The Miami Heat can actually lose the game but must keep the final score within 1.5 total points.Įven though we are using +1.5 for this exercise, spreads are usually more spread out than this. In this case, the Chicago Bulls would have to win the game by at least two points to be declared a winner of the bet.
This is what is called a “spread” bet, or “ betting against the spread.” This is a very common bet in basketball and football games, but it is seen in other sports as well. Setting the line at just 1.5 does mean that these two teams are extremely close. This means that sportsbooks believe that the Chicago Bulls have a higher probability of winning the game over the Miami Heat.
