What is a Negative Spread in Basketball and Why Does it Matter?

Understanding Negative Spreads 

To fully understand the negative spread and what it means for your betting style, let’s break it down a little. 

Definition of negative spread in basketball

A point spread, or just ‘the spread’, is the margin of victory that a bookmaker assigns to a match between two teams. 

The favourite will be given a point deficit, while the underdog will be given points in their favour. For example, if you have the Boston Celtics going up against the Detroit Pistons, the Celtics will be a clear favourite. This means that the sportsbook will assign them negative points, while the Pistons will get positive points. 

Let's say that the bookmaker gives the Celtics -10 and the Pistons +10 points. This means that in order for the Celtics to win, they must do so by a clear 11-point lead. 

Therefore, the negative spread refers to the amount of points that the favourite team in any match receives from the sportsbook.

Implications for basketball betting odds

The negative spread in basketball adds excitement and more opportunities to make profitable bets. 

Usually, the favourite would have shorter odds in something like a moneyline bet, as statistical and historical data would predict them to win. However, once a negative spread has been added, it gives the underdog a much better chance of tying with, or even beating, the favourite. 

This opens up a world of opportunities for betting against the spread, or in some circumstances, even betting on the underdog.

Why Negative Spreads Matter 

As mentioned, negative spread can have a great impact on your betting opportunities. But why exactly does negative spread matter? Let's take a look.

Impact on betting outcomes

Using spread betting, you open the door to lots of other betting outcomes. When you bet on a team with a negative spread, it's not enough for that team to just win the match. They must also win by the margin greater than the spread set out by the bookies. So, if the favourite wins but doesn't cover the spread, the bet is lost.

Value betting opportunities

Negative spread play a part in creating value bets. Because the bookmaker is the one who decides the spread, it is not always entirely accurate. Therefore, if you think that the favourite is undervalued and capable of covering the spread, you may want to bet on them. 

On the flip side, if you think the underdog is capable of closing the spread, then you might decide to bet that way instead.

Considerations for bettors

As with any type of betting strategy, there are no guaranteed wins with negative spread bets. You must still evaluate each team on its own merits, as well as take the spread into consideration, before you bet.