Spread

A spread is a type of bet where a team is required to win against a set point-spread. Favored teams must win by a larger margin than the spread, while the underdog must either win outright or lose by a smaller margin than the spread.

Spreads vs. Moneylines

Point-spread bets are common in high-scoring sports such as American football and basketball, but can also occur in soccer, baseball, hockey, and tennis. Spreads are a useful alternative to moneylines in matches that feature a large difference in skill between competing teams. Rather than forcing bettors to choose between betting on outright victories by the favorite (resulting in a poor return) or underdog (low chance of victory) spreads provide the opportunity to back either team with reasonable odds.