If Chicago wins by exactly 4, then the bet is a push and no one wins or loses money. Since the spread is 4, Chicago must win by 5 or more points to win the bet, while New York can lose by 3 or fewer points to win the bet. In the example above, -/+4 is the spread. The spread is typically displayed in the following format:īy betting the spread, a sports bettor wagers on the amount of points a team is projected to win or lose by. Some bettors refer to this as the favorite laying 4 points, and the underdog getting 4 points.
In our example we will use Chicago against New York in which Chicago is favored by 4 points versus New York.
Most newspapers and online sports betting sites publish the line on a football or basketball game simply as a single number.
