How to Beat the Point Spread

If you are a sports fan you may occasionally make a friendly wager with a buddy about who is going to win a particular game. You may even make the bet based on the current spread for the game. The point spread for each sporting event is created by bookmakers in Vegas; they choose a favorite in the game and how much the team should win or lose by. Three major hotels in Vegas have their own spread (Caesars-Hilton, MEM-Mirage and Stations). Typically the spread is the same for each hotel, however if isn't, the comprised spread for the three chains is created by added the three spreads together and dividing the number by 3 (the final number is the average of the three spreads).

Instructions

    • 1

      Select a sporting event you would like to wager on. All sporting games have some sort of spread created to help determine the favorite for the game. The best way to beat the spread is to look up the two teams on a sporting website (such as ESPN or SI), look to see how each team is performing, especially as of late, if there are any new injuries and how teams play on the road or at home. There is no true theory or strategy to beating a point spread, but making yourself knowledgeable about the two teams can help you make an educated decision regarding the final outcome. For example, if a team has a better record than the team it is facing, but has lost its last several games and is playing on the road, the team may not cover the spread, in which case you should cheer for the opposing team.

    • 2

      Check out a newspaper or a sporting website that displays the point spread of the game. Often you may find a team that is favored by a number that can't occur (such as 4 1/2). If this is the case and you bet on the winner, the team needs to win by 5 (because its more than 4 1/2 and the next number 4 is not), or if you want the team to lose the team needs to lose by at least 4 points. If you are betting against a friend and nobody covers the spread it is a draw.

    • 3

      Wait for the final point spread before the game starts. This comes out in the morning paper of the game. The point spread may occasionally change during the days before the game, due to possibly an injury.

    • 4

      Watch the game and wait for the final score. If your team beat the spread you won your friendly wager. If your team didn't cover the spread and your opponents team did, you lost the wager and need to divvy up.