Against the Spread Pick'em Explained (No Betting Required)

Picking winners gets easy when one team is clearly better. A point spread evens things out, which makes every game a real decision. You can use spreads in a friendly pool without anyone betting anything.

What the spread means

A spread is a handicap on the favorite. If Kansas City is listed at −3.5 against Buffalo, Kansas City has to win by 4 or more to "cover." Buffalo, at +3.5, covers if it wins outright or loses by 3 or fewer.

Pushes

When the spread is a whole number, like −3, the game can land exactly on it. If the favorite wins by exactly 3, it is a push: nobody covers. In most pools, including on Sports Picker, a push is worth zero points.

Over/unders

The total, or over/under, is a prediction of combined points. If the total is 47.5 and the final is 27 to 24, the game went over. Some pools add an over/under pick for each game, worth one more point.

Which line counts?

Lines move during the week as news comes out. Pools handle that one of two ways: each pick keeps the line from the moment it was made, or everyone is graded on the closing line at kickoff. Locking the line at pick time rewards getting in early; the closing line keeps everyone on the same number.

Why groups like it

Spreads make lopsided matchups interesting and reward people who watch closely. It is also a good format for college football, where some games are mismatches on paper.

Sports Picker pulls lines from ESPN's odds feed, grades every pick as covered, push or no cover, and adds optional over/unders. Nobody places a bet, and Sports Picker never holds money. Learn more about against-the-spread pools or start one.

Related

More from the blog