Point Spread Betting Explained

A point spread evens out a mismatch by giving the underdog a head start. You're betting on the margin of victory, not just the winner.

• Eagles -7: the Eagles must win by more than 7 points for the bet to win ("cover").
• Cowboys +7: the Cowboys win the bet if they win outright or lose by fewer than 7.
• If the Eagles win by exactly 7, it's a push and stakes are refunded. Half-point spreads (like -6.5) can't push.

Spreads usually come with a price, commonly -110 on both sides: risk $110 to win $100. The extra $10 is the book's margin (the "vig" or "juice").

Different books can post different spreads (-6.5 at one and -7 at another) or the same spread at different prices. In the NFL, where many games are decided by 3 or 7 points, half a point can matter a lot.

In baseball and hockey the spread is usually fixed at 1.5 and called the run line or puck line.