Sports betting is getting more and more popular across the globe. In countries like India, betting on sports is considered to be illegal, and there are no bookmaking shops anywhere across the country. Things have changed considerably since the introduction of online betting, which is technically not illegal. Today, many sports and betting and sports enthusiasts are trying their hands at online betting. Before jumping into the world of betting, it is important to get acquainted with some common terminologies used. What does the spread mean in betting? Let's try to understand in simple terms.
What does the spread mean in betting?
Spread betting was invented in order to even the odds between two unequal teams. In many matches, it may so happen that one team is very strong and has historically always won against the other team. In such matches, most bets will be placed on the stronger team, with very few takers for the underdog. Do in order to equalize the number of bets on both teams, spread betting is used.
A spread also referred to as the line, is essentially a handicap towards the weaker team. Rather than simply betting on `who will win the match´, a bettor needs to predict if the stronger team will win by `more than the point spread´, or `less than the point spread´, similar to an `over/under´ bet.
The point spread can be adjusted by the bookmaker in such a way that there are similar numbers of wagers placed on both sides of the spread.
What does the spread mean in betting? It is an American term that not too many betting websites in India use. Spread betting was first invented in North America by a mathematics teacher named. Charles McNeil, and was first introduced to the UK market in the 1980s and is now one of the most popular forms of betting there.
The odds for a spread bet, known as `Vigorish´, are usually, but not always, set at -110 to give the bookmaker a house edge.
