Point spread means the expected margin of victory in a game, and most bets are on that margin rather than just who wins.

Quick Scoop: What does point spread mean?

In sports betting, a point spread is a number set by the sportsbook that acts like a handicap between the favorite and the underdog. Instead of asking “Who will win?”, the spread turns the question into “By how many points will they win or can they keep it close?”.

Basic idea

  • The favorite is given a minus number (for example: Team A -6.5).
  • The underdog is given a plus number (for example: Team B +6.5).
  • You win your bet if your team “covers the spread,” meaning the final margin of victory fits what you picked.

Simple example

Imagine a football game where the spread is:

Team A -6.5
Team B +6.5

What this means:

  • If you bet Team A (-6.5): they must win by 7 or more points for your bet to win.
  • If you bet Team B (+6.5): they must lose by 6 or fewer points, or win outright , for your bet to win.

So if the final score is:

  • Team A 28 – Team B 20 (Team A wins by 8): Team A covers the spread, Team A bettors win.
  • Team A 24 – Team B 20 (Team A wins by 4): Team B covers the spread, Team B bettors win.

What about “pushes”?

Sometimes the spread is a whole number, like -7 instead of -6.5.

If the favorite wins by exactly that number (for example, wins by 7 in a -7 spread), it’s called a push , and most sportsbooks simply return your stake instead of grading it as a win or loss.

Why point spreads exist

  • They make mismatched games more interesting by giving the underdog a “head start” on the betting line.
  • They help sportsbooks balance action on both sides so they can earn their commission (often shown as -110 next to the spread).

Think of it like a virtual scoreboard adjustment: before the game even kicks off, the underdog starts with extra points on paper, and you’re betting on what happens after that adjustment.

TL;DR: A point spread is the number of points by which one team is expected to win; your bet wins if your team beats that expectation (favorite wins by more than the spread, or underdog keeps the game closer than the spread or wins).

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.