Eagles moneyline and spread bets would win (as the Eagles won and won by 2.0 points or more).Chiefs spread bets would win as they covered the +1.5 spread (were able to lose by less than 2.0 points).Kansas City Chiefs moneyline bets would lose as they failed to win the game.Eagles spread bets would lose as they failed to cover the -1.5 spread (failed to win by 2.0 points or more).Eagles money line bets would win (as the Eagles won the game).What is covering the spread in sports betting?Ĭovering the spread is when your team covers or beats the handicap that has been assigned to it.Ĭlosing Spread: Philadelphia Eagles (-1.5) vs Kansas City Chiefs (+1.5) This is also reflected in their spread where their handicap is giving them an extra +1.5 points, indicating their status as the underdog and the side less likely to win. As the underdog, the Chiefs are expected to lose the game – or at least project with a higher probability of losing. The Kansas City Chiefs, conversely, are the underdogs, and their spread is set in positive points (+1.5). This is all reflected in the spread where they are being given a -1.5 handicap to indicate their status as favorite, and the side more likely to win. In the above example, the Philadelphia Eagles are favored on the moneyline (-125) and are therefore expected to win the game – or projected to have a higher probability of winning the game. Spreads are essentially oddsmakers giving their bettors an estimate of what the margin of victory or defeat will be in a game. The spread is a concept used in sports betting that refers to artificial handicaps made by sportsbooks in an attempt to even out a matchup between opponents. One term you have likely also heard more of recently is “the spread”. Terms like the favorite, underdog, moneyline, parlay, and even over/under all have seen an uptick in usage since gambling became legal in the United States. If you watch sports regularly you have likely heard betting terminology thrown around by broadcasters with a little more frequency over the last couple of years.

Understanding the spread and how to approach an against-the-spread wager is an integral part of sports betting.

Moneyline vs spread parlay