First of all, anything you notice about a game is figured into the spread already. You should know a few things about the spread. To win the bet means you “covered the spread,” another way to say you won the bet. If you bet on Green Bay at -10.5, they not only must win the game, but must do so by at least 11 points or you lose the bet. But if they lose, you can still win-as long as they don’t lose by more than 11 points. Carolina can just win the game and you’d naturally win. If you bet on Carolina at +10.5, you can win two ways. The point-spread evens things out and gives people a reason to take Carolina, especially if they think the Panthers can keep the game somewhat close. Obviously, everyone would take Green Bay if the issue was simply to predict the winner of the game. The oddsmakers are trying to make both sides of the bet attractive. They’re down by 10.5 points before the game even starts. Meanwhile, Green Bay at -10.5 is giving (-) 10.5 points. Before the game even starts, they are up by ten-and-a-half points. That means they are getting (+) 10.5 points. You see the Packers are -10.5, while Carolina is +10.5. So the Packers are home at Lambeau playing the Panthers. Let’s look at an example.įirst of all, the home team is always listed last anytime a game is listed. It’s about who will win and by how many points. The bet is not a wager on who will win the game. One team gets them, the other gives them. It’s a way to even things out and make the bet equally appealing on both sides. That’s where the point-spread comes into play. But if one team is better than its opponent, it isn’t a fair bet. Betting on either side wins you the same amount of money. Straight football betting against the spread is a heads-or-tails equation. One is almost always better or has superior conditions for a win. Rarely are two teams ever evenly-matched. It is the guiding principle in football betting. The term “spread” is short for point-spread. It’s a word you hear all over the place in the world of football betting. People new to football wagering will wonder what all this “spread” talk is about. Football Betting: What is a Point Spread?īy Loot, NFL Football Handicapper.

Nfl point spread game list