What is a spread?

Spread (or Line)

The spread is the point difference set by bookmakers to balance the odds between two teams. It’s used in sports like football and basketball and changes based on the teams.

Runline

The runline is just like the spread but for baseball. It’s usually set at 1.5 runs. The favorite team must win by more than 1.5 runs to cover the spread.

Puckline

In hockey, the spread is called the puckline. It’s also typically set at 1.5 or 2 points.

How Spread Points Work

A team’s spread will be the same value but with opposite signs. For example, if one team has -7 points, the other team has +7 points. The minus (-) sign means the team is the favorite, and the plus (+) sign means the team is the underdog.

When betting on the favorite, they need to cover the spread, meaning they must win by more than the spread number (e.g., more than 7 points if the spread is -7). If betting on the underdog, they can either win or lose by fewer than the spread points.

Updated on: 10/04/2025