What does it mean for a team to "cover the spread" in a spread bet?

[Bruce]

For a team to "cover the spread" in a spread bet means that they have won the game by a margin greater than the point spread set by the sportsbook, or, in the case of an underdog, that they have lost by fewer points than the spread or won the game outright. For example, if a team is favored to win by 7 points, they need to win by 8 points or more for a bettor who placed a wager on them to win. Conversely, if a bettor takes the underdog and that team either wins the game or loses by 6 points or less, they also "cover the spread." In essence, covering the spread indicates that the team's performance was sufficient to meet or exceed the expectations established by the point spread, thereby determining the success of the bet.

 

[CR7]

Yes, you're absolutely correct. In a spread bet, the point spread is essentially the sportsbook's way of leveling the playing field between two teams of differing levels of ability. The favorite is indicated by a negative number of points, while the underdog is represented by a positive number of points. Bettors can choose to wager on whether the favorite will win by more than the point spread, or if the underdog will either win the game outright or lose by fewer points than the spread.

When a team "covers the spread," it means they have performed in a manner that either exceeds the expectations set by the sportsbook for the favorite or outperforms the expectations set for the underdog. This can lead to a win for a bettor who placed a wager on that team. Understanding how teams cover the spread is a fundamental aspect of sports betting and can greatly impact the outcome of a bet.