When placing a sports wager, the first thing that often comes to mind is likely to be the terms ‘under’ and ‘over’. As in ‘I’ll lay $5 on Chicago over New England’, or ‘I’m going to bet $10 that the Crimson Tide will cover the point spread’. While these phrases are common when it comes to sports wagering, there’s also a spread betting term that you should know: ‘betting spread’.
If you’re not familiar, a betting spread is the difference between the point spread and the over/under. In the example above, the betting spread is ‘+5′. As the name implies, a betting spread is the amount of money (typically expressed in the form of cash) that you’re wagering on the outcome of the game. For instance, if the point spread is New England -7 and you wager $100 on this game, then your betting spread is $100 ($100 on the New England game – $7 on the spread).
As in most things in life, there are some guidelines that you should follow when gambling on sports. First of all, make sure that you are legally allowed to do so. In most places, you’ll need to be at least 18 years old to gamble. If you are underage, then you can’t! Additionally, make sure that your parent or guardian knows that you’re betting so that they don’t get upset because they think that you’re lacking in responsibility. Lastly, be sure that you’re mentally prepared to gamble. With sports betting, just like any other form of gambling, there’s always the possibility of losing. However, if you understand what you’re doing and are mindful about your actions, there’s also the possibility of you winning a lot of money!
Why Should You Care About Betting Spreads?
As with most things in life, there are many advantages to knowing about betting spreads. First of all, it can help you make smarter decisions when betting on sports. If you’re betting on Chicago over New England, for example, you already know that the point spread is in the opposite direction. In that case, you would’ve made a mistake by wagering on Chicago. This is especially important if you’re new to betting or are just trying to increase your winnings. You shouldn’t bet on a game where you don’t know the point spread. For instance, if you don’t know whether the spread is going to be ‘+0.5′ or ‘+1.5′ for a certain game, then it’s best not to bet on it because you don’t know whether you’ll win or lose. In the case of a loss, you’ll end up losing money that you don’t even have!
Additionally, knowing about betting spreads can help lower your risk. If you’re not familiar, risk is the chance of you losing money on a wager. If you know how much the spread is, then you know how much you could potentially win or lose. For example, if the spread is 7 and you wager $100, then you have a 7% chance of winning $100 or less. In the case of a loss, there is a 7% chance that you’ll lose more than your wager. In general, if you want to lower your risk, choose games where you know the point spread, or choose lay bets (bets in which you don’t want to win) as much as possible. Additionally, in most places it’s against the law to gamble if you’re affected by seizures or psychological disorders. If you’re wondering whether or not you have a gambling problem, then the best thing for you is to care about betting spreads. There are professionals who can help you if you do indeed have a gambling problem, but it’s also something that you can tackle on your own. In general, if you want to be smart about your wagering, then make sure to check the betting spreads before placing your bets.