In sports betting, oddsmakers assign a point spread to balance the odds between a favorite and an underdog. A bet placed “against the spread” means that the favored team must win by more than the set spread for the bet to succeed, while the underdog can lose by fewer points than the spread or win the game outright for the bet to win. This creates more balanced betting odds.
Against the Spread Example
For example, if the New York Giants are favored by 7 points against the Dallas Cowboys, a bet on the Giants against the spread requires them to win by 8 or more points. If they win by 6 points or fewer, or lose, the Cowboys win against the spread.