Betting Underdogs Against the Spread: Why it Makes Sense- By: Chris Robertsen

Description : There's a secret to betting on the weekend's NFL game. Most people bet on the favorite in any game, regardless of the spread. The sportsbooks know this and regularly take advantage of the natural tendency of people to bet on favorites by sneaking an extra half point or point onto the spread, thereby tilting the odds a little more toward the underdog. That's one of the reasons that smart bettors often place their bets against the spread and with the underdogs. In fact, there are many good reasons that some of the best NFL picks recommend betting on underdogs against the spread.

Here's what top odds makers have to say about spread betting with NFL picks, NBA picks and NCAA football picks.

What's a Point Spread?

Essentially, there are two ways to bet on the outcome of a game: on the money line or against the spread. A bet on the money line is a bet on who will win the game. If you place a money line bet that the Patriots will beat the Eagles, you win your bet if the Patriots win the game, even if it's just by a single point. If the Pats lose, so do you.

The thing with money line bets is that you have to risk more than you can win in order to bet on the favorite. Since there's a higher chance for the favorite to win, the sports books have to adjust the line so that they make money. The greater the number of people who bet on the favorite, the higher the money line will go and the more you have to risk for your win.

The point spread is a way for NFL sports books to even the odds and encourage betting on the underdog. Let's say the Patriots are favored to beat the Eagles with a point spread of 7. If you bet on the Patriots, the Pats need to win the game by at least 7 points in order for you to win your bet. If you bet on the Eagles against the spread, you can win your bet even if the Eagles lose, as long as they lose by 6 points or fewer.

Why Bet Against the Spread?

It's all in the statistics. Historically, the underdogs win against the spread about 10 percent more often than favorites win against the spread. That puts the odds with the person who's willing to take the points and bet on the NFL underdog against the spread.

Want more detailed analysis to help you decide where your bets will reap the greatest benefits? The best way to get a jump on the line is to sign up with a reputable site or odds maker who offers winning NFL picks, NBA picks and NCAA football picks. The best NFL picks will lay out the best places to bet your money, including which sports books are offering the best lines and the most generous point spreads on all the games you want to bet.

Article Source : http://www.look4articles.com/

Author Resource : Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the world's MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web.

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