There are countless different ways to bet on sports, but one of the most popular, tried-and-true methods is spread betting. If you want to delve into the wide world of wagering on sports, you better make sure you know what it means to place a bet against the spread (ATS). 

Point spreads, invented by math teacher and bookie Charles McNeil, revolutionized modern sports betting. They allowed oddsmakers and books to offer bets on one side or the other without having to drastically shorten and lengthen the odds attached to either side.

Let’s dive into what point spreads are and why they changed the betting game in such a profound way. 

What is a point spread?

The first two numbers that new bettors will see when looking at a particular game, match, or event are the moneyline and spread. The moneyline is basic — it’s the straight-up winner, with corresponding odds that are shorter for the favorite and longer for the underdog. The spread, however, allows you to get short odds on the favorite or underdog. 

That’s because a spread handicaps the underdog by giving them a set amount of points. Whatever the point spread for a game, match, or event, the favorite must win by that amount for its bettors to win. For ATS underdog bettors to win, the ‘dog must either (a) win or (b) lose by less than that amount.

A spread is a set number of points either taken from the expected winner or given to the expected loser. This genius invention revolutionized sports betting, as it made every game more interesting to bet, even the more lopsided ones. 

Example of point spreads

Say you’re interested in betting on an NFL game between the Dolphins and Colts. Miami has a much better offense, so its moneyline is -256. Most bettors don’t want to put money down on a -256 bet, as it’s too “juiced” (meaning the odds are far too short). In this case, a win on a $100 bet with -256 odds would yield a net payout of just 39 bucks. The Dolphins’ spread of -6, however, would be vastly more alluring. 

With a -6 spread, the Dolphins would simply need to win by seven points or more to cover. If they win by just six, the bet will be a push and the money will be refunded to the bettor. If they win by fewer than six points or lose, the bettor will lose their stake.

The flip side of the spread betting coin, of course, is the underdog. If someone bet the Colts +6, they would need Indianapolis to either win the game outright or lose by fewer than six points. If Indianapolis loses by exactly six, it’s a push. If Indy loses by seven or more, its ATS bettors lose their wagers. 

Half-points

Half-points or “hooks” are often used in spread betting, because they allow sportsbooks to either win or lose a spread bet without worrying about a push. Teams can’t win or lose by a half-point, so naturally there will always be a winner or loser with a spread involving a hook. 

Using the example from the Dolphins-Colts game above, let’s see what the spread might be like if the sportsbooks included a hook:

Now, Dolphins bettors have no possibility of getting their money back if Miami wins by six and Colts bettors won’t get their money back if Indy loses by six. The ‘Fins would need to win by at least seven and the Colts would need to avoid losing by seven or more.

What does it mean to “cover the spread”?

Just like betting the spread is called betting “against the spread,” we win ATS bets when the team we put our money on “covers the spread.” It’s pretty basic — the favorite won by the set amount of points it needed to win by or the underdog lost by fewer than the set amount of points it was given. 

What are the payouts when you bet the spread?

Now that we know the basics of betting the spread, let’s discuss how much money you will win if and when a team successfully covers your spread bet.

Typically, each side of a spread bet — the favorite and underdog — has odds in the area of +130 to -130. Plus odds indicate a bet is less likely to hit, while negative odds indicate it is more likely to hit. 

Using the example from the Dolphins-Colts game above, let’s take a look at what we might expect to see for odds:

• Dolphins -6.5 (-110)
• Colts +6.5 (-110)

The number attached to both spreads (110) is the most common odds you will see when betting on the spread. It tells you how much you would need to bet to win $100. In this case, if you bet $110 and win, you would see a net profit of $100. The vigorish (also known as “vig” or “juice”) is the sportsbook’s take, which in this case is the extra -10 or $10. 

So, let’s say you bet $100 on the Dolphins to win by seven or more points and the final score is Dolphins 40, Colts 30 (high-scoring game!). Miami won by 10 points, so they covered the spread and made you a winner. Congrats! You just got paid out $190, as you won a net profit of $90 on your $100 wager. The sportsbook — also known as the “house” — made $10, basically as a processing fee for letting you gamble your money.

Examples of point spreads, run lines, and puck lines

In football and basketball, point spreads are easy. The favorite will always have a minus (-) sign with the number of points it must win by, while the underdog will always have a plus (+) sign with the number of points it can lose by. 

In baseball and hockey, things operate a little differently as scoring is at much more of a premium. Spreads in those sports are called “run lines” and “puck lines.” You can probably guess what’s entailed with run and puck lines — they’re the amount of runs or goals the favorite needs to win by and underdog cannot lose by. 

With baseball, the favorite usually draws a run line of -1.5 or -2.5 and the underdog draws a run line of +1.5 or +2.5. In hockey, the puck line can differ based on the strength of the favorite, but it’s usually between -1.5/+1.5 and -4.5/+4.5. 

Hopefully, you enjoyed our rundown on the basics of spread betting. Now, go have some fun! Good luck, bet responsibly, and may the odds forever be in your favor.

Popular sportsbooks

Practically all sportsbooks feature betting against the spread, with some regions offering a greater selection of leagues than others. Below is a list of some of the most popular betting houses in the United States and Canada. Be sure to check to see which sportsbooks operate in your area.