In the same example, if the Packers beat the Bears by exactly 5 points, no one wins or loses. If the Packers win by less than 5 points, you will win money. In the same example, if you think the Packers will win but won't cover the spread, put money down on them to do so. If the Packers beat the Bears by 5 points or less, people who bet on the Packers to cover the spread will lose money. The Bears are less likely to win, so 5 points are added to their final score. Take, for example, the Chicago Bears (+5) and the Green Bay Packers (-5) are playing each other this Sunday.
This is how many points are added or subtracted from a team's final score. When people bet on point spreads, they usually talk about (+3.5), (-7.5), (+4), etc. Point spreads help to balance out the odds of each team winning.
