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<< Clemens throws 58 pitches over 4 innings in minor league start
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -Roger Clemens allowed only a solo homer and threw 58 pitches in four innings for Class-A Tampa on Friday night, his first minor league start as he prepares to rejoin the New York Yankees.With owner George Steinbrenner watching from

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NEW YORK (AP) -The Yankees hope to announce next week whether Carl Pavano will need surgery.Pavano hasn't pitched since April 9 and might have a reconstructive elbow operation, which would sideline him for the remainder of this season and most, if n

<< Armas out of Pirates' rotation, but who's in?
PITTSBURGH (AP) -Tony Armas was sent to the Pittsburgh Pirates' bullpen on Friday after failing to pitch longer than three innings in his last two starts, a move that means the club's two highest-paid pitchers are relievers.The right-handed Armas (0

<< Keyshawn Johnson meets with Titans
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -Veteran receiver Keyshawn Johnson visited with the Tennessee Titans on Friday but said he has no timetable for when he hopes to have a deal.Johnson, who turns 35 in July, was released by Carolina earlier this month after the P

NL Capsule >>
PITTSBURGH (AP) -Xavier Nady hit a three-run homer to help Pittsburgh open a seven-run lead in the only non-interleague series of the weekend, and the Pirates withstood a shaky start from Ian Snell to beat Arizona 11-5 on Friday night.Adam LaRoche,

Bad start, bad finish spoil Nets comeback vs. Cavaliers >>
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -A bad start and horrible finish ended the New Jersey Nets' playoff hopes against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night.In between those sequences in Game 6 that ended with the Cavs winning 88-72 to wrap

Phoenix Suns Playoff History >>
2007 - Beat LA Lakers 4-1; Lost to San Antonio 4-2.2006 - Beat LA Lakers 4-3; Beat LA Clippers 4-3; Lost to Dallas 4-2.2005 - Beat Memphis 4-0; Beat Dallas 4-2; Lost to San Antonio 4-1.2004 - Didn't make playoffs.2003 - Lost to San Antonio 4-2.2002

Friday's NBA Playoff Boxes >>
CLEVELAND (88)James 8-20 6-9 23, Gooden 8-11 0-0 16, Ilgauskas 2-5 2-2 6, Pavlovic 1-8 0-0 3, Hughes 1-6 2-4 5, Varejao 3-3 0-1 6, Marshall 6-11 0-0 18, Snow 1-3 1-2 3, Gibson 3-8 0-0 8, Da.Jones 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 33-76 11-18 88.NEW JERSEY (72)Jeffe

What Is the Point Spread?

What are Sports Betting Point Spreads?

In any football or basketball game (the main sports that use point spreads) there are two teams playing against each other.

Those teams, though, are rarely exactly evenly matched – meaning that typically one team has a better chance than the other to win the game. If bettors were allowed to bet on who was simply going to win the game, smart ones would obviously bet on the better team (likely winning more than 50% of the time in the process).

If winning were that easy the Las Vegas and online sportsbooks would stop taking any bets! This is where the point spread comes in: the basic function of the point spread is to balance the likelihood of each team “winning” by adjusting the final score by the point spread. After this adjustment is made you get the Against The Spread result (ATS result for short).

Let’s look at Super Bowl XXXIX, New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles. Most people believed the defending champ Patriots to be the better team – so if betting were simply based upon which team would win the game, an uneven majority of people would have wagered on New England. But, by using the point spread, the bookmakers adjusted the terms of the bet, evening the proposition so about half the people believed the Pats to be the smart bet, while the other half considered Philly to be the smart bet.

How to Read Point Spreads

New England Patriots -7 vs. Philadelphia Eagles

The better team, called the Favorite, is expected to win the game and must “give” or “lay” points to the weaker team. The favorite is listed with a minus sign and the number of points they are favored by (e.g., New England -7)

In the case of our example, New England must not only win the game, but they must win by more than 7 points for Pats bettors to have a winning ATS result. An Eagles bettor wins his bet either if:

• Philly wins the actual game by any amount of points
  OR
  
• Philly loses the game by less than 7 points.

• There was also the possibility that the final score could land exactly on the spread number (for example, the Pats winning 28-21 when -7), which is called a “push” or “no action” and a refund is then issued to bettors of both teams.

  The same game with the same point spread can be considered from the weaker team’s perspective: The Underdog (Philly in the case of our example) is not expected to win the game and online football betting thus receives or “gets” points given by the stronger team. When a game is stated from the underdog’s perspective the team is listed with a plus sign and the number of points they are underdogs by:

  Philadelphia Eagles +7 vs. New England Patriots

  Keep in mind that Philadelphia +7 and New England -7 is the same point spread on the same game, simply stated differently. The first is from the underdog’s perspective; the later is from the favorite’s.

  For Those Who Like to Consider Things Mathematically

  Not a must, but for some a mathematical approach is insightful. You can determine the ATS winner by either:

• Subtracting the point spread from the favorite’s score (thus the minus sign before the number) and then compare to the underdog’s score
  OR
  
• Adding the point spread to the underdog’s score (thus the plus sign before the number) and then compare to the favorite’s score

  Who Really “Won” the Super Bowl odds ?

  Let’s look at the actual result of Super Bowl XXXIX: New England 24 Philadelphia 21

  The favorite, New England, won the game but not by more than the point spread they were favored by (7), so the ATS result was a LOSS for Pats bettors.

  Looking at it from the underdog’s perspective, Philly did not win the game, but they lost by less than the point spread (7), so the ATS result was a WIN for Eagle bettors.

  Mathematically considered, 24 for the favorite Pats minus 7 equals 17, which is less than the 20 the Eagles scored, so the underdog Eagles win the ATS result (or you could figure 20 plus 7 equals 27 for the Eagles, which is more than 24 for the Pats).

  Emily’s boyfriend understood the point spread and wagered $100 on the Eagles at +7. The Eagles may not have gotten a Super Bowl ring, but since they won the ATS result Emily’s boyfriend cashed his bet – giving him money to take her out to a nice dinner.

  And now hopefully you understand how to read point spreads, putting you one step closer to joining the fun of sports betting.

To visit this internet sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting and World Series odds.