Legal Online Point Spread Betting
- Point spreads are a key element of game-line betting.
- Learn about vigorish (betting juice) associated with point spreads.
- Spread odds are based on common point totals.
When betting online with legal sportsbook sites, a point spread is one of the first terms you should understand before gambling on game lines. As one of the three options for wagering on game lines, point spreads are often represented as (+) or (-) odds depending on the favorite to win the competition.
Below, we will explore the world of point spread betting and offer our advice and professional knowledge on the subject so that you can make better-informed bets.
The object of the game is to make money while enjoying the competitions and betting knowledge is often the key to overall success. Let's go!
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Is Online Point Spread Betting Legal In The US?
There are no US gambling laws that make online sports betting illegal; therefore, players of legal age can bet on futures, moneylines, point spreads, and various other odds online if they wish. Only the state of Washington has passed a law banning online gambling; however, online sportsbooks still accept players from the state.
Point spread, totals, and money line betting are all legal when placed at licensed sportsbook sites. While many states have passed domestic sports betting laws, only a handful allow their sportsbooks to operate online.
What Is Point Spread Betting?
The spread represents the number of points a team is predicted to win or lose by and is expressed in a (+) favorite or {-) underdog. Point spreads are often linked to key numbers or the most common final margins of victory. So, for hockey, you might find a +1 or -1, and for football, a +7 or -7.
Below is an example of a College Football point-spread pulled from Bovada, one of the online sportsbooks we review.
NCAAF – Point Spread Example:
Florida State vs. Georgia Tech
Spread odds: FSU -13 (-110), GT +13 (-110)
Other sports, such as golf, MMA, and boxing, do not offer point spreads because their competitions are not based on points.
Point Spread Vigorish Explained
The term "vigorish," also known as "vig," refers to the fee or commission that a bookmaker takes on point spread bets. Vigorish is often used to assure sportsbooks that they will make a profit regardless of the outcome of the event.
The vigorish is also known as the bookmaker's fee for facilitating the bet, and it is typically embedded in the odds offered on the site. In most point spread bets, the odds are set at (-110) on both sides, meaning it takes a wager of $110 to win $100. The extra $10 (or 10%) is the vigorish the sportsbook will take if the bet hits.
Bookmakers always try to have equal bets on both sides of the spread and will adjust the odds accordingly to ensure bets are placed on both teams. If one team is getting all the action, bookmakers will give more favorable odds to the underdogs to pull in some more bets.
Buying Points At Participating Online Sportsbooks
Some online sports betting sites allow players to buy half points, full points, or more. Bettors will sometimes buy points to lock in a favorable bet. With football, you will notice that point spreads are often set to half points or .5. So a spread under 6.5 will only pay if the final result is less than 6.5 points. Therefore, a bettor might want to buy .5 points to cover a touchdown deficit.
Point Spread Parlays
The payouts can be tremendous when stringing together bets to form parlays, but the odds of hitting all your bets are often astronomical. Regardless of the odds, parlays offer bettors big payouts that add more excitement to professional matchups and competitions.
While money lines and straight bets are often used to wager on parlays, point spreads can be added to the equation if you want to include those odds in your parlay.
Other Ways To Bet On Game Lines
Depending on the sport, point spreads, money lines, and totals are often associated with game lines.
Money line odds are one of the most straightforward ways to bet on sports. Unlike point spreads, which focus on the margin of victory, money line bets are concerned solely with which team or player will win the game or match.
In the example below, the Guardians are the heavy favorite with -136 odds; therefore, a $136 bet will payout $100. The value is always on the underdog. In the example below, a $100 bet would pay $114 on the MLB moneyline
MLB – Money Line Example
New York Mets vs. Cleveland Guardians
Money Line odds: NYM (+114), CG (-136)
2025 Mobile Sportsbook Apps
If you really want to take advantage of all an online sports betting site has to offer, you need to research a site's mobile sports betting capability. For avid sports betting gurus, mobile access plays an important role in browsing and locking in odds before the lines shift or disappear completely.
The sites listed below all have mobile capabilities and work well with iPhones, Androids, tablets, and other popular internet devices, as well as desktop and laptop computers.
Live Betting On Point Spreads
Live betting is one feature that online sportsbooks offer to their account holders looking to lock in those last-second bets. Since games and matchups are often unpredictable, with injuries or disqualifications, live betting is often used to hedge bets or add more money to the pile.
Online Sportsbook Bonus Offers
All the online sports betting sites we recommend with US banking options have bonus offers you can accept to add extra funds to your bankroll. Online sportsbook bonus offers and promotions can include anything from a deposit match bonus to risk-free bets.
Sportsbook bonuses always have additional terms and rollover requirements attached to the bonus funds. The rollover requirements for sports can often be 5x-20x before the bonus funds can be withdrawn. Our consensus is that if you only plan to bet on the Super Bowl, or one game in particular, a bonus reward is not for you. However, if you want to lay down some action throughout the season, take the bonus, and you can double your bankroll or use the bonus funds as insurance.
