For example, at the start of every NFL week, the spreads are released for every NFL game. Odds Movementīetting odds movement occurs when a lot of money pours into one side of a bet, like the spread or the moneyline bets. Kansas sportsbook apps will make a 0.5 spread over a pick'em to avoid a push which we will get to later in the event of a tie. So what happens when two teams are very evenly matched with no clear favorite? Sportsbooks will either make this a pick'em, which means the two teams' odds are the same, or they will make the spread 0.5 for one side or the other. The underdog point spread, which is denoted by the plus sign, offers bettors the opportunity to take a chance on the underdog without them having to win outright. But what if, instead of winning the game, the underdog only had to cover the spread, meaning they could lose but only by a certain number of points. The underdog is one of the best occurrences in sports betting, offering big odds if they win. If you think they will win, but their ML odds are, say, -300, you may want to consider betting their -6.5 point spread if you are very confident in them winning.

In the above example, the KC Chiefs are identified as the favorite because of the minus sign. To identify which team is the favorite, look for the minus sign in the game spread. Instead, you can bet on them to cover the spread with odds usually of -110. Often times you find yourself wanting to bet on the favorite, but the low odds usually make it not worth it. The spread number acts as a handicap between the two teams. Any game, whether it's basketball, football, or baseball, will have a spread associated with it. Reading the point spread is extremely straightforward after you get the hang of it.

What does 3.5 mean in gambling