Understanding Picks Against The Spread 2026: How They Work

In sports betting, particularly with the NFL, NHL, and NBA, the “points spread” is used to even up a contest by giving points to the underdog and deducting them from the favourite.

How do picks against the spread work, you ask? It’s actually pretty simple. When you pick a team, rather than them winning outright, they need to win “against the spread” (ATS) for your wager to pay out. For example, if you wagered on the Rams at -3.5, they would need to win by a margin of four points or greater.

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What are picks against the spread? The basics

In sports betting, the points spread advantages to the underdog (the team deemed to have the least chance of winning) while handicapping the favourite (the team deemed to have the best chance of winning). This evens up the contest, and thus the odds, of a contest that would otherwise be heavily unbalanced in favour of one team.

In our latest betting guide, we’ll explain exactly how the spread works, when to bet it and why it is popular. Additionally, we’ll also take a look at the sports for which it is most commonly used.

Picks against the spread explained - Pros and cons

Before we go into more detail, here is a look at the main pros and cons of betting against the spread:

Pros & Cons

• Evens up an unbalanced contest
• Offers more value than an outweighed moneyline
• Get better odds on the favourite
• Get better implied probability for the underdog
• Available on most team sports

• Your team can win but the bet can still lose

How do picks against the spread work? An example

As we briefly explained at the top of this article, to win at spread betting, you need to beat the points margin, rather than just picking the best team to win. To show you how it works, let’s use this hypothetical points spread for an NFL games:

If you were to wager on the Rams against the spread at -3.5, they would need to win by a margin of 4 points or more for your bet to pay out. On the other hand, an underdog bet on the Lions could still pay out if they lost, so long as they stayed within 3 points of the Rams’ score.

Here are a couple of visual examples:

Rams win by five points

Lions win by any margin

The half point in picks against the spread explained

You have probably noticed that the examples above have a half point (0.5), but scoring a half point in the NFL, and most leagues is impossible. So why is it used?

Avoiding the “push”

The use of a half point in the spread eliminates the possibility of a “push” outcome, as one side is guaranteed to win. If the spread above were 3.0 instead of 3.5 and the Rams were to win by three points (like the third example), this would be a “push”.

Neither team would beat the spread, meaning that the bookmaker would have to refund all bets with no winners. Though not always the case, most bookies prefer to avoid a “push” result where possible.

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When should you bet against the spread?

Now that you know what picks against the spread are, let’s take a look at when you should bet ATS. The short answer is that you can bet against the spread anytime, however, there are a couple of instances where it can be particularly advantageous:

If the match is uneven, the moneyline odds on the favourite will be so short that it’s hardly worth your while. Meanwhile, the underdog will be at odds so long you might as well play the lottery  (see our moneyline betting explained guide for more info here).

The spread evens up the contest and the odds, to provide more value in both bets:

1. If you really fancy the favourite and the spread is reasonable, but on them to win ATS.7
2. If you think the underdog will still lose, or has a chance of sneaking the win, bet on them to at least bet the spread.

What sports is the spread offered on?

The points spread is available in some shape or form on most team sports. However, it is most popular in North American sports, including:

• NFL
• NBA
• NHL (it’s known as the “Puck Line”)
• MLB (it’s known as the “Run Line”)

Points spread vs handicap betting

In football (or “soccer” depending on your disposition), handicap betting is more popular. It is similar to the spread, but with more flexibility, and with various points margins available. In the US and Canada, some sportsbooks refer to this as the “flexible spread” or “pick your own spread”.

The odds for picks against the spread explained

The purpose of the points spread is to even up an uneven sports match, and as such, it evens up the odds. When a spread line opens, the implied probability is 50% for each team to win against the spread.

This would give you real odds of -/+100. However, sportsbooks will usually open at -110 (as in the examples above). This is the real odds with a -10 margin added by the sportsbook to protect their profits, which is known as the “vig”.

Can the spread odds move? 

Although the odds for the spread always open at -110, they can drift or shorten. This happens based on a number of factors, such as team form, weather conditions, injuries, and the money that the bookies are taking on each outcome.

Spread betting - Conclusion

In conclusion, spread betting gives points to the underdog and takes them from the favourite to give balance to an unweighted match. By betting against the spread, you are wagering on the favourite to win by the proposed margin or greater, or for the underdog to at least stay within the points spread. The ideal time to bet the spread is when the moneyline offers poor value.

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Picks against the spread explained FAQ