In the above example, the Philadelphia Eagles are favored on the moneyline (-125) and are therefore expected to win the game – or projected to have a higher probability of winning the game. Spreads are essentially oddsmakers giving their bettors an estimate of what the margin of victory or defeat will be in a game. The spread is a concept used in sports betting that refers to artificial handicaps made by sportsbooks in an attempt to even out a matchup between opponents.
One term you have likely also heard more of recently is “the spread”. Terms like the favorite, underdog, moneyline, parlay, and even over/under all have seen an uptick in usage since gambling became legal in the United States. If you watch sports regularly you have likely heard betting terminology thrown around by broadcasters with a little more frequency over the last couple of years.
Understanding the spread and how to approach an against-the-spread wager is an integral part of sports betting.
