When laying the points, you are wagering on the favored team to not only win but to win by a margin greater than the point spread set by the sportsbook. The point spread is used to level the playing field between the favored and underdog teams, and by laying the points, you believe the favorite will cover the spread. If the favorite fails to win by more than the spread, you lose the bet.
Laying the Points Example
For example, if the favorite team is listed as -7, you are laying the points if you bet on them to win by more than 7 points. If they win by 8 or more, your bet is successful; if they win by fewer than 7 points or lose, the bet loses.