Below, we use an NBA game as an example, where the Sacramento Kings face off against the Golden State Warriors. Understanding what a spread is is different from knowing how these lines work.

These half-points are typically referred to as a “hook.” So, if you see bookies referring to “three and a hook” for example, they mean there is a three and a half point spread applied. Point spreads usually come in a half-point format. Although point spreads are available for most sports, they are best used when betting on basketball and football. Of course, this also serves to boost the odds.īased on their research, sports betting sites know how many points to add or subtract from a team. By doing this, the bookie levels out the playing field, improving the underdog’s chances and making bets on the favorite a little more challenging. Typically, a sportsbook does this when a firm favorite exhibits greater skill and performance to give the underdogs an advantage when the game starts. To better understand this, let’s take a closer look at point spread betting and how this works: What is a Point Spread, and How Does It Work?Ī point spread is a betting line that sees a sportsbook apply (or remove) points from one or both opposing teams. If we back the Bears, they must win outright or lose by a margin of less than seven, for instance: Eagles 89 – 84 Bears. the Chicago Bears (+7), the Bears are the underdog. Here, for the bettor to win their wager, the underdog must with the game outright or lose by fewer points than those outlined by the points spread.įor example, if you have the Philadelphia Eagles (-7) vs. In this case, they choose to back the underdog.

What Does ATS Mean in Betting?īetting against the spread refers to how a bettor chooses to wager when putting money on a point spread. We also offer you several tips and strategies for going against the spread. In this guide, we introduce you to ATS betting, how it works, what sports it is best used for, and the pros and cons of this betting line. There are many reasons why a bettor may choose this tack instead of putting their money on the more obvious choice. We work with some partners on an affiliate basis but this does not affect our listings or ratings.īetting against the spread is where a sportsbook adds or removes points from one or both opposing teams to even the playing field and the odds, and the bettor then backs the underdog instead of the favorite. Our team of professional gambling site reviewers conducts independent research on every brand we feature on Business2Community.

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