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The point spread is the number of points one team in a game is expected to win or lose by. When looking at point spreads, one team for each game will have a negative or positive number next to it; if the number is negative, the team is expected to win by that many points, so when tallying the final score, you would subtract that number. Conversely, if the number next to a team is positive, they are given that many points to their final score. This makes betting with point spreads nearly a 50/50 game.
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ViviPoint spreads explained
Point spread betting is the most common form of NFL football betting. The spread is the estimated difference in points between the favorite and the underdog in any particular NFL game. The point spread basically adjusts the final score to reflect the relative difference between the two teams playing in an odds format.
HOW YOU CAN READ THE POINT SPREAD?
When looking at point spread boards, the home team is usually listed at the bottom of the two teams playing. The favored team will be shown with a minus sign (Jets-7). This means the Jets will be 'laying off' 7 points to the underdog. A bettor on the Jets will only collect if the Jets win by more than 7 points. A wager on the underdog, in this case the Jacksonville Jaguars, would be a winner if the Jags win the game by any score, or they lose the game by less than 7 points. If the game finishes at exactly the difference of the point spread, in this
case the 7 points, a push is the result, and the bettors of both sides of the wager equation are refunded their stake.
CAN THE POINT SPREADS CHANGE?
The spread may vary considerably, either up or down after you make your wager. Heavy betting on either team in your 'game bet' may disproportionately favor one team or the other. Injuries and late weather forecasts can also askew the spread. However, the spread you received on your 'ticket' holds firm.
HOW SHOULD I MAKE YOU FIRST POINT SPREAD BETS?
If you are new to the 'game', don't dive in, go slow and easy. Get really comfortable with your betting service. Be aware of the reliability of the 'book'. Be sure of their repayment technique regarding timing and any costs involved. Deposit only what you consider a workable stake. When you are ready to go, make a few 'paper' bets first to satisfy you that your have the technique down. When you are ready to go 'real', take your time, do your research diligently, bet with your head…not your heart and most of all have fun!
The Seattle Seahawks played the New Orleans Saints. If you wanted to bet on this game you couldn't just bet the Seahawks will win, because the Seahawks were good this year and the Saints were not. Everyone knows the Seahawks were going to stomp the Saints into the ground.
How you bet on the game is, the oddsmakers decide how many points they think the Seahawks will win by. This is the spread - the difference between the two scores. You can bet two ways - the Seahawks will win by a wider margin (this is called beating the spread), or a lesser margin.
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