{"id":49158,"date":"2018-03-16T17:42:16","date_gmt":"2018-03-17T00:42:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sportsbettingdime.com\/?page_id=49158"},"modified":"2026-01-15T17:15:04","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T22:15:04","slug":"spread-betting-explained","status":"publish","type":"guide","link":"https:\/\/www.sportsbettingdime.com\/guides\/betting-101\/spread-betting-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Betting Against the Spread Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Most sporting events have a perceived favorite, so applying a spread to the game is the bookmakers’ way of creating an even playing field. This is most often seen when betting on the NFL<\/a>, but point spreads are common in the NBA as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you bet “against the spread,” it’s not enough for the favorite to win the game; now, they have to win by more than a specified amount (the point spread) in order for them to “cover the spread.”<\/p>