If you have followed sports betting for any amount of time, you have undoubtedly heard about point spreads. Point spread betting is synonymous with sports betting, since laying or taking points is one of the most basic ways to wager. Learning how to bet the spread is great, especially for newcomers, since there is less risk with spread betting than parlays, props, or even some moneyline wagers. But if you don’t know how to bet the spread -- or are confused by the plusses and minuses -- you’ve come to the right place. Here is a guide to spread betting and how to point spread bet at the best Ohio sportsbooks. What is point spread betting? Point spread betting is a fundamental of team-sports betting on an individual game. Sportsbooks like FanDuel and DraftKings set a favorite and underdog, and add the point spread with corresponding odds based on how likely the favorite or underdog is to cover. Knowing how to read betting odds also helps here. For example, if one team is a slight favorite, it may be -1.5, meaning it needs to win by two or more points/runs/goals to cover the spread. The underdog would be +1.5, meaning it would cover if it won or lost by one point/run/goal or less. The premise of a point spread is to inspire betting on games that may seem lopsided. Even playoff games can look uneven on paper, yet underdogs and favorites can cover a point spread about equal amounts across sports. Key spread terms to know Cover: The team that wins a spread bet. If the favorite “covers” a certain number of points, that means it has won by that amount. If an underdog covers, that means it has beaten the spread.Favorite: The team deemed likely to win by a sportsbook. The spread number will always be “minus” for a favorite.Laying: Points, not eggs. The amount of points a favorite lays is akin to the amount it is favored. Pick ‘em: A game where there is no spread because the sports oddsmakers deem it too close to have a spread. In a pick ‘em bet, the sportsbook is requiring bettors to choose which side will win.Push: When neither the favorite nor underdog covers, that makes it a push. If the spread is -3, and the game is decided by that number of points, then the bet is voided and the bettor’s stake is returned.Underdog: The team that is not likely to win. An underdog’s spread number will almost always Spread: The spread is the number of points a favorite or underdog needs to cover in order to win a spread bet. How does point spread betting work Point spread betting helps even the playing field for bettors who may like or want to root for underdogs but are unsure if they can win. A plus or minus spread may be intimidating to novice point spread bettors. But “minus #“ means a team is favored to win by at least that amount, and ”plus #" means the underdog needs to win outright or lose by at least that number to cover. For example, if a team is a heavy underdog, it is unlikely to defeat a favorite. But maybe the underdog can stay within 25 points, which is why a bettor would wager it to cover +25.5. Or if an NFL favorite like the Kansas City Chiefs is about a touchdown favorite to defeat the Houston Texans, KC may be listed as -6.5 points -- or laying six-and-a-half points. If the Chiefs win by seven-plus, they will cover. If the Texans win or stay within six points, they will beat the spread. How to place a point spread bet Placing a point spread wager is as simple as making any bet. Here are the steps at somewhere like Caesars Sportsbook or BetMGM. Sign up or log in to your preferred sportsbookVisit the page of the sport you wish to wager onConsult the various spread bets you wish to wager onDoing research is always a great ideaTap the plus or minus point spreadAdd your stake and press Place BetRoot for your wager to hit! Depending on what sport you are wagering on, spread odds may be extremely long or short. For instance, hockey spreads are almost always +/-1.5 goals, and betting a favorite to cover may have odds of +220 with underdog covering odds of -245 or shorter. Similarly, in baseball, the run line -- or spread -- might be as long as +150 or as short as -17.5, depending on the pitching matchup and which side you are wagering. Winning or losing a spread bet The pluses and minuses may be confusing, but whether a spread bet wins or loses is surprisingly simple. If you wagered on an underdog to beat the spread, you would win if the ‘dog lost by fewer than the spread or won outright. If you wagered a favorite to cover the spread, you would win if that team won by at least the amount listed. For instance, if the spread is -8.5 in a basketball game, and the favorite won by double digits, your wager would hit if you bet the favorite to cover. If you wagered on the underdog to cover, and it lost by eight points or fewer, then your wager would win. If, however, the spread is listed at +/-7, and the final total ended up being exactly seven points, your wager would be a push. In a push, or voided wager, your stake is returned, and neither side wins. Why use point spread betting You may wonder why take the added risk to wager on point spreads. Coaches aren’t worried about covering a spread -- as Herman Edwards famously said, you play to win the game. Still, millions are spent on point spread betting every year. Here are some reasons why to wager on point spreads. Makes games exciting Imagine a lopsided-looking NFL game, like the Chiefs and Raiders or Browns vs. Bengals. You know the Browns play well against Cincinnati, and Kansas City has dominated the Raiders back to their Oakland days. But with the spread in play, there is a possibility of a Bengals bet hitting. Or a Raiders bet hitting. Or, you may be able to get -110 odds on the Browns to cover -7.5 when they are a -400 moneyline favorite. If you’re a hockey bettor wagering -1.5, you can rejoice when the favorite hits the empty net. Or if you are a basketball bettor, you can win when that last-second buzzer beater goes in to hit the +3.5 spread. Betting at bet365 makes sports more exciting. Points spread betting makes game betting more practical and, therefore, more exciting. Better odds With greater risk comes greater reward, especially if you are wagering a large number spread. In the example referenced above, you may be able to get -110 odds on the Browns to cover -7.5 when they are a -400 moneyline favorite against the Bengals. Or if you trust the Chiefs to cover -13 against the Raiders, you can get odds of -110 -- or even -105 -- rather than winning pennies on a -700 moneyline wager. Widely available across sports Every team sport uses a spread bet, even soccer, which will do a -0.5 spread for the favorite to mitigate draws. If you are a basketball or football bettor, the spread will vary based on the perceived lopsidedness of the game. In baseball or hockey, the spread is almost always +/-1.5, though that will evolve as the game goes on and as you live bet. Spread betting is a staple in gambling circles mainly because it is relatively easy to understand and adds a level of skill to sports betting. It’s also easier to take advantage of the best sportsbook promos in Ohio. Anyone can predict a -1000 moneyline favorite to win a game, but a smart bettor will know to wager +/-10 based on the game‘s other factors. Beginner tips for point spread betting Point spread betting may sound simple, but there is definitely a method to the madness. Start with sports you know It doesn’t make sense to wager on Korean baseball if you don’t even follow MLB. Basketball and football are obviously the most popular betting sports in the U.S., and spread betting on those sports is the best way to get a sense of how point spread betting works. Research, research, research Spread betting requires a deeper level of knowledge than even wagering on moneylines. Though even blind luck can produce a winning spread bet -- especially at -2.5 or +14 -- it is integral to know what you’re getting yourself into by wagering on spreads. For example, if you saw the Raiders-Chiefs example above, and it captured your attention that the Chiefs have trouble covering double-digit spreads, then you might want to take the Raiders +13. Or if you see a -7 spread between the Browns and Bengals, and realize Cleveland has won each of the teams’ meetings by double digits, you might want to wager on the Browns to easily cover a touchdown. Bet responsibly Again, spread betting is a fixture in the gambling community, but teams don’t care about the spread. Their goal is to finish with at least one more point than the other team. So if you’re a relative newb in the online betting space, you’ll want to go easy when placing a point spread bet. Those of us who have been burned by the dreaded backdoor cover, or even watched the team we bet at -7 fall behind 14-0, know that spread bets can go sideways quickly. Shop for the best numbers We wager on sports to win, and shopping multiple sportsbooks gives us a better chance to win and win big. If the Browns are a -7 favorite at one sportsbook, but you see them at -6.5 at a different one, then you’ll want to take the latter since a touchdown win will cover rather than push. If you want to wager on the Raiders and see them listed at +14.5 at one book when the standard spread is +/-13, then it is worth taking advantage of that number. Common mistakes to avoid Again, novice and experienced bettors make mistakes all the time. But there are ways to mitigate those mishaps. Ignorning ‘hooks’ The hook is a gambling slang term meaning a half-point, and it’s important to find those spreads that feature a hook when you are spread betting. For example, if the spread is +/-3 in a football game, but you find it listed at -2.5, then it’s worth taking the favorite -- even if the odds are affected. If you see the spread at +3.5, then it’s worth wagering, since many football games are decided by exactly three points. Blindly betting Vegas does its homework when setting lines, so the least you can do is do your research, too. Again, there are times when simply trusting your gut is worthwhile, but digging into trends and assessing matchups can’t steer you wrong -- especially when they affirm what your gut is telling you. Chasing losses Sure, losing bets stings. But watching the losses pile up can be even more dangerous -- and we all go through cold spells. If you get burned by a backdoor cover or a pesky hook, remember that those will come back around again at some point. Stay within your means, and you will both win and lose and have fun doing so. Point spread betting is a good step for novice bettors to get better acclimated with sportsbooks. Sportsbooks are very good at setting spreads, so if you want to try betting with an alternate spread, that could be a good way to start. But by taking a stab at spread betting at a trusted, regulated online sportsbook, you will be able to get in on the action and add a level of juice to the games we all love watching. Frequently asked questions What does covering the spread mean? Covering a spread means either a favorite won by at least the amount listed pregame or the underdog either won outright or stayed within the spread. Is point spread betting risky for beginnners? It can be, but every wager comes with some risk. Even a -400 moneyline favorite can lose -- especially in March Madness or a college or NFL football game. Can you bet point spreads on all sports? Yes. Every sport features a point spread, even if it is +/-1.5 in hockey or baseball -- or +/-0.5 in soccer. Football and basketball point spread betting are the most common, though. What happens if the spread is a tie? A tie in spread betting is known as a push. If that happens, the wager is voided, and the user’s stake is returned. How do sportsbooks set point spreads? Sportsbooks research trends and have their own internal data to determine the point spread. Line movement is based on information -- like injuries or other factors -- but also on how the public wagers on the game.