The oddsmakers’ goal is to make bettors wager equal money on both sides of the spread. It’s also called “juice.” Point Spread & Odds Movement These odds, known as vigorish or “vig,” is the profit margin the book reserves. With the -110 odds, a bettor must place $110 in a wager to win $100 (or $11 to win $10).

This is the bookmakers’ house edge.Īt -110, the sportsbook guarantees itself a little profit over time. The betting odds set for point spreads are usually a standard -110, but the pricing can fluctuate at online sportsbooks. They won 31-9, so the Bucs’ bettors at +3 got the payout. If the Chiefs won exactly by three points, the bet would’ve ended in a push, and bettors for both sides get their wagers reimbursed. As for the Buccaneers, the 3-point underdogs could win or lose by less than three points to win the bet. This means the Chiefs must win by four or more points to cover the spread and win the bet. The Kansas City Chiefs were 3-point favorites over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Let’s use the last Super Bowl betting as an example. The underdog spread comes with a plus sign (+) next to their point spread.

The bettor wins if the underdog triumphs or loses by a smaller amount than the point spread. The team with the lesser opportunity to win is labeled the underdog. The favored team will have a minus sign (-) attached to the point spread. They will have to win by the point spread set by the sportsbook. The better team is the favorite, according to the bookmakers. In other words, it gives bettors a reason to risk their money on both teams. Therefore, the point spread was created to even the chance for each team to win the bet. Some are stronger than others, and that is a problem for bettors and sportsbooks.

The point spread is the ultimate equalizer for oddsmakers.

Point spread in basketball betting