Sports Spread Betting
For sports like basketball and football, betting on the point spread is the most popular method of wagering. For an example, if a favorite is listed at -2.5, that team has to win by 3 or more. Against the spread (ATS) wagering is part of the standard big three betting options, which also includes moneylines and totals. Points spreads are a popular gambling choice in pro and college.
- Where to Bet:
How to read Super Bowl 55 Odds
The Kansas City Chiefs wil meet the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl 55 from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on Feb. 7, 2021.
The Chiefs opened as -3.5 betting favorites while the Buccaneers are 3.5 underdogs.
After early wagers came in, most operators are holding Kansas City -3 (-120).
If you were to wager on Kansas City -3, you would have to lay 5/6 odds (Bet $120 to win $100) instead of your normal 10/11 juice (Bet $110 to win $100).
The return on Tampa Bay would be even-money (1/1) and a $100 wager would return $100.
The total or over-under on Super Bowl 55 is hovering between 56 and 57 points.
How to read NFL Las Vegas Odds
The point-spread was developed to provide a balance for both teams involved in a contest to entice bettors to potentially back the weaker team and receive points. The two squads in a game are listed with a title, either a favorite or an underdog. The favorite is usually the perceived better team in the game, as backing them means giving up several points.
The favorite is always listed with a minus (-) sign before the point-spread while the underdog is labeled with a plus (+) label.
Ex. Favorite -10, Underdog +10
On the VegasInsider.com odds page, there is another number associated with the favorite and its listed as -10. This number is simply defined as “vig” or what many in the sports betting industry call vigorish. Another common term is called “juice” and it’s technically the price the bettor has to pay on a straight wager.
Ex. Bet $110 to win $100 (10% juice)
Ex. Bet $100 to win $90.91 (10% juice)
It's not uncommon to see other values posted other than -10. Examples seen on the NFL Vegas Odds pages could include -08, -12, -15 and -20. The -10 price is the most common value in the industry while many books offer reduced 'juice odds' and that would fall into the -08 category.
The lower-juice sportsbooks are normally found outside of the state Nevada. If you are in a state where sports betting is legal, please check out our online sportsbook directory to find the best and most secure places to make NFL bets.
Another number that’s posted on the NFL Las Vegas is the total or ‘over/under’ for the specific matchup. If the favorite is designated as the home team, then the total will be listed above and vice versa if the visitors are favorites.
All of the above numbers are listed next to the teams, and before each matchup is a Rotation number. The NFL Las Vegas Odds are listed in order of rotation and those numbers are generated and produced by the sportsbooks. Above each matchup and rotation is the Time of the game, which is subject to change. All game times are Eastern Standard Time.
NFL Open Line
One of the best features on the NFL Vegas Odds is the Open Line. This numbers consists of the first betting line received from one of our Las Vegas or Global Sportsbooks. The opening line varies depending on the sportsbook but it provides a clear-cut rating that the oddsmakers use. If you’re betting on the NFL or any other sport, it’s a great idea to view the open line first.
VI Consensus NFL Line
The VegasInsider.com Consensus NFL Line is just as important as the Open Line and also a key resource on odds platform. The Consensus column could be called a “Median Line” since it shows the most consistent number provided by the sportsbooks on VegasInsider.com. The consensus line will be the same as the open line but once the wagers start coming in, this number is often different than the openers.
How do I bet on the Super Bowl?
We know that you can bet on the Super Bowl and all of NFL Futures or bet on the NFL Draft at any time of the year, but what’s the process? The future wager or the “Odds to Win” bet on the Super Bowl is correctly selecting a team to win an event that takes place at a later time. A bettor will have his wagered money tied up until there is an outcome and bettors will receive fixed odds when they place the wager. In the case of the Super Bowl, you’re not a winner or loser until you see zeros on the clock in the final game.
Most sportsbooks offer different ways to read to Super Bowl Odds. In the fractional NFL Futures Odds format below, you simply take the odds and multiply by the amount wagered.
Ex. Green Bay (8/1) to win the Super Bowl
The Packers are listed as an 8/1 betting choice to win the Super Bowl. If you wager $100 on Green Bay to win the NFC and they capture the championship, then you would win $800 (8 ÷ 1 x 100). Your online betting account would then credit your account $900, which includes your win and stake ($100).
The American Format would see Green Bay listed at +800 and for the Decimal Format, the Packers would be 9.00.
If you are in a state where online betting is legal, we encourage you to check out our sportsbook directory to find the most trustworthy and reputable sites and mobile apps to place your Super Bowl bets.
Sports Spread Betting
Sports spread betting is a different way to bet on the outcome of a sporting event You bet against the spread and not on fixed odds. As a result, the amount you win depends on how right you were about the direction you went in.
The flip side of this is that your losses can be more than your original stake as the more wrong you are the more you lose.
This has made spread betting an attractive option for many sports bettors, particularly those who work in finance and banking sectors.However, in the last few years, more and more traditional bettors have become interested in sports spread betting
Sports Spread Betting Companies
Difference Between Sports Spread Betting and Fixed Odds Betting
Sports spread betting is different from fixed odds betting as follows:
- You bet against the spread by buying at the higher price or selling at the lower price
- You can close out for a profit during the event if the market goes in your favour or for a loss if it has gone against you
- You can bet on an index of points allocated to events that occur
- The more you beat the spread by the more you win
Many people view spread betting on sports to be more complicated than it actually is. If you do a bit of research you will find that the core principles are quite straight forward.
Sports Spread Betting: Core Priciples
If you believe the outcome will be higher than the spread you will buy at the corresponding “buy price.” On the other hand, if you believe that the outcome will come in under the spread you will sell at the corresponding “sell price.”
Sports Spread Betting Markets
Initially spread betting markets can seem a bit confusing to the average sports bettor. As you would expect, common markets differ per sport etc. However, with any form of betting there is a learning curve. In the case of spread betting, it is not that far removed from fixed odds betting once you gain an understanding of the fundamentals.
To make it easy to digest, we have put together overviews of spread betting markets for each major sport. These are a good starting point to gain an understanding of spread betting on sports.
Sports Spread Betting Markets by Sport
Sports Spread Explained
Football Spread BettingHorse Racing Spread Betting
Sports Spread Betting Online
Cricket Spread Betting
Tennis Spread Betting