The spread is the amount of money that will be won or lost on a particular sports betting bet. The spread can be used to determine the profitability of a betting market. While some might assume that the spread is simply what the bookmaker offers, it is actually a little bit more complicated. The spread is made up of several components, including the point spread and the money line. The point spread is the difference in points (typically seven points for an NFL game, or six for a Sixer game, or five for a college game) between the two teams. The money line is simply the favorite vs. underdog designation for a given sports betting matchup. A team with a higher spread is said to have the spread. A team with a lower spread is said to have the narrow spread.
Here is a breakdown of the spread for each major professional American football league, starting with the National Football League. Note: these are the current 2019-20 season spreads as of November 18, 2019.
NFL
The point spread in the National Football League is the difference in points (typically seven points for an NFL game, or six for a Sixer game, or five for a college game) between the two teams. The underdog is the team with the lower point number. For example, the New York Giants are favored by two points over the Dallas Cowboys in the 2020 NFL season opener. The Giants are the underdogs because they have fewer points than the favorites do. In general, underdogs win about 60% of the time in the NFL. Here is an example of an online sportsbook that displays the current 2020 NFL point spread along with the available wagers:
- Current Point Spread: New York Giants (2.0) – Over Dallas Cowboys (2.0)
- Odds (Bets Accepted): New York Giants (BET365) – Over Dallas Cowboys (BET365)
- Price (Bets Accepted): New York Giants (2.0) – $101,600 Dallas Cowboys (2.0)
- Probability (Bookmaker Edge): New York Giants (5%) – $101,600 (+0.5%) Dallas Cowboys (5%)
The money line in the NFL is the favorite vs. underdog designation for a given sports betting matchup. A team with the spread is said to have the spread. A team with the money line is said to have the narrow spread. For example, if the Giants were playing the Chargers in a 2019 season playoff game and the Giants had a six-point lead, the game would be considered a ‘pick’ or ‘lock’ for the Giants since they have the spread. Here is an example of an online sportsbook that lists the current NFL money line along with the available wagers:
- Current Money Line: New York Giants (1.8) – Under Los Angeles Chargers (1.8)
- Odds (Bets Accepted): New York Giants (BET365) – Under Los Angeles Chargers (BET365)
- Price (Bets Accepted): New York Giants (1.8) – $64,600 Los Angeles Chargers (1.8)
- Probability (Bookmaker Edge): New York Giants (2.7%) – $64,600(+2.7%) Los Angeles Chargers (2.7%)
As you can see above, the New York Giants have the spread and the money line in their favor, so they are considered to have the advantage in this matchup. If you look at the odds, you will see that the books are heavily weighted towards the Giants. This means that, in general, the books are favoring the New York Giants in this year’s NFL season opener.
The table above lists the 2019-20 NFL point spread and the money line for each team, along with the teams’ records from the previous season. You will notice that not all teams have an equal spread and money line. In other words, some teams are ‘cheaters’ when it comes to sports betting. For instance, the Indianapolis Colts have the largest spread and money line in the NFL, and they are officially ‘overwhelming favorites’ in the league. This is due to the fact that Indianapolis is a ‘home’ team in the NFL and they have not played a single game away from Indiana since the beginning of the 2014 season. The Colts’ undefeated season from a year ago is also what caused their largest spread and money line. Teams that are not officially ‘homes’ teams when it comes to the NFL have smaller spreads and money lines due to the fact that they have played fewer games over the course of a season. The San Francisco 49ers, who are based in California and have a large fan base there, also have a sizeable spread and money line due to the fact that they play most of their home games at 49er-branded venues. These teams will either win or lose based on what the books say, but if you are looking to create an ‘edge’ in your favor, then taking notice of the spread and the money line will give you a good idea of how to proceed.
AFC
The point spread in the American Football Conference is the difference in points (typically seven points for an NFL game, or six for a Sixer game, or five for a college game) between the two teams. The underdog is the team with the lower point number. For example, the New England Patriots are favored by three points over the Tennessee Titans in the 2020 AFC season opener. The Patriots are the underdogs because they have fewer points than the favorites do. In general, underdogs win about 60% of the time in the AFC. Here is an example of an online sportsbook that displays the current 2020 NFL point spread along with the available wagers:
- Current Point Spread: New England Patriots (3.0) – Over Tennessee Titans (3.0)
- Odds (Bets Accepted): New England Patriots (BET365) – Over Tennessee Titans (BET365)
- Price (Bets Accepted): New England Patriots (3.0) – $101,600 Tennessee Titans (3.0)
- Probability (Bookmaker Edge): New England Patriots (5.7%) – $101,600(+5.7%) (+4.2%) Tennessee Titans (5.7%)
The money line in the AFC is the favorite vs. underdog designation for a given sports betting matchup. A team with the spread is said to have the spread. A team with the money line is said to have the narrow spread. For example, if the Patriots were playing the Titans in a 2019 season playoff game and the Patriots had a six-point lead, the game would be considered a ‘pick’ or ‘lock’ for the Patriots since they have the spread. Here is an example of an online sportsbook that lists the current AFC money line along with the available wagers:
- Current Money Line: New England Patriots (2.4) – Under Pittsburgh Steelers (2.4)
- Odds (Bets Accepted): New England Patriots (BET365) – Under Pittsburgh Steelers (BET365)
- Price (Bets Accepted): New England Patriots (2.4) – $64,600 Pittsburgh Steelers (2.4)
- Probability (Bookmaker Edge): New England Patriots (5.7%) – $64,600(+5.7%) (+4.2%) Pittsburgh Steelers (5.7%)