What a point spread is
A sportsbook posts a point spread to make both sides of a game roughly equally attractive to bet. The favorite is shown with a minus sign and must win by more than that many points. The underdog is shown with a plus sign and gets those points added to its final score.
Home Team -3.5 (-110)
Road Team +3.5 (-110)
The Home Team is favored by 3.5 points. The number in parentheses is the price, covered below.
Covering the spread
A bet on the spread wins if that side "covers." You apply the spread to the final score, then see who comes out ahead.
- Favorite at -3.5 covers if it wins by 4 or more.
- Underdog at +3.5 covers if it wins outright, or loses by 3 or fewer.
| Final score | Margin | Home -3.5 | Road +3.5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home 24, Road 20 | Home by 4 | Wins | Loses |
| Home 24, Road 21 | Home by 3 | Loses | Wins |
| Home 17, Road 20 | Road by 3 | Loses | Wins |
Notice the second row: the favorite won the game but did not cover. A spread bet is about the margin, not just the winner.
Pushes and half-points
When a spread is a whole number and the favorite wins by exactly that many points, the bet is a push. Neither side wins, and sportsbooks return your stake. For example, at Home -3, a 23-20 final is a push.
That's why many spreads use a half-point, like -3.5 or +6.5. A team can't win by half a point, so a half-point spread can't push. Some books let you buy a half-point (for example, move +3 to +3.5) in exchange for a worse price.
The -110 price: what you're really paying
Most spread bets are priced around -110. That means you risk $110 to win $100 (or $11 to win $10). If you win, you get your $110 back plus $100 profit.
The extra $10 is the sportsbook's margin, often called the vig or juice. Because of it, you need to win more than half your -110 bets just to break even:
Break-even at -110 = 110 ÷ (110 + 100) = 52.38%. Win 52.38% of your -110 bets and you break even over time. Win less, and you lose money even though you're winning about half the time.
Prices can differ from -110. You might see -105 or -115 on the same spread at different books, which is one reason comparing lines across books matters. Use the odds converter to see the break-even rate for any price.
Why spreads move
The opening spread is the book's first estimate. It can move before the game because of injury news, weather, lineup changes, or a lot of money landing on one side. If you bet early, you keep the spread you bet at, even if the line moves later. Spreads also vary a little from book to book.
Key numbers
In pro football, games end with certain margins far more often than others, mainly because touchdowns and field goals are worth 7 and 3 points. Margins of 3 and 7 are the most common, so a half-point move across those numbers (say, -2.5 to -3.5) matters more than a move between less common margins. Basketball scoring is more spread out, so single key numbers matter less there.
Quick recap. The favorite (-) must win by more than the spread. The underdog (+) can lose by less than the spread, or win. Whole-number spreads can push. At -110, you need to win 52.38% of the time to break even.
Education only. Not betting advice. Sportsbook rules vary, so check the house rules where you bet. 21+.