet on the favorite team. With spreads, you can have more ways to win if you bet on the underdog.

What are you waiting for? Visit Digibet today and start placing your bets!