How to Use a Spread Betting App

A spread betting app is a tool that allows you to bet on sports games and events without having to own the actual shares. This is often tax-efficient and can offer more opportunities to profit than traditional trading, but it can also amplify losses if your strategy is incorrect. To minimize risk, only bet what you can afford to lose and always trade within your limits.

Whether you are an NFL, NBA, or MLB fan, the key to successful wagering on sports is knowing how to read and understand the point spread. This is the handicap that sportsbooks introduce to even out the playing field between two teams by indicating how many points they expect one team to win by (as opposed to beating) the other.

To bet on a point spread, you must choose which side of the line you want to bet on. The positive odds indicate the underdog, while the negative odds indicate the favorite. If you bet on the underdog and they cover the point spread, then they win the game. If they do not, then you lose the bet.

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You can place point spread bets in football, basketball, baseball, and hockey, though the odds will vary between sports. For example, the NHL and NBA use a different system for their spreads than the NFL. They will add (+/-1.5 goals or runs) to the totals and adjust the odds accordingly. This is known as the Run Line or Puck Line.