• Sports Betting Stories
• Football Spread Betting Explained
• Spread Betting Stories Against
• Spread Betting Stories

Sports Betting Stories

Understanding the different types of betting options is crucial when you’re getting a start as a first-time sports bettor.

The Point Spread: Betting the spread

For those new to sports betting, the point spread is the simplest, most straightforward approach to placing wagers.

NBA All-Star Game 2021 Odds, Spread & Betting Lines for Team LeBron vs Team Durant. Spread Betting Success Stories from the Front-Line Simon Cawkwell - aka Evil Knievel Simon Cawkwell has become such a legend in spread betting circles that he is.

Sports books set a predetermined margin of points on a game and a team must win – or not lose – by that set number. That’s why you’ll often hear people say the team won, but they “didn’t cover the spread” so their bet still came up short.

It’s not a matter of a team winning or losing like in a moneyline bet.

For a favorite: The favorite must win by more than the point spread.For an underdog: The underdog must outright win OR lose by fewer than the point spread.

Sports books aren’t in the business of predicting who will win or lose games. Their goal is setting a pre-game point spread with the intention to generate an equal amount of betting action/volume on both sides of the ledger – as much total money being bet on the favorite as on the underdog.

The vast majority of point spread wagers are made on football and basketball because of the proliferation of points that are scored in comparison to sports like baseball and hockey, where 1-0 or 2-1 games aren’t that out of the question or out of the norm. There’s one every night.

For example, the New England Patriots are playing the New York Jets and New England is a 9½-point favorite. Bettors typically have to spend $110 or so to win $100 with sports books, known as “the house edge/advantage.” With a point spread bet, simply having a team win the game isn’t the key. The critical factor to betting a point spread is how much a team wins or loses by. If a wager is placed on New England – “laying” the 9½ points – the Patriots need to win the game by 10 or more points for that bet to pay off. If New England wins 28-20, those betting on the Jets plus 9½ points (points added to their final total) win the bet.

The same general rules apply for basketball and are quite easy to follow because of the inherent simplicity of the bet. When it comes to betting sports like baseball and hockey, the standard bets are made on the “money line” – an established number for both teams to win the game outright.

Football Spread Betting Explained

What makes point spread bets attractive are the fluid nature of each game – it’s a reality show that, when done right, is inexplicable. Games change on one play and momentum is a thing. But, when it comes to point spread betting, you know where you stand at every moment.

For those just starting out, the simplest form of gambling is betting the spread because it’s the easiest to explain and understand, which explains why it is the most popular form of sports wagering.

The Los Angeles Lakers look like a much stronger squad ever since the return of starting point guard Dennis Schröder. They’ve won their last two games, both against teams currently in the playoff picture and they’ve displayed spectacular defense. But tonight’s game will be an even tougher test as they welcome the Phoenix Suns to Staples Center. We will give you all the best information you need to make the best wagers on tonight’s game from our friends at BetMGM.

Tonight’s game tips off at 10 p.m. EST and the game will be aired nationally on ESPN.

Spread Betting Stories Against

The lines, courtesy of BetMGM

Point spread: Lakers -1Moneyline: Lakers -120 / Suns +100Over-under: 213.5

Place your legal, online sports bets in VA, CO, IA, IN, NJ, PA, TN and WV at BetMGM.

Advice and prediction

The Lakers defense is still elite, even without Anthony Davis. Ever since the return of Schröder, we’ve been reminded of that as their size and smarts have made things very difficult for teams on a nightly basis.

Tonight’s challenge will be even more difficult as the Suns have two great playmakers in Chris Paul and Devin Booker, as well as a powerful force above the rim in DeAndre Ayton.

Still, with the Lakers only giving up a point and it being effectively a toss-up, I’ve got to go with LeBron and the Lakers in this spot. While they haven’t been great at home, it’s their final home game before the break and it’s also their last game on National TV until the second half of the season begins. With the spotlight on them, I think the Lakers bring the money.

Spread Betting Stories

Prediction: Lakers 112, Suns 108