If you ever see a line completely shift and change who is favored in a matchup, do some research to see if you can figure out what may have caused this.

Lines typically move because there are changes in financial circumstances, players are being injured, or there is some other news that may affect the likely outcome of a game or match. There are several reasons that lines move, and it’s important for you to try to figure out why they are moving before placing a bet. If you see a line of +1.5 on a football or basketball game, look for that line to be adjusted when it gets closer to the start of a game. The underdog will almost always be listed at +1.5, while the favorite will be listed at -1.5.Īnother thing to keep in mind is that lines can always move, and most of them will move several times before a game begins. In fact, baseball, hockey, and soccer commonly set the run or goal line at 1.5, which rarely changes. The most common sports that offer spread bets are basketball and football, but baseball, hockey, and soccer offer spread bet variations. +1.5 Means Different Things Depending on The SportĪlmost all forms of sports betting offer spread betting, but they behave differently depending on the sport.

A team with a (-) in front of their odds are considered the favorite in that matchup. If you are betting on a team with a (+) in front of their odds, they are viewed as the underdog in a particular matchup. There can be spreads of all different lengths, and it just depends on the sport, as you can see below. The Miami Heat can actually lose the game but must keep the final score within 1.5 total points.Įven though we are using +1.5 for this exercise, spreads are usually more spread out than this.

In this case, the Chicago Bulls would have to win the game by at least two points to be declared a winner of the bet. This is what is called a “spread” bet, or “ betting against the spread.” This is a very common bet in basketball and football games, but it is seen in other sports as well. Setting the line at just 1.5 does mean that these two teams are extremely close. This means that sportsbooks believe that the Chicago Bulls have a higher probability of winning the game over the Miami Heat.

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