In the NFL, the point spread is determined by oddsmakers who take into account various factors such as the teams’ records, the strength of their offenses and defenses, and the current injuries to key players. These factors are used to calculate a predicted margin of victory for the favorite team, and this margin becomes the point spread.
For example, if the New England Patriots are playing the Miami Dolphins and the Patriots are considered the favorite, the point spread might be set at -7, meaning the Patriots must win by more than 7 points for a bettor who placed a wager on them to win. On the other hand, if a bettor places a wager on the Dolphins and they lose by 6 or less, or win the game, the bettor wins. The point spread is intended to make betting on the game more interesting by making it less predictable.
It’s important to note that if the final score of the game is exactly the same as the point spread, it is considered a “push” and all bets placed on the point spread are refunded to the bettor.
It’s also worth mentioning that there are different types of handicap betting options like half point handicap and Asian handicap which give the player more wagering options and chances of winning.
What Does +2.5 means in NFL?
In the NFL, a point spread of +2.5 means that the team designated as the underdog is given 2.5 points to add to their final score. This is known as a “plus point spread.”
For example, if the Kansas City Chiefs are playing the Baltimore Ravens and the point spread is set at +2.5 for the Chiefs, it means that a bettor who places a wager on the Chiefs will win if the Chiefs either win the game or lose by 2 or less points. In other words, the Chiefs are considered the underdog and are given an additional 2.5 points to their final score to make the betting on the game more interesting.
It’s worth noting that in most cases when the point spread is a whole number like 2, 3, 4 etc it is considered a “pick’em” game, which means that the bookmaker doesn’t favor any team and the bettor has to decide which team will win the game outright.
It’s also important to remember that the point spread is only one aspect of the betting options available for a game, and other options such as moneyline and total points can also be wagered on.
