Spread betting is wagering on whether a result will be above or below a range set by the sportsbook—not just who wins or loses. It can apply to points, goals, runs, or even totals in games.
FanDuel might list an NBA game total at 220 points. With spread betting, you’re predicting if the final combined score will go above (over) or below (under) 220.
Bet Under 220: if the final score is Lakers 105 – Celtics 100 (total 205), you win.
In sports betting, the spread (also called the point spread) evens things up when two teams aren’t evenly matched. The favorite needs to win by a certain number of points, while the underdog gets points added to their final score.
Bet Over 220: if the final score is Lakers 115 – Celtics 110 (total 225), you win.
For example, imagine BetMGM has the Chiefs as favorites against the Raiders, with the spread set at Chiefs -6.5 and Raiders +6.5.
- If you bet on the Chiefs, they need to win by at least 7 points.
- If you bet on the Raiders, they just have to lose by fewer than 7 points—or win outright.
So, if the Chiefs win 30-24 (by 6 points), Raiders bets win because they covered the spread. Chiefs bettors lose in this case, even though the Chiefs won the actual game. The spread makes things fair and keeps betting exciting until the last second!
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