If you are new to online sports betting, some of the terms can be a bit confusing. A spread in sports betting, for instance, seems complicated when you first read about it. But learning what the popular terms, bet types, and other aspects of betting is crucial if you want to become an expert in sports betting. More so if you are planning on becoming a bookie. One of the most common term (and bet) that you will come across is the spread. So, what exactly is a spread in sports betting, and why do you need to know what it is?
The spread is important because, in its simplest, the spread is what bookies use to even the odds between two teams. Its also known as the line. Bookies will set a spread because they want to get equal action, or even bets on both sides of a wager. Now, if one team is stronger than the other, then most bets would go to one side, right? With the spread, the bookie will put in points to make it equally attractive for you to bet on the other team.
The Spread in Sports Betting
Now, the best sportsbook pay per head takes care of setting lines for bookies, but as a bookie, you also will need to adjust this at any time to make sure that you are balancing your lines. So today, a wager on a team could be -3, but tomorrow can move to -2.5, depending on a lot of factors, bot directly related to the team or game, or related to the wagers in your sportsbook.
So, If I say that the Cowboys are a -3 point favorite, it means that the spread is -3. Teams that are the “favorite” to win always have a minus sign (-) before the number, so its very easy to tell. When the spread says -3, then it means that if you bet on the Cowboys on the spread, they need to win by at least 3 points for you to win the bet. If they win by 1 point, you lose the bet even if they win the game.
Reading a Spread Bet
Figuring out how to get a sportsbook set up with lines and players wagers is easy with a specific software you can use. These bookie pay per head reviews can help you find the best ones. But in any sportsbook, you will see a spread bet. The odds will be set at -110 for both sides. So if you bet on the Cowboys at -3, or their opponent at +3, the -110 means that you will win the same amount of money if you win your wager.
Now, if you think that guessing the score that a team will win or lose by is a bit challenging, there is what we call the moneyline bet. This type of bet is a simple win/lose bet. We’ll get into more detail about the moneyline, and other bet types in our future sports betting tutorials. Hopefully, by knowing what each bet is, and how its made, you can earn more money by making well-thought of wagers on your favorite games.
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