When entering the world of sports betting, one of the first and most common terms encountered is against the spread, often abbreviated as ATS. This concept is fundamental to betting on popular sports like football and basketball. Understanding how against the spread work is crucial for anyone looking to engage with sports betting markets intelligently. It represents a different way of wagering on a game, moving beyond simply picking which team will win. Instead, it focuses on the margin of victory, creating a more balanced and competitive betting landscape for every matchup, regardless of the perceived skill gap between the two teams involved.
What is the Point Spread?
The point spread is a number set by oddsmakers to level the playing field between two teams. In any given matchup, one team is generally perceived as more likely to win than the other. The stronger team is called the favorite, while the weaker team is known as the underdog. The purpose of the point spread is to provide a handicap to the favorite. This handicap creates a scenario where both teams have a roughly equal chance of winning the bet, making the wager more attractive for both sides. Essentially, the spread is the sportsbook’s prediction of the margin of victory.
The Role of Favorites and Underdogs
Identifying the favorite and underdog is the first step in understanding how against the spread work. The point spread is always presented with a minus sign (-) for the favorite and a plus sign (+) for the underdog.
- The Favorite (-): The team with the minus sign is expected to win. The number next to the minus sign indicates how many points they must win by for a bet on them to be successful.
- The Underdog (+): The team with the plus sign is not expected to win. The number next to the plus sign indicates the number of points they can lose by while still resulting in a winning bet. A bet on the underdog also wins if they win the game outright.
This system makes wagering on a heavy favorite or a significant underdog more compelling. Instead of placing a moneyline bet on a favorite with very low returns, bettors can wager on them to win by a certain amount, which typically offers much better odds.
How Does Against the Spread Work in Practice?
Wagering against the spread means you are not just betting on a team to win the game. You are betting on whether they will perform better or worse than the point spread predicts. This performance is commonly referred to as covering the spread.
Betting on the Favorite
When you bet on the favorite, they must win the game by a margin greater than the point spread number. For example, if a team is a -7.5 point favorite, they need to win the game by 8 points or more for your bet to cash. If they win by 7 points or fewer, or if they lose the game, your bet is lost. The favorite must overcome the handicap assigned to them.
Betting on the Underdog
When you bet on the underdog, there are two ways your bet can win. First, if the underdog wins the game outright, your bet is successful. Second, if the underdog loses the game but by a margin smaller than the point spread, your bet also wins. For instance, if a team is a +7.5 point underdog, your bet is a winner if they win the game or if they lose by 7 points or fewer. The underdog has a cushion, or a head start, in the context of the bet.
What is a Push?
A push occurs when the final margin of victory is exactly equal to the point spread. This can only happen when the spread is a whole number, such as -7 or +3. For example, if you bet on a favorite at -7 and they win by exactly 7 points, the result is a push. In this scenario, the bet is considered a tie, and the sportsbook refunds your original stake. It is neither a win nor a loss. To avoid pushes, oddsmakers often use half-points in spreads, like -7.5, which guarantees a winner and a loser.
Real-World Examples of Against the Spread Betting
Seeing the point spread in action with specific examples is the best way to understand the concept. Below are hypothetical scenarios for both an NFL and an NBA game.
NFL Example
Let’s consider a matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos.
| Team | Point Spread | Odds |
| Kansas City Chiefs | -6.5 | -110 |
| Denver Broncos | +6.5 | -110 |
In this example, the Kansas City Chiefs are the favorite, and the Denver Broncos are the underdog.
- To win a bet on the Chiefs (-6.5): The Chiefs must win the game by 7 points or more. A final score of 30-20 in favor of the Chiefs would mean they covered the spread.
- To win a bet on the Broncos (+6.5): The Broncos must win the game outright OR lose by 6 points or fewer. A final score of 24-21 in favor of the Chiefs would mean the Broncos covered the spread.
NBA Example
Now, let’s look at a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings.
| Team | Point Spread | Odds |
| Los Angeles Lakers | +4 | -110 |
| Sacramento Kings | -4 | -110 |
Here, the Sacramento Kings are the 4-point favorite.
- To win a bet on the Kings (-4): The Kings must win by 5 points or more. A final score of 115-110 would result in a winning bet.
- To win a bet on the Lakers (+4): The Lakers must win the game outright OR lose by 3 points or fewer. A final score of 120-118 in favor of the Kings would be a winning bet for the Lakers.
- If the Kings win 114-110: The 4-point margin of victory is exactly the spread, so all bets would be a push and the stakes refunded.
Understanding the Odds (The Juice or Vig)
Next to the point spread, you will see another number, which is typically -110. This number represents the odds and includes the sportsbook’s commission, often called the vig or juice.
How to Read the Numbers
The standard odds for a point spread bet are -110. This means that to win $100, a bettor must risk $110. The extra $10 is the sportsbook’s fee for taking the bet. If your bet wins, you get your $110 stake back plus $100 in profit. This commission is how sportsbooks guarantee they make money regardless of which side wins.
Why Odds Vary
While -110 is the standard, these odds can change. Sometimes you might see -115, -120, or even -105. Sportsbooks adjust the odds to encourage or discourage betting on one side without changing the point spread itself. If one side is receiving a lot more money, the sportsbook might change the odds on that side to be less favorable (e.g., from -110 to -120) to balance the action.
Why Do Sportsbooks Use the Point Spread?
The primary reason for the point spread’s existence is to balance the betting market and manage risk for the sportsbook.
Balancing the Action
The ultimate goal for a sportsbook is to attract an equal amount of betting money on both the favorite and the underdog. When the money is balanced, the sportsbook can pay out the winners using the money from the losers and keep the commission (the vig) as profit. The point spread is carefully set to a number that oddsmakers believe will attract this 50/50 split in wagers.
Mitigating Risk
If everyone bet on a clear favorite to win, the sportsbook would face a massive loss if that team won. The spread encourages people to bet on the underdog, distributing the money and limiting the sportsbook’s financial exposure on any single outcome. It transforms every game into a 50/50 proposition from a betting perspective.
Key Takeaways for Against the Spread Betting
For any beginner, understanding how against the spread work comes down to a few core principles. Remembering these points will provide a solid foundation for making informed decisions.
- The spread is a handicap given to the favorite to create a balanced betting opportunity.
- Favorites (indicated by a minus sign) must win by more than the spread number to cover.
- Underdogs (indicated by a plus sign) must win the game or lose by less than the spread number to cover.
- A push happens when the margin of victory equals the spread, resulting in a refunded stake.
- The odds, typically -110, represent the commission the sportsbook takes on each wager.
