The sports world was turned upside down last Sunday as the NFL postponed the entire season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and an ensuing global ban on public gatherings. Now the sporting world is taking a step back while we try to live in a different reality. With many athletes set to return to the sport they love most and with fans itching to get back out on the pitch, the industry is searching for a way to make football relevant again.
The idea behind a spread is to generate interest in a game through various wagering opportunities. While it might seem easy enough to just bet on the favorite, there is much more to a spread betting line than meets the eye. Here we’ll answer some of the most common questions about betting on a spread.
How Do I Bet On A Spread?
If you’ve ever placed a wager on a game, you’re likely familiar with the concept of a spread. When you bet on a spread, you are essentially wagering on the outcome of a game without necessarily having to choose between two teams. Instead, you get to choose how much you want to wager on each team’s outcome.
Based on the point spread, you can make a wager on whether the New England Patriots will cover the point spread or the Tennessee Titans will cover it. Similarly, you can make a wager on whether the San Francisco 49ers will cover the point spread or the Seattle Seahawks will cover it. When placing a wager on a spread, you are effectively placing a wager on the two teams being split.
What Is The Point Spread?
A point spread is the amount of points by which one team is favored to win a football game. The point spread is usually posted on the board at the sportsbook before the game starts and is one of the more popular betting options for fans and gamblers alike. The idea is to create interest and excitement around a game through various wagering opportunities. While the point spread exists to determine the favorite in a game, it is also used as a measurement for how much interest there is in a particular matchup. When a team wins by a large point spread, it means there was probably a lot of interest in that game irrespective of whether or not you got your money’s worth.
For example, if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were hosting the Chicago Bears and the point spread were 3.5, then that would mean there was an implied interest of 13.5 points in the game. Of course, if the point spread were -3.5, that would mean there was an implied interest of -13.5 points in the game. When a team is favored by a large amount, they are sometimes said to be “road dogs,” and when they are “dogged,” it means they are being pursued aggressively by other teams and sportsbooks. If a team is “dogged,” it simply means they are difficult to bet on because opposing teams want to avoid losing money to the sportsbook due to the large point spread.
How Many Points Does The Favorite Have To Cover?
The favorite is the team you select to win a game. When you bet on the favorite, you are essentially placing a wager on them covering the point spread. The amount of points the favorite covers depends on how much you wager. If you wager $100 on the favorite, then they would need to win by at least 2.5 points to cover your wager. If you wager $10 on the favorite, then they would only need to win by 1 point to cover your wager.
There are many different ways to approach betting on a spread. You can always go back to the basics and just bet on the favorite, but you could also try mixing things up a bit by betting on the UNDERDOG. The UNDERDOG is the term used when a team you have selected is actually underdogs in the sense that a betting line is set extremely low for them. When you bet on the UNDERDOG, you would be wagering that they will lose the game. However, if they do win, then you win too because the point spread would be covering your wager. This is similar to placing a bet on a team that is favored to lose.
Do I Need To Adjust My Gamble Based On The Time Of Day?
Sportsbooks are open 24 hours a day, which means you can place a wager anytime the place allows. However, there is usually a time of day when sportsbooks offer better odds and more opportunities for betting based on probability. For example, if it’s 1 a.m. and your goal is to make some money, then it might be best to avoid wagering during football season or other times when games are likely to be played. During those times, the probability of the games being rigged in favor of the home team is much higher and it’s more difficult to get good bets placed because there is more competition for players’ attention. In those situations, it might be better to wait until after the games have been completed or at least at a time when there is less competition for attention.
What Is The Lingo I Should Know When Betting On A Spread?
When you’re betting on a spread, it’s helpful to be familiar with terms such as “money line,” “over/under,” and “point spread.” If you’re not sure what these terms mean, don’t worry- you’ll soon find yourself asking questions about the game you’ve been following with interest!
The money line is the amount of money you are wagering on whether or not the game will end in a win or loss. For example, if the game is between the New England Patriots and the Tennessee Titans and there is an even amount of money on both teams, then you’d have to bet on the OVER or the EVEN to make a profit. If there is a lot more money on one team compared to the other, then it would be best to bet on the TEAMS TO COVER (aka UNDERDOG).
The over/under is something you’ll regularly see in conjunction with sports betting. It is the total number of points that will be scored in the game. If you’re not sure what the over/under is, it’s the combined total of points scored by both teams in the game. If you’ve ever been to a baseball game and it’s close to the end, you might see the term “over/under” in relation to the final score of the game. For example, if there is an even amount of points scored between the two teams, but you don’t know what the result is going to be, then you might want to bet on the OVER to make sure you get your money back if the game ends in a tie. If there is a lot of betting on the OVER, it means there is great interest in predicting how the game will end, even if you don’t have a favorite team.
The point spread is the amount of points the favorite will need to cover in order to win the game. It is the line that is typically posted at the sportsbook prior to the game, with the favored team on the left and the underdog on the right. If you’re not sure what the point spread is, don’t worry- you’ll soon find yourself asking questions about the game you’ve been following with interest!
What Are Bettors Seeking In a Football Season?
While most people initially thought the NFL season would be postponed due to the pandemic, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it gave the industry and fans alike time to reflect and reorganize. The season was originally supposed to start on June 26 but was pushed back a month to give the league and players time to adjust to the new reality of life inside and outside the game.
When the NFL season was first put on hold, attention turned to what sportsbooks and betting operators were seeking in a football season. While most were looking to make a profit, many were also interested in getting in on the ground floor of what could be a lucrative new market. Here are some of their top needs as we look toward the return of professional football.
An Open Checkbook
The most essential element for any gambling enterprise is money, and the industry lacked sufficient funds to operate during the pandemic. The good news is that the sportsbooks and betting operators have reopened their books and are looking for customers. Now they just need to find a way to get back to business as usual.
What has the industry done to facilitate this process? First and foremost, they have lowered their betting limits. For example, many sportsbooks have lowered their betting limits on college football from $2,500 to $1,000. This makes it much easier for everyone to get in on the action, especially since most sportsbooks have also increased their deposit bonuses. This encourages people to open up an account and place some early bets while the opportunity is still there.