Author: Andy N
Andy Nelson is the founder of Spread Bet Money and has over 20 years' experience studying sports betting form, with a particular focus on NFL, Soccer and Horse Racing.
ATS means against the spread. An ATS result compares the game’s final scoring margin with the point spread attached to the wager. It does not indicate whether a team won or lost outright. A favorite must win by more than…
How to Convert American Odds to Decimal Without Mistakes
American odds and decimal odds describe payouts from different starting points. Understanding [nodelink id="b05b31bf-eba2-42bd-b3ef-8a929eb9b1c8"]how sports betting odds work[/nodelink] prevents the most common conversion error: applying the wrong formula. Odds format What the number means Example Positive American odds Profit from…
Why Spreads Have Half-Points Instead of Whole Numbers
A game’s final scoring margin is always a whole number. A team can win by 3, 4 or 10 points, but never by 3.5. That makes the half-point—often called the hook—a simple way for sportsbooks to avoid ties against the…
Why Betting Odds Change Before Games and While Markets Are Open
Sportsbooks react most sharply when verified information differs from what the current line already assumes. A rumored injury may cause little movement; confirmation that an NFL starting quarterback is out can quickly shift the point spread, moneyline, and team total.…
What Is a Push in Betting, and Is the Stake Returned?
A push occurs when the final result lands exactly on the sportsbook’s posted betting line. The wager is graded as neither a win nor a loss, leaving the bettor with no profit and no bankroll loss. For a standard cash…
What Does Pick’em Mean in Betting, and Who Has to Win?
A pick’em is a point-spread market set at zero. Both teams begin on equal footing, so selecting either side means betting that team to win the game. The chosen team ordinarily must win outright under the sportsbook’s grading rules. The…
How to Calculate a $100 Spread Bet Payout at -110
Sportsbook bet slips can frame the same -110 wager in two different ways. A $100 stake means $100 is at risk; a winning bet produces $90.91 in profit and $190.91 in total payout. A bet entered to win $100 requires…
How to Remove the Vig From Betting Odds to Find Fair Prices
Implied probability puts every betting line on the same percentage scale, making the sportsbook’s margin easier to spot. A refresher on [nodelink id="b05b31bf-eba2-42bd-b3ef-8a929eb9b1c8"]how sportsbook odds and prices work[/nodelink] can help before applying the formulas. For American odds: Positive odds: 100…
Can an Underdog Lose and Still Cover the Spread?
An underdog’s positive point spread is added to its final score for grading purposes. If that adjusted score exceeds the favorite’s score, the wager covers. This basic calculation is central to the [nodelink id="00a0fe35-f0c9-4824-9f83-ce8477982d24"]fundamentals of point spread betting[/nodelink id="1"][/nodelink]. The…
Why Point Spreads Are -110 Instead of Even Money
A point spread such as Chiefs -3.5 handicaps the matchup. Kansas City must win by more than 3.5 points for that side to cash, while the underdog receives those points. This is the core mechanic covered in [nodelink id="00a0fe35-f0c9-4824-9f83-ce8477982d24"]point spread…
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