Point Spread Nba Meaning
A point spread in sports is a way for oddsmakers to make a matchup between two unbalanced teams more balanced by giving points to or taking points away from each team. When you play the point spread, you are not betting whether your favorite NBA team is going to win or lose a game; you are betting how many points they may win or lose. Point spread betting can make the most lopsided game interesting. NBA Point Spread Explained The same basic principles of point spread betting are the same in the NBA as they are in the NFL. 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.
The point spread is the most common bets in not just basketball, but all sports.
The oddsmakers put out a “line” (aka: point spread) on the game based on the public perception of which team is better and which team is worse. The better team will be “laying” points (aka: giving points) to the other team to make up for the difference in equality. Remember, this is based on PUBLIC PERCEPTION, not how things will really play out. In fact, often times many games don’t land anywhere near the point spread! That just goes to show that betting on basketball is beatable. If you can consistently create a line better than that of which the bookmaker offers, you can be a winner! It’s a grind though!
As an example, let’s say the San Antonio Spurs are playing the Cleveland Cavaliers AT San Antonio. In 2007, the likely spread on this game would have been -7 in favor of San Antonio. This means that at the end of the game, you REMOVE 7 points from their final score. If their score still beats that of Cleveland’s, your bet is a winner. If deducting the 7 points gives Cleveland a higher score, Cleveland is the point spread winner and cashes the betting ticket.
If you looked at it from an underdog point of view, Cleveland would be +7. This would mean that you add seven points to their score at the end of the game. If it was to exceed the Spurs score, Cleveland would be the point spread winner. If adding the 7 still doesn’t beat the Spurs score, the Spurs would be the spread winner.
When placing this type of bet, you should expect to lay/risk $1.10 for every $1.00 you’d like to profit. Some online sportsbooks such as 5Dimes Sportsbook, offer reduced vig betting at -105 odds which is huge savings. This means that you can bet $1.05 to win the same $1.00! That’s like receiving a bonus every single time you place a wager!
If your betting on hoops, the spread bets and totals are your best bet as they have the least amount of house advantage built into the vig. It’s also easier to beat then teasers and parlays as you only have to win one game rather than 2 or more to cash your betting ticket.
If you have any basketball wagering related questions, please send them to predictem (at) hotmail.com and one of our friendly staff will be sure to get back to you within a timely manner.
Point Spread Nba Playoffs
When you play the point spread, you are not betting whether your favorite NBA team is going to win or lose a game; you are betting how many points they may win or lose by.
Point spread betting can make the most lopsided game interesting. You can bet on the expansion team to rise to the occasion and not lose by 20, or wager that the defending champion will win in a blowout. Or maybe that underdog road team keeps it close against a heavily favored team playing on home court.
Point spread betting lines are recognizable by the use of the + or – symbols.
When a team has a point spread line with a plus sign (+), it indicates that the team must win the game outright or lose the game by fewer number of points than what is indicated in the line.
Point Spread Nba Meaning Changes
When a team has a point spread line with a minus sign (-), it indicates that the team must win the game by a greater number of points than what is indicated in the line.
A typical point spread betting line will look something like this:
Los Angeles Lakers +3.5
@ Toronto Raptors -3.5
With a point-spread line of 3.5, the Lakers must win the game outright or lose by three points or less to cover the spread and be graded as a win. Conversely, the Toronto Raptors must win by at least four points to cover and be graded as a win.
At times, oddsmakers will set the point spread on a whole number like 3, 6 or even 10. In cases like these, if the favored team wins by the exact number set for the spread, the bet is considered “a push” and the risk amount of your bet would be returned to you. For example, if the Raptors were 7-point favorites and they won by seven points, any wager on the Raptors at -7 would result in a push.
Every now and then you’ll come across a game without a spread. This is called a pick’em where each team is given even odds to win the game. Since no points are given or taken away in a pick’em, the team that wins the game is the team that wins the bet.
Your payout is determined by the moneyline odds attached to the point spread. A negative number (such as -170) shows how much money you must wager to win $100, while a positive number (like +150) shows how much money you will win if you place a $100 wager.
Typically, the odds given on the spread are -110 unless otherwise noted. Oddsmakers may adjust a line in the days and hours leading up to a game based on how bettors are responding to the line. This is done in an effort to balance the action.
You can also place point spread bets on a specific portion of a game – when first half, second half or quarter lines are offered.