Point Spread Meaning: Understanding Point Spreads in Sports Betting

Betting on the point spread isn’t something that many UK or Irish punters will encounter often. It’s a US term that is pretty much the same as handicap betting, but with a few subtle differences.

If you’re new to betting or have recently heard talk about ‘point spread betting’, then you’d be forgiven for not knowing much about it.

After all, punters who regularly bet on the spread don’t need it spelling out to them every time – so why would they explain it to you?

Well, that’s where Paddy Power comes in. We’re here to offer newcomers a simple guide to point spread betting, so you know what’s going on. We’ll also explain the differences between point spread bets and handicap bets. Let’s get started!

What’s a point spread?

A point spread is a bet type that aims to even out the odds between two uneven outcomes. In most cases this means applying a weight to the final score of a game between two teams. The favourite has points deduced from their final score to increase their odds, while the underdog has points added to their final score.

Bookmakers provide a points spread with the aim of giving punters a 50/50 chance of winning. It means you have another way of betting on a team or individual to win a match at favourable odds.

Sports betting point spread example

Now you know the theory, here’s how the point spread works in practice. Remember, the point spread is a US term, so we’ll use FanDuel’s sportsbook for our example.

The Hornets face the Pistons in the NBA. Detroit are big favourites to win – so much so that punters earn just £2.95 profit from a £10 bet.

So, the bookmaker applies a weight to the final score, which evens out the odds. This is the point spread. Here, Detroit are given a -7.5 point handicap. They need to win by eight points or more for you to win your bet. Charlotte have a +7.5 handicap. So, they need to win or lose by no more than 7 points for you to win your bet.

The odds for both outcomes is -110. Punters and tipsters will therefore say that “the spread for Hornets vs Pistons” is 7.5.

Is the point spread like betting handicaps?

The point spread is a lot like handicap betting that is more common in the UK and Ireland. Here’s an example of the same game in Paddy Power’s NBA odds. Rather than betting the spread, you can either back the Hornets with a +7.5 point handicap at 9/10, or the Pistons with a -7/5 handicap at 9/10.

Sports betting point spread and handicaps — Point spread and handicap bets are almost the same

Is there any difference? Well, not really. The only subtle difference is the points spread tends to try and get the odds as close to Evens as possible. The handicaps markets can do this but there are usually more variables on offer, such as Hornets +8.5, +9.5, etc.

The spread can move but that’s not usually the focus of points spread betting. The aim is to lock in an equal-money price.

Best sports for point spread betting

Now let’s look at a few sports where the point spread works best. Naturally, the big focus here is on American sports:

NBA – Basketball is the ideal sport for the point spread because of the high number of points involved. One basket carries far less value than, for example, one goal in football. The point spread is therefore more easy to predict. It’s also easier to bet against when betting on live basketball.

NFL – The same principle can be applied to American Football betting. Punters usually focus on the point spread in NFL – or handicaps if you’re in the UK and Ireland – because games are often quite uneven. Rather than backing a favourite at miniscule odds, there’s potentially more value in betting on the spread.

Rugby – The high number of points available in a rugby game lends the sport to point spread betting. It’s not common for Americans to bet on rugby but UK and Irish punters can seek high-value handicap bets here.

Football – Point spread betting is common in football, although the chances of weighting the scores so both outcomes are close to Evens is slim. The value of a goal is just too great. However, punters will still focus on handicap bets in football and not worry too much about even-money odds.