What the NFL Point Spread Actually Means
A point spread tells you how many points the oddsmakers expect to separate two teams. The favorite is listed with a minus number — say -6.5 — meaning they must win by seven or more for a spread bet on them to cash. The underdog gets a plus number, +6.5, so they can lose by six and still cover. Oddsmakers at habanero7999
set these lines based on power ratings, injuries, rest, and public money flow. The spread shifts as betting volume comes in, so the number you see Tuesday morning is rarely the same one posted Sunday. Watching that movement tells you which side the sharps are on.