What Is the Point Spread For Tonight’s NFL Game?
Contents
Read about how the point spread works in football games and how it can affect the outcome of tonight’s NFL game.
Introduction
In American football, the point spread, also known as the line or spread, is the number of points assumed to be scored by the weaker team in any particular game. The point spread is generally set by oddsmakers or sportsbooks. When betting on football, the team you bet on must “cover the spread.” This means that the team must win by more than the point spread in order for you to win your bet. If they win by exactly the amount of the point spread, it is called a “push,” and you will get your original bet back.
What is the Point Spread?
The point spread is the number of points that the betting public believes will be scored by the favorite team in an NFL game. The point spread is used to even out the playing field between the two teams, making it more fair and enticing for bettors. If you are wondering what the point spread is for tonight’s NFL game, then you have come to the right place!
How is the Point Spread Used?
The point spread is the most popular way to bet on NFL games, and it involves predicting how many points one team will defeat another by.
The favorite in a game is the team that’s expected to win, and they will usually have a point spread of -3.5, meaning they need to win by four points or more to cover the spread.
The underdog is the team that’s not expected to win the game, and they will usually have a point spread of +3.5, meaning they can lose by three points and still cover the spread.
If you bet on the favorite, you need them to win by more than the point spread; if you bet on the underdog, you need them to either win outright or lose by less than the point spread.
The moneyline is another way to bet on NFL games, and it involves predicting which team will win outright. The favorite will always have a moneyline of -250 or less, meaning you need to risk $250 to win $100; the underdog will always have a moneyline of +200 or more, meaning you only need to risk $100 to win $200.
If you bet on the favorite and they win, you’ll get your original stake back plus your profits; if they lose, you’ll only lose your original stake. If you bet on the underdog and they win, you’ll get your original stake back plus your profits; if they lose, you’ll only lose your original stake.
How is the Point Spread Set?
The most common form of wagering on football is the point spread in which bookmakers try to even out the betting by listing the game with a hypothetical spread. Advantage is given to the team that is expected to win (listed as the “favorite”), while the underdog team is given a head start.
The point spread is usually set between two and three points, with four and six points occasionally seen in larger games such as Monday Night Football. Occasionally, a sportsbook will list a game at 0 or even have it off the board entirely due to uncertainty over which team will be favored (the “line” or “spread” may also be listed as ” Pick’ em”).
Once the line or spread is set, bettors can then choose which side they think will win. The favorite needs to win by more than the point spread for a bettor backing them to be successful, while the underdog must either win outright or not lose by more than the point spread for a bettor taking them to win. If the final margin ends up exactly on the number set by oddsmakers, then it is called a “push” and all bets are refunded.
How Does the Point Spread Affect Bets?
The point spread is the number of points by which the Las Vegas (or other bookmaker) believes one team will win over another. The point spread affects how much you have to bet in order to win a given amount on your bet. If the point spread is large, it means that the bookmaker believes that one team is much more likely to win than the other, and so you will have to bet more money in order to win a given amount. If the point spread is small, it means that the bookmaker believes that either team could win, and so you will only have to bet a small amount in order to win a given amount.
Conclusion
The point spread is the most common way to bet on NFL games, and it’s very simple. The point spread is the number of points that one team is expected to win or lose by. If you’re betting on a particular team to win, they need to win by more points than the point spread. If you’re betting on a particular team to lose, they need to lose by fewer points than the point spread. It’s as simple as that.
