Most people outside of Vegas wonder if they can gamble on sports when they aren’t in Vegas. Is Spread Betting And Alternative Spread Betting Legal?

But as the payout can be higher, so is the team’s risk of not covering the alternative spread. For those betting on a favorite, you could change the spread to give away more points and still cover.Īdjusting the spread with alternative spread betting gives the gambler a choice in what they think the team can do while offering a higher payout if they win. For those betting on an underdog, you could adjust the spread to take a lower amount of points and still cover. However, alternative spread betting can give better odds at a higher risk.Īlternative spread betting allows gamblers to pick a different point spread with a higher payout. That doesn’t always happen, but it is the metric used for placing odds on spreads. Oddsmakers see teams with even odds as a team with the least likely chance of covering the spread. Spread betting odds are usually slightly negative or even odds. This means the underdog loses by a score less than the spread they receive. But the spread may also give an underdog a chance to cover.

That makes a spread bet more appealing, as it doesn’t require a substantial bet on a favorite for a good payout. However, with the point spread giving Denver 10.5 points, if you bet on Kansas City, it would only require the gambler to bet $110 to win $100. It also provides an incentive for gamblers to bet on a game that the two teams would be unevenly matched in a moneyline bet.įor example, the Kansas City Chiefs as a favorite would require a $450 wager for the gambler to win $100 against a team like the Denver Broncos. Spreads are given to teams by oddsmakers to evenly match the two teams that would otherwise be unevenly matched. For a favorite team, you would be betting that they will win by more than the points that the spread bet would take away. For an underdog team, you would be betting that they will not lose by more than the points given in the spread bet. A team with a minus spread means they are favorites and will have that amount of points deducted from their final total.įor those wanting to bet on a spread, you would be betting on a team and if they can cover that spread.

Oddsmakers will assign teams a plus or minus spread based on both teams’ records, where they are playing, and who isn’t playing in the game.Ī team with a plus spread means they are underdogs and will receive that amount of points added to their final total. The spread is one of the most common betting forms for sports. Spread Betting Guide: What It is & How It Works

How to bet point spread basketball