Learn to Read Sports Betting Spreads

If you've ever ventured into the sports betting world you have undoubtedly seen something like this:

Phila. Eagles at Dallas Cowboys 2008-09-15 20:35

Spread Price Money Over/Under Price

221 Phila. +7 -110 Bet +250 Bet Over 47.0 -110 Bet

222 Dallas -7 -110 Bet -300 Bet Under 47.0 -110 Bet

Before you can ever place a bet, you must know what these numbers mean and the options you and your money have.
Across the top are the names of the teams playing each other, the date and the time at which the bet closes. Below you have the actual nuts and bolts of each bet. In this example, there are three different types of bets you can make. The first, called the SPREAD, is indicated by the +7 and -7. This shows the points you will either add or subtract respectively. For example, if you bet on Philadelphia to win, you get to add 7 points to your total score. So, if the games ends Philadelphia 10 and Dallas 14, even though Dallas won the game, you would win the bet because you get to add 7 to Philly's score for a total of 17-14. (The same goes with the -7. If you bet on Dallas, again with the same score, you would actually LOSE because then the total score would be Philly 10- Dallas 7). Now, how much can you win if you bet on the spread? Under the price category, you see -110 (which is pretty typical on a spread price). This means if you bet $110 you will win $100 (slightly less then what you bet). You can generally bet any amount (not just 110), and you will just be paid accordingly.

The second bet is even money, which means you are betting on the team to win without any help from extra points. You are betting that your team will win straight up. In the next example:

New York-N Giants at St. Louis Rams 2008-09-14 13:00

Spread Price Money Over/Under Price

203 New York-N -8.5 -110 Bet -450 Bet Over 42.0 -110 Bet

204 St. Louis +8.5 -110 Bet +350 Bet Under 42.0 -110 Bet

The New York Giants are the favorite to win. If you bet on the Giants, you have to bet $450 to win $100. This may seem like a huge amount to risk, however, this bet is supposed to be an easy, almost guaranteed, win. However, if you have faith in the underdog, in this case St. Louis, for every $100 you bet you will win $350! This bet is a great bet if you feel an underdog team may come on strong, or if you disagree with the spread as to who an underdog really is! Just look at the money difference between the two bets. Say you feel St Louis is going to win and you decide to take the points, you can make $100 for every $110 you bet. However, if you don't take the extra points, for that same $110 bet you are going to win over $350! Again, this bet is generally riskier; remember the underdog is named that way for a reason!

The third bet is called the over/under and you are betting exactly that: whether or not you feel the total combined scores of the two teams playing will be over or under the stated number. This bet is good if you don't feel comfortable with the other two options. In the example below

Indianapolis Colts at Minnesota Vikings 2008-09-14 13:00

Spread Price Money Over/Under Price

195 Indianapolis -2 -110 Bet -130 Bet Over 43.5 -110 Bet

196 Minnesota +2 -110 Bet +110 Bet Under 43.5 -110 Bet

The Minnesota Vikings only get two points, which is virtually nothing. The money bets aren't that enticing either, and if you feel the game can go either way, the over/under may be a good bet. Perhaps both teams are strong defensive teams or have young, inexperienced quarterbacks, then you might want to bet on the low. However, if both teams are powerhouse teams with a slew of offensive weapons, then the over may be the bet for you. If does not matter which teams wins, remember you are only betting on the combined score.

This should give you a better understanding of the mechanics of sports betting. If you are interested in taking this knowledge to the next level, please check back or drop me a line~ I'll be posting about the site I use and all their bonuses and upcoming contests!