What's a Point Spread?
A point spread is basically oddsmakers’ way of creating an even playing field between two teams.
Here’s the idea: instead of just picking who wins (that's a moneyline) you’re betting on how much a team wins or loses by.
- The favorite (-) has to win by a certain number of points.
- The underdog (+) can either win the game or lose by fewer than a certain number.
| Team | Spread |
| Iowa Hawkeyes | -6.5 |
| Iowa State Cyclones | +6.5 |
In the example above, if you bet on Iowa football -6.5, they need to win by 7 (or more) for your bet to win.
If you bet on Iowa State football +6.5, your bet wins if they win the game outright or lose by 6 or fewer.
The + and - before the number means if you take away 6.5 points from the favorite, and give those points to the underdog, it would make a lopsided match even.
How to Find Point Spreads in Apps
No matter what Iowa sportsbook you're using, finding point spreads to bet on is simple. This is how you'll see odds for the Iowa vs. Iowa State football game displayed:
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
| Hawkeyes | -6.5 | -200 | o 45.5 |
| Cyclones | +6.5 | +170 | u 45.5 |
You can see all the common ways to bet, from spreads through totals.
eIf you think the Cyclones only lose by 3 points, or wins the game, you'd want to push +6.5. If you think the Hawkeyes win by 7+ points, you'll pick Hawkeyes -6.5.
Why Point Spreads Are Popular ways to Bet
Not only are point spreads simple for beginners to understand but they allow for more opportunities to win at the sportsbook.
A few more ways point spreads are so popular include:
- Great for betting on leagues like the NFL, NCAAF, and NBA.
- Allows for more betting options opposed to just picking the winner of a game.
- It can make for watching both blowouts and close games more exciting.
On top of that, you can usually use any sportsbook promos in Iowa by betting on the point spread. That makes for cashing in even quicker once you're all signed up.
Betting on Point Spreads FAQs
Point spreads are created by sportsbooks in an attempt to make a game between two teams "even". For example, you might see a sportsbook give the Hawkeyes a -2.5 spread over the Cyclones which means the Hawks need to win by 3 or more points.
It means the team met or beat expectations. A favorite “covers” by winning by more than the spread. An underdog covers by losing by less than the spread — or winning outright.
Yes, you can include point spread legs into a parlay.
The half point sportsbooks put in to point spreads are in an attempt to avoid ties, or "pushes". If a bet pushes then it's voided and nobody wins.
Author
Tyler Olson has lived most of his life in Iowa, working in sports media for over a decade, writing and editing primarily NFL, sports betting, and iGaming content. His primary focus is giving sports bettors the most up-to-date information on legal operators, sharing the latest promo code offerings and analyzing team and player odds bettors can place bets on.