What Does a Negative Point Spread Mean?  

Sports betting is one of the simplest types of betting. However, it also has some aspects that sweeten the pot for anyone trying out their luck in betting. One of the most common betting types is a point spread. This is usually done to make betting more thrilling for bettors.

Point spread betting has become one of the most popular types of betting because it could raise the stakes on your usual type of betting. This means that you are not usually confined to just a winner or loser: you also have to guess correctly the number of points the team has to win by to gain a profit in your bet.

What is a point spread?

 

A spread is the margin of victory in a game.  A stronger team will be favoured in the spread; thus, to make their standing equal, they will be subtracted a number of points. The underdog, on the other hand, will be favoured, thus their standing is increased by these points.

Sportsbooks offer a variety of spreads, and corresponding odds to go with them so that bettors understand the value of the selection they will be choosing. Soccer is usually one of the point spreads that are low because the sport itself is a low scoring game. That is why it is not surprising to see handicaps such as -1.0, -2.5, +1.75, +2.0 and more, as opposed to basketball which has spreads as high as -11, -11.25, +8.25 +9.0 and the like.

How are point spreads determined?

 

  • Power rankings

The first step would be comparing the rankings of the two teams. This is determined by the team’s record, the strength of their schedule, plus other statistics. From this, bookmakers choose which is the stronger team, and how big the point spread will be. The more lopsided, the farther the distance between the two teams.

  • Location of the Match

Where the game will take place is also put into the spread. The home side will have an advantage: if they were seen to be the favourite, they would be seen as having a bigger edge now, and this will affect the spread more.

  • Perception of the People
  • Other Factors

Now, these point spreads aren’t simply plucked out of thin air.