How To Play Point Spread Basketball
Point spread betting is the most popular form of sports betting. The vast majority of sports wagers use a point spread thanks to the popularity of football and basketball. Even though this type of betting is so popular, it may take awhile to understand.
The point spread is sometimes known as an equalizer for sportsbook operators. All teams aren’t created equally, so sportsbooks can create a point spread for a game so that each team playing has an almost even chance of winning the game. In a way, the point spread will even the field for both teams.
The point spread gives a reason for bettors to risk money on both teams. The better team playing in the game is considered favorite. They have to win by the point spread offered by the sportsbook. The favorite in a game is listed as being minus (-) the point spread.
The point spread refers to the line that has been placed on a game by oddsmakers. Most commonly used in basketball and football betting, it can help to think of the point spread as the estimated margin of victory. For bettors who place a wager on the spread, this.
Navigate to your desired sport. Click on the spread you want to bet in the game module (it will be lined up with the team you want to bet). Head to the bet slip on the right side of the page (on your phone, it will pop up automatically). Click “Login to Place Bet” and login, then submit your bet. A game with a spread will have an underdog (team expected to lose) and a favorite (team expected to win). A favorite 'gives' points and is identified with the negative signs next to the point spreads. The underdog 'gets' points. The spreads happen this way in the gambling of games. College Football, Baseball and Basketball Betting Odds. Spreads.ca Online Casino Online Casino Games in Canada.
The worse of the teams playing in the game is called the underdog. The bettor wins if this team wins the game outright or loses by an amount smaller than the point spread. The underdog in a game is listed as being plus (+) the point spread.
Let’s use this past Super Bowl between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs as an example.
Using this example, the Chiefs were 3-point favorites over the Buccaneers. The Chiefs needed to win by 4 or more points to cover the spread.
Likewise, the Buccaneers were 3-point underdogs. That means the Buccaneers needed to win the game outright or not lose the contest by 4 points or more. At Chiefs -3, if they won by exactly 3 points, the betting result would have been a “push” and bettors for both sides would have gotten their wagers refunded.
The Buccaneers pulled off the upset, winning by a score of 31-9, and rewarded bettors who backed them at +3.
Point spread betting odds
Point spreads are usually set with -110 odds, but pricing often fluctuates at online sportsbooks. This is the sportsbook operators’ house edge. The odds guarantee the sportsbook operator will see a little money over time. When the odds are set at -110, the bettor must wager $110 to win $100 (or $11 to win $10).
The odds on a point spread are most commonly known as the vigorish or “vig” for the sportsbook. You might hear this small profit margin for the sportsbook called the “juice” by some sports bettors.
Point spread FAQs
What does ‘pick em’ or ‘pick’ mean in NFL betting?
A “pick em” (sometimes seen as “pick”) is when the teams have a point spread of zero, meaning neither team is favored. In this instance, you’re essentially picking moneyline and your bet will be determined on the winner alone.
What does -7 and +7 mean in NFL betting?
A spread of minus-seven (-7) means that a is favored to win the game by a touchdown (technically, a touchdown and the extra point). A team favored by -7 must win the game by eight or more points to win the bet. If the team wins by seven, the result is a “push” and the bet is refunded.
A spread of +7 means the team must win the game or lose by fewer than seven points to win the bet. A loss by seven would result in a push.
What does -3 and +3 mean in NFL betting?
A -3 spread means that the favorite must win by more than a field goal to win the wager. A three-point win would result in a push and the sportsbook would refund the wager.
A spread of +3 means the team listed as the underdog must win the game or lose by fewer than three points to cash the bet. A three-point loss would be graded as a push by the sportsbook and the bet would be refunded.
Why are point spreads in the NFL so much lower than in college?
In 2019, the Baltimore Ravens led the NFL in point differential per game at +13.7 points; the Miami Dolphins ranked last in the NFL in point differential per game at -11.7. Even Kansas City– known for their explosive offense– had an average point differential in 2019 of just 9.7 points. The net point differential in the NFL is -14.1, or -0.9 points per game. Basically, the talent differential in the NFL is so minute that even mismatched teams often draw games within a score of each other.
NFL spreads are most commonly between one point and four, with six being a heavy favorite and extremes coming out around 15-20 point favors. (For those wondering, the 1941 Chicago Bears hold the NFL record of point differential at +15.7 points per game. Conversely, Ohio State had a +33.1 average point differential in 2019.)
Point spread and odds movement
Sportsbook operators often aim to have equal money on both sides of a point spread. When the money is exactly split the sportsbook operator will see the exact vigorish as their profit margin. If all things are equal over time this will maximize how much money the sportsbook operator can make.
In an effort to have equal money on both sides of a wager, the sportsbook operator will move the point spread to attract money on the side that customers aren’t betting on. The odds for a point spread might change before the actual point spread. There are certain point spread numbers, like 3 and 7 in football, the sportsbook operators would like to avoid moving away from since the final score margin falls on these two numbers most often.
For example, if a lot more money is wagered on the New England Patriots -3, the vig may shift from -112 to -115 and -120 before the line moves to -3.5.
Run and puck lines
Football and basketball games are mostly bet using a point spread. The less popular major sports, baseball and hockey, are mostly bet using a moneyline. In an effort to make baseball and hockey more appealing to point spread bettors, the sportsbook operators offer run and puck lines, respectively.
These alternative lines give point spread bettors a chance to wager on other sports using a more familiar method of betting. Since points (runs and goals) aren’t as easy to come by in baseball and hockey, the odds with the lines may have a wider spread than a football or basketball game.
POINT SPREAD is a sports lottery game that lets you bet on whether your chosen teams will cover or beat the “spread”. Wager on a minimum of 2 events and up to a maximum of 12 events.
A POINT SPREAD is the number of points by which a favoured team is expected to beat the underdog. This type of game lets you bet on the losing team and still win.
Here’s what a Football POINT SPREAD might look like if Dallas were playing Pittsburgh:
Dallas -6
Pittsburgh +6
In this example, Dallas is expected to win over Pittsburgh by more than 6 points. Dallas is the favourite, as shown by the (-) value in front of the 6. As the underdogs in this scenario, Pittsburgh is represented by the (+) value and have been given a 6-point head start.
If the final score is Dallas 21, Pittsburgh 17, then Pittsburgh’s adjusted score is 23 points (17 + 6 = 23). With an adjusted score higher than Dallas’ real score of 21, Pittsburgh has covered the spread. If you had bet on Pittsburgh, it would be a correct selection.
However, if the final score is Dallas 21, Pittsburgh 6, then Pittsburgh’s adjusted score is 12 points (6 + 6 = 12). In this scenario, Dallas beat the spread, winning by more than 6 points, and a Pittsburgh pick would result in an incorrect selection for this specific event.
Alternatively, if Dallas wins by exactly 6, then their points equals the spread number exactly, resulting in a PUSH.
Finally, if Pittsburgh wins the game outright, they would automatically beat the spread because they have a 6 point head start. In this case, if you had bet on Pittsburgh, it would be a correct selection.
TIP
When playing POINT SPREAD, the event list will only show the spread as it relates to the team favoured to win, expressed as (-).
How to play POINT SPREAD in 5 steps
Set your play budget. The best way to play is to always bet with money you can afford to lose.
Choose your sport. Check the Event List at PRO•LINE.ca, on the PRO•LINE App, or at your OLG retailer to choose the sport you want to wager.
Select your wager. You can bet as little as $2 and as much as $100 per ticket, per day.
Make your predictions. Using the selection slip at your OLG retailer or the PRO•LINE App, predict whether your team will cover or beat the spread.
Buy your ticket. Take your completed selection slip or PRO•LINE App picks to your OLG retailer to buy your ticket. Be sure to cheer on your teams!
1. Set your play budget
Savvy sports bettors know there’s no way to guarantee a win. That’s why they set aside a play budget and only use money they can afford to lose. To do this, set aside a separate play budget and think of it as money you would spend on entertainment. Like tickets to a game.
POINT SPREAD offers wagering on American and Canadian Professional Football, Professional Hockey, Professional Baseball, College Football, Professional Basketball, and American College Basketball. You can view the sports list online at PRO•LINE.ca, by using the PRO•LINE App, or at an OLG retailer.
Matchup Stats are available to assist you with your picks. This information can be accessed by clicking on the link at the bottom of each game on the sports list. Matchup Stats display information like ballpark stats, player performance, head-to-head details, recent trends and more.
TIP
Upsets can happen in sports. While the information provided in Matchup Stats can help you make your picks, they cannot predict or guarantee a specific outcome.
3. Select your wager
You can wager a minimum of $2 and a daily maximum of $100 on each POINT SPREAD ticket.
4. Make your selections
In order for your POINT SPREAD ticket to be valid, you must select between 2 and 12 events to wager. You can use the selection slip at your OLG retailer or use the PRO•LINE App to make your picks.
TIP
All POINT SPREAD selections on a ticket must be from the same sport. Players can combine American and Canadian Professional Football on one ticket, but can’t combine College Football with Professional Football.
Breaking down the Selection Slip
Step 1:
Select the number of events on which you wish to wager. You can choose anywhere between 2 and 12 events.
Step 2:
Make your predictions.
Step 3:
Select the amount you wish to wager.
5. Buy your ticket
When you’ve completed your selections, fill in the total number of events you’ve wagered in the box to the left of the selection slip. If you’re using the PRO•LINE App to make your selections, simply show it to your OLG retailer when buying your ticket.
Your POINT SPREAD ticket
Hang on to your POINT SPREAD ticket until all your selected games are complete. On it, you’ll find the following information:
A
The sport
B
The POINT SPREAD list number and event numbers
C
The selected team (either Home team or Visitor team) for each event you’ve selected
D
The spread associated with each event
E
The scheduled date for each event
F
The payout factor
G
Your wager
H
The potential prize payout based on your selections
How do I know if I’ve won?
To find out if you’re a winner, check your ticket in one of the following four ways:
1. Scan the ticket barcode using the ticket checker at a participating OLG retailer
2. Ask a participating retailer to scan the ticket barcode using the lottery terminal
3. View winning results by event at PRO•LINE.ca
4. Scan ticket barcode using the OLG Lottery App
There is no clear winner. Now what?
In sports, the rules of the game make it clear who wins and who loses. In POINT SPREAD, there are additional factors that affect whether your bet is a winner including tie outcomes, PUSH results, or if an event is postponed or cancelled. As with any game of chance, the more you know about how to play POINT SPREAD, the better informed you’ll be when making your predictions.
The more outcomes you correctly wager on, the more money you can win. Payouts start at 1.25 times your wager. The most you can win is 1000 times your wager for successfully predicting 12 out of 12 outcomes.
TIP
You may be tempted to bet more in hopes of winning more. But remember, no outcome is ever guaranteed and the more money you wager, the more you stand to lose.
College Point Spread Basketball
How to claim your prize
You can claim your prize, up to a certain amount of money, at your local OLG retailer. Prizes over the amounts redeemable at individual retailers must be collected at the OLG Prize Centre.
Ncaa Basketball Point Spreads
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