If you’re unfamiliar, points spread betting is a way of making money from sports gambling. Simply put, you place a wager on a sports event, and the point spread determines how much you will win or lose.
Let’s say you are a fan of the New England Patriots and their matchup with the Oakland Raiders this Sunday. You love the underdogs of the NFL so much that you decide to bet on them to upset the favored team. The point spread for this game is Patriots -3.
In other words, you’ll win 3 points for every point the Raiders score.
It’s always nice when your team wins, but if you’re a true fan, you’ll want to see your team cover the spread. If they don’t, it’s time to panic. Fortunately for you, they did cover, so you keep your cash and celebrate the victory with a cheeseburger and a cold drink.
Points spread betting doesn’t require any special skills or knowledge. The wagers are always easy to understand, and the sites that house them are beginner-friendly. If you’re looking for an accessible, low-risk way to wager on sports events, points spread betting is a great choice for you.
Why Should You Try Points Spread Betting?
Despite what you might think, gambling isn’t always a bad idea. In some cases, it can actually be a pretty good idea. For example, if you’re feeling lucky, you might want to give points spread betting a try. Here’s why:
- Low risk – The low risk associated with points spread betting is one of the best things about the fantasy sports variant. While it’s always nice when your team scores, you don’t want to lose a penny if your team loses. You’ll only lose the amount wagered if your team wins.
- Familiar – Perhaps the most important factor to consider when evaluating points spread betting is that you’re familiar with the rule set applied by the majority of sportsbooks. If you’re not, it can be a little tricky to know how much to wager and how much to lose. With points spread betting, this is taken care of by the sportsbook, so there’s no learning curve involved.
- Accessible – One of the great things about the fantasy sports world is that it’s accessible to anyone. Anyone can participate, regardless of financial situation. While there are pros and cons to joining a community of sports enthusiasts, there’s no denying that participating in fantasy sports is a lot of fun.
How Does Points Spread Betting Work?
To participate in points spread betting, you’ll need to have an account with a reputable betting site. When it comes to sports betting, offshore betting sites are usually a safe bet because of federal regulations. They also enforce sports betting limits, which is important if you want to keep your bankroll intact. If you’re looking for a brand that’s been around for a while and is known for offering safe and transparent gambling, you can’t go wrong with Unibet, because they’re officially licensed to operate in Europe under the UK Gambling Commission. As a user, you’ll find that points spread betting is very similar to standard sports betting. The only difference is the point spread that will be applied to the game. This is usually presented in the form of a formula, which makes it easy for beginners to understand.
On the above example, you’ll notice that the Patriots scored 20 points and the Raiders scored 17 points. Since you bet on the underdogs, you’ll want to reverse the outcome and have your bet on the favored team win. If you’re not sure how to do this, simply follow the formula presented on the betting site you’re using. For example, if you’re using bet365, here’s how to calculate your points spread bet:
(20 – 17) / (3 x 1.5) = -5.95
If you see X Funds to the left of the decimal point, this means your wager will be worth X dollars. You can then use the above formula to determine how much you’ll win or lose.
In some instances, there will be more than one line item for a wager. This is typically the case when there’s more than one sporting event going on. For instance, you might see a baseball and a basketball wager mixed in with one another. Since you can’t bet on a baseball game without simultaneously betting on a basketball game, there will be two items listed for the baseball game, and two items for the basketball game.
Points Spread Betting Compared to Traditional Betting
You’ll frequently see people compare points spread betting to traditional betting, and for good reason. Both have their perks, but one big difference is the risk associated with each form of betting. With points spread betting, you’re not taking on the entire spread. You’re simply taking on the amount you think your team will win by. This is why it’s low-risk compared to traditional betting.
On the other hand, there’s always the possibility that your team loses, and in some cases, this can be pretty high. Take the 2018 Superbowl for example, where the total came in at 60.5, or the 2019 AFC championship game, where the total came in at 56.5. These are examples of extremely high over/under bets, and if you lose, you could end up losing thousands of dollars.
Points spread betting can also be used to bet on more than one team. For example, if you love the Green Bay Packers and you think they have a good chance of beating the Chicago Bears in the next game, you could place a bet on both teams. Most sites will allow this, but it’s something to keep in mind if you’re going to do this.
When looking at both sides of the argument, it’s clear that points spread betting has a lot going for it. If you’re looking for a new way to gamble or want to try something different, points spread betting is worth looking into. Happy gambling!