Most of the time, in a football game, there is one consensus favorite. Spreads are made to attract bettors to both sides of an NFL game. Now, let’s take an in-depth look into football spread betting. When you see a +1.5 in front of a team’s name, that means that they are 1.5-point underdogs in that matchup.

What Does +1.5 Spread Mean In Betting?īetting odds and lines from a sportsbook can be confusing at first.

If the Cowboys pull off an outright upset, then that is also a winning wager. If the Cowboys loses by two or fewer points, then it is a winning bet. If Dallas Cowboys is +2.5, that means they are the underdog and have been spotted or given 2.5 points. That means whether you bet the Giants -3 or Texans +3, you’ll win the same amount of money if you win the bet. In a spread bet, the odds are usually set at -110 on both sides, depending on the sportsbook and state. If you bet on the Patriots, they have to win by at least 6 points. If you bet on the Jets, they don’t have to win, they just have to lose by 5 points or less. What Does A +5 Mean In Betting?įor example, let’s say the NY Jets (+5.5) are playing the New England Patriots (-5.5). A team posted at -7 is the favorite and is laying seven points. If the spread is seven points for a game, it means the underdog is getting seven points, noted as +7 on the odds.

However, read your sportsbook’s terms and conditions. When a push happens, the amount wagered goes back to the bettor’s bankroll. The hook’s purpose is to make sure there can’t be a push bet (a tied bet). Sometimes, NFL betting spreads will have a half-point (0.5) attached to them. So, for bettors to cash with them, the underdogs can either win outright or lose by less than the point spread. The favorite team not only has to win but cover the points handicapped to get the payout.Īs for the underdogs, they “get” the points.

Point spread nfl games explained