How To Play Point Spread Basketball

The point spread refers to the line that has been placed on a game by oddsmakers. Most commonly used in basketball and football betting, it can help to think of the point spread as the estimated margin of victory. For bettors who place a wager on the spread, this. Basketball Point Spreads. Point Spread betting is basically betting by how much a certain team will win or lose. The whole concept of point spreads is based on the principle of underdogs and favorites. The favorites (a team that is expected to win) “lays” points to. Spreads.ca Online Casino Online Casino Games in Canada.

POINT SPREAD is a sports lottery game that lets you bet on whether your chosen teams will cover or beat the “spread”. Wager on a minimum of 2 events and up to a maximum of 12 events.

When you bet the point spread of a basketball game, you are betting on how many points the team is going to either win or lose. As with football, NBA point spread betting lines can be. There are actually several points in time, and several different ways that a bettor can put action on the spread in a given matchup. Obviously it starts with action before the game. Point spreads prior to the game will be available up until the start time before going off.

A POINT SPREAD is the number of points by which a favoured team is expected to beat the underdog. This type of game lets you bet on the losing team and still win.

Here’s what a Football POINT SPREAD might look like if Dallas were playing Pittsburgh:

Dallas -6
Pittsburgh +6

In this example, Dallas is expected to win over Pittsburgh by more than 6 points. Dallas is the favourite, as shown by the (-) value in front of the 6. As the underdogs in this scenario, Pittsburgh is represented by the (+) value and have been given a 6-point head start.

If the final score is Dallas 21, Pittsburgh 17, then Pittsburgh’s adjusted score is 23 points (17 + 6 = 23). With an adjusted score higher than Dallas’ real score of 21, Pittsburgh has covered the spread. If you had bet on Pittsburgh, it would be a correct selection.

However, if the final score is Dallas 21, Pittsburgh 6, then Pittsburgh’s adjusted score is 12 points (6 + 6 = 12). In this scenario, Dallas beat the spread, winning by more than 6 points, and a Pittsburgh pick would result in an incorrect selection for this specific event.

Alternatively, if Dallas wins by exactly 6, then their points equals the spread number exactly, resulting in a PUSH.

Finally, if Pittsburgh wins the game outright, they would automatically beat the spread because they have a 6 point head start. In this case, if you had bet on Pittsburgh, it would be a correct selection.

TIP

When playing POINT SPREAD, the event list will only show the spread as it relates to the team favoured to win, expressed as (-).

How to play POINT SPREAD in 5 steps

• Set your play budget. The best way to play is to always bet with money you can afford to lose.

• Choose your sport. Check the Event List at PRO•LINE.ca, on the PRO•LINE App, or at your OLG retailer to choose the sport you want to wager.

• Select your wager. You can bet as little as $2 and as much as $100 per ticket, per day.

• Make your predictions. Using the selection slip at your OLG retailer or the PRO•LINE App, predict whether your team will cover or beat the spread.

• Buy your ticket. Take your completed selection slip or PRO•LINE App picks to your OLG retailer to buy your ticket. Be sure to cheer on your teams!

1. Set your play budget

Savvy sports bettors know there’s no way to guarantee a win. That’s why they set aside a play budget and only use money they can afford to lose. To do this, set aside a separate play budget and think of it as money you would spend on entertainment. Like tickets to a game.

POINT SPREAD offers wagering on American and Canadian Professional Football, Professional Hockey, Professional Baseball, College Football, Professional Basketball, and American College Basketball. You can view the sports list online at PRO•LINE.ca, by using the PRO•LINE App, or at an OLG retailer.

Matchup Stats are available to assist you with your picks. This information can be accessed by clicking on the link at the bottom of each game on the sports list. Matchup Stats display information like ballpark stats, player performance, head-to-head details, recent trends and more.

TIP

Upsets can happen in sports. While the information provided in Matchup Stats can help you make your picks, they cannot predict or guarantee a specific outcome.

3. Select your wager

You can wager a minimum of $2 and a daily maximum of $100 on each POINT SPREAD ticket.

4. Make your selections

In order for your POINT SPREAD ticket to be valid, you must select between 2 and 12 events to wager. You can use the selection slip at your OLG retailer or use the PRO•LINE App to make your picks.

TIP

All POINT SPREAD selections on a ticket must be from the same sport. Players can combine American and Canadian Professional Football on one ticket, but can’t combine College Football with Professional Football.

Breaking down the Selection Slip

Step 1:
Select the number of events on which you wish to wager. You can choose anywhere between 2 and 12 events.
Step 2:
Make your predictions.
Step 3:
Select the amount you wish to wager.

5. Buy your ticket

When you’ve completed your selections, fill in the total number of events you’ve wagered in the box to the left of the selection slip. If you’re using the PRO•LINE App to make your selections, simply show it to your OLG retailer when buying your ticket.

Your POINT SPREAD ticket

Hang on to your POINT SPREAD ticket until all your selected games are complete. On it, you’ll find the following information:

A
The sport

B
The POINT SPREAD list number and event numbers

C
The selected team (either Home team or Visitor team) for each event you’ve selected

D
The spread associated with each event

E
The scheduled date for each event

F
The payout factor

G
Your wager

H
The potential prize payout based on your selections

How do I know if I’ve won?

To find out if you’re a winner, check your ticket in one of the following four ways:
1. Scan the ticket barcode using the ticket checker at a participating OLG retailer
2. Ask a participating retailer to scan the ticket barcode using the lottery terminal
3. View winning results by event at PRO•LINE.ca
4. Scan ticket barcode using the OLG Lottery App

There is no clear winner. Now what?

In sports, the rules of the game make it clear who wins and who loses. In POINT SPREAD, there are additional factors that affect whether your bet is a winner including tie outcomes, PUSH results, or if an event is postponed or cancelled. As with any game of chance, the more you know about how to play POINT SPREAD, the better informed you’ll be when making your predictions.

The more outcomes you correctly wager on, the more money you can win. Payouts start at 1.25 times your wager. The most you can win is 1000 times your wager for successfully predicting 12 out of 12 outcomes.

TIP

You may be tempted to bet more in hopes of winning more. But remember, no outcome is ever guaranteed and the more money you wager, the more you stand to lose.

How to claim your prize

You can claim your prize, up to a certain amount of money, at your local OLG retailer. Prizes over the amounts redeemable at individual retailers must be collected at the OLG Prize Centre.

More ways to play

Up the excitement of your favourite sports, and increase your betting knowledge by learning to play these additional sports lottery games.

PRO•LINE gives you a chance to turn your sports knowledge into big excitement. Learn how to play PRO•LINE now.

PROPS lets you wager on a range of events within a game. Learn how to play PROPS now.

A great game for beginners, POOLS lets you predict which team will win. That’s all there is to it. Learn how to play POOLS now.

Ready To Play?

The point spread is probably the most common bet when you think of wagering on a single sporting event. That is because it's designed to bring the two teams to an even playing field through the use of a handicap installed by oddsmakers.

Without a points handicap, it would not make sense to pay both sides of a wager the same amount when it's clear that not all teams are on equal footing. In fact, it is entirely possible for a team to lose the game in real-life but still win a bet if they only lose by less than a set number of points. Vice versa, a team can win a game, but lose the wager if they do not win by more points than what was predicted.

How Does The Point Spread Work?

When wagering against the spread, you bet on the team that will cover the betting line, and not necessarily win the game. Obviously, by taking the favorite, a bettor believes that a team will not only win the game but also win the game by a certain number of points to cover the betting line. But when wagering on the underdog, that team does not necessarily have to win the game to cover the line. For examples of point spreads and how those bets are won, please keep reading below where we give real-life examples explain betting odds for the spread in detail.

When Can The Spread Be Wagered?

The point spread might be the most common betting line for which people are familiar with. This is where the terms 'favorite' and 'underdog' are derived. But, when exactly can wagers on the point spread be placed? There are actually several points in time, and several different ways that a bettor can put action on the spread in a given matchup.

Obviously it starts with action before the game. Point spreads prior to the game will be available up until the start time before going off. Depending on the sports and league + which online sports betting site is consulted, point spreads can be up for days before the start to a matchup.

One of the nice things about online betting is that point spread wagering doesn't stop at the start of the game. With the advance in technology, bettors are able to place live wagers on the points spread, plus bet different spreads at different intervals in a game.

Beginning with live betting, point spreads are routinely adjusted predicated on the flow of the game, meaning how the favorite and underdog are performing. Live point spreads can come and go very quickly, with the potential for scores to change at any moment.

Betting the spread at different intervals in a game means that adjusted spreads are created during breaks, such as quarters or halves, and halftime lines. Oddsmakers will check out the game and how it went for a quarter or half, and then reinstall overall game lines, as well as point spreads for only that particular quarter or half.

How Do Half / .5 Point Spreads Work?

Oftentimes a point spread will not be a whole number, and will be accompanied by a decimal point and a half number. This can be significant for a point spread. Essentially what it comes down to is that a whole number point spread gives the opportunity for a wager to push. A push means that if the favorite is favored by 10 points and wins by 10 points, bettors get their money back. Just like when betting on the over/under total for points, the spread is a half-point in addition to the whole number, there is no chance to push.

Understanding Payouts When Betting On The Point Spread

The whole nature and goal behind the point spread, is to provide an even playing field for the favorite and the underdog. Obviously not every team is equal, so the point spread adjusts this. As a result, the payouts that are generally seen around a point spread is right around Even.

This is different from a moneyline, where payouts can vary greatly because there is not point spread that is installed. It is simply picking the winner straight up. Therefore, a bet on the favorite would not profit as high as it would betting the spread since no points are given. Payouts on the point spread are not always the same, but they do not vary like a moneyline.

Examples Of How The Point Spread Works

How To Read College Football Spreads

• Florida State Seminoles (-7)
• Florida Gators (+7)

Here in this example, the Florida State Seminoles have been set as seven-point favorites over the Florida Gators. That means, for the Seminoles to cover this spread, they will need to win the game by at least eight points to win the bet for a person who wagered on them.

On the flip side, the Gators are receiving seven points. They could lose the game by six points or less, and still win the betting line for a bettor who placed a wager on them.

If the Seminoles win by exactly seven points, then that would result in a push on the bet, with no payout and the bettor getting their money back.

How To Read NFL Football Point Spreads

Since betting on point spreads in the NFL is the most popular bet that people make, it is probably pretty important that you know what you are doing. The point spreads in the NFL are always alot closer then college football because you are dealing with the best of the best. You will almost never see a team favored by more then two touchdowns in the NFL, and most of the NFL point spreads are less then one touchdown. So, here is are best try at helping you understand how to read point spreads in NFL games.

Take this NFL point spread for example.

• Atlanta Falcons -3
• Carolina Panthers +3

Here in this point spread example for the NFL, the Falcons are playing the Panthers. Atlanta has been set as a three-point favorite on the betting line. That means that for Atlanta to cover the spread that has been set, they will need to win by at least four points. And for Carolina to cover the point spread, they can do so with a loss by two points or less, or obviously a win straight up. If the Falcons win by exactly three points, the bet would result in a push with no payouts.

NBA Point Spreads

• Orlando Magic -5.5 (-110)
• Chicago Bulls +5.5 (-110)

The Orlando Magic are playing the Chicago Bulls in this NBA point spread example. The Magic have been set as 5.5 point overall favorites according to this betting line.

For Orlando to cover the spread, the Magic would need to win by at least six points. For the Bulls to get the win against the spread, a loss by five points or less is needed.

Either the Magic's bettors or Bulls' bettors will get the result they need in order to win this bet because of the half point spread that is in-play; there can be no PUSH in this wager.

Ncaa Basketball Point Spreads

Bovada Sportsbook - Best Sports Betting Site For Betting On The Point Spread

The best sportsbook out there has to have a few things for it to be considered as one of the best online sportsbooks and Bovada more than a few. The point spread is just one that raises players' eyebrows and has them think about putting money on the line on these point sports. In both basketball and football and baseball, the point spread is the most important thing to pay attention to when it comes to wagering.

It is hard to say that even with a team be very start that it will be a blowout so most point spread would be pretty close to each other. With that being said, this is why using Bovada point spread is the best place to go. With a team like the Seahawks playing a team that they could easily blow out like the Miami Dolphins have very close point is there is without question an easy bet and easy money for fans to make. These are the kind of bets players need to take advantage of because once the games begin, there is no turning back. Bovada gives players plenty of chances to win big and it starts off with the point spreads offered.

SportsBetting's Sportsbook - Lots Of Betting Odds When Betting On Point Spreads

SportsBetting is the clutch sportsbook that a lot of players like to sign up for. There are so many great things that are offered here but the points spreads are one of the best that players will find if they are shopping for them while looking for an online sportsbook. While there are great bonuses along with great banking methods, the point spreads for all these games are important and are favorable for the players. These bets are the top way that players continue to cash.

The point spread is based on how good teams are and the matchup that is set up. Even those these teams could be a lot better than their competition, the point spread always for the most part are very close. This is great because sometimes this always gives the underdogs to cover with a close game and that could mean big money. Even betting on an underdog to cover the spread doesn’t mean that players pick that team to win the game and that’s why betting on point spreads is so profitable.

BetOnline Sportsbook - Point Spreads The Best On BetOnline

College Basketball Point Spread Picks

Point spreads are big to a lot of players because these could perhaps be the easier bets to win. This is because to win these bets, players don’t have to pick the actual team to win. With BetOnline, there are many point spread options and that goes through to every game and every sport. Players know that they can pick a team that could lose but cover the point spread and gets a huge payout!

The thing about these point spreads also here on BetOnline is that they don’t move much with the big news coming out for each team. This is why these betting options are the best to go for on BetOnline. The consistency is huge and also knowing that your team could lose but cover the spread is huge. Most of the team there is no major blowouts but when there is and you take a team to cover the spread, cash will be rolling in from BetOnline

How To Play Point Spread Basketball Tournament

MyBookie Sportsbook - Top Sportsbook With Point Spreads

There is no doubt that players like to place wagers on games point spreads which is why MyBookie makes sure to have the best point spreads than any other sportsbook out there. That is important and brings in more traffic for MyBookie. The thing that point spread is about is the hitting on the number the team is expected to cover. Betting point spread doesn’t really have anything to do with betting on a team to win.

Ncaa Women's Basketball Point Spread

Looking at both team's past offense experiences will tell players how to handle the point spread. The Cowboys are always in tight games so the point spread on their games are usually going to be very close. Players would see a game like the high scoring Cowboys game go down to the wire and a touchdown could determine if they hit the spread on not. Although their offense is good, their defense will help the other team cover the spread so betting on the opposite team hitting the point spread could be profitable for MyBookie players.

Basketball How To Play

Point Spread vs. Betting On The Moneyline

Betting on the point spread is completely different from betting on teams to win a game outright. Known as 'betting on the moneyline', instead of using points to handicap each side of the wager, the sportsbook will use greater payouts versus the amount risked to reflect their relative perceptions; teams not expected to win (underdogs) pay more, sometimes exponentially, than when betting on the favorite to win when wagering on moneylines.

How To Play Point Spread Basketball Player

While it makes more sense to have a point spread for sports with a lot of scoring like football and basketball, there are point spread bets for low-scoring sports at online sportsbooks. You may see NHL betting lines with one team favored to win at -2.5 and the same principles for how to cash in on that line are the exact same as other sports. Even MLS, Premier League, or other soccer matches come with a point spread. Most of the time that point spread is only a single point but there are times you may also find a team favored at -1.5. If you check out one of the online betting sites we recommend you will surely find point spread bets for these types of sports.