Football Point Spread Explained
A comprehensive understanding of the listed betting odds is key to bet on football matches successfully. And to the untrained eye, football odds can look like a foreign language, featuring a collection of seemingly unconnected positive and negative numbers. If you are a novice sports bettor unfamiliar with how to read the odds, we’ve compiled these tips for odds analysis by betting experts for you.
A point spread is a number that bookmakers will place on a game. Handicappers then need to account for the spread when they are breaking down games. Point spreads are most commonly used in basketball and football, but there are equivalents used for the other major North American sports. In the NHL, it’s referred to as a puck or goal line. The point spread is a number aka the “betting line” set by bookmakers at the sportsbook which is intended to even the playing field between two teams and give a reason for bettors to bet on either side of the game.
Football Odds Explained
Football odds are listed by a sportsbook for every single match played that day. The odds are a simple way to explain to the bettor how much they stand to win if their wager is successful. The expected payout and odds are based on the calculated probability of who will win the match. Sportsbooks set the football odds at a number that encourages an equal amount of action on both teams participating in the match. This means that sportsbooks are constantly adjusting the listed betting odds in order to ensure an equal distribution of bets.
How to Read Football Odds


The way football odds are displayed can vary based on the preferences and location of the sportsbook. At SBO-Thai88, we typically use Malaysian odds, which are the most popular type of odds used in Asia. Also known as Malay odds, these football odds are displayed using positive and negative decimals ranging from negative one to one. Below, Malay football odds are explained:
- The team with positive odds is the favorite to win the match.
- The team with negative odds is the underdog.
- If the teams are evenly matched, the football odds for both teams will be 1.00.
The favorites will have listed odds lying somewhere between zero and one. The decimal indicates how much someone would win with a 100 baht bet. A simple way to figure out your payout is multiplying the amount you have bet by the odds. For example, if the favorite is listed at 0.50, it means a 100 baht bet would win you 50 baht (100×0.5=50).
The underdog will have listed odds lying somewhere between zero and negative one. The negative decimal indicates how much you have to bet on the underdog to win 100 baht. A simple way to figure out your payout is dividing the amount you have bet by the odds and removing the negative sign. For example, betting 25 baht on a -0.25 baht underdog will result in you winning 100 baht (25/0.25=100).
Football Odds Tips
Now that you have had the football odds explained, it is time to investigator some football odds tips to help you become a more successful bettor.
Convert the Odds into Each Team’s Implied Win Probability
The most important odds analysis in football is to convert the odds into the implied win probability for each team; this allows you to identify value better. All odds are computed based on the percent chance that each team will win the match. By converting the odds back into a percentage, you can better determine whether the underdog or favorite provides the best value.

Instead of doing the math yourself, you can find odds converters and implied probability calculators online. Simply type in your Malay odds into the calculator and compute the implied probability of each team winning. For example, if a team is listed as a -0.5 underdog, the implied probability of them winning is 33.33%. Therefore, if you think the underdog has a better than 33.33% chance of winning the match, the betting odds present a good value.
Look for Dropping Odds
Football Point Spread Explained Chart
Dropping odds are when the betting odds suddenly and drastically change. This usually happens in response to either some kind of change in the circumstances surrounding the match or if there is a rapid increase in the amount of money placed on a specific team. Dropping odds offer bettors a unique opportunity to find value, allowing you to either cash out early or find odds that have not yet dropped. If you are interested in taking advantage of this scenario, take a look at our post that provides dropping odds analysis for football.
Ncaa Football Point Spread Records
SBO-Thai88 Offers Football Odds for Matches Around the World
Ncaa Week 4 Spreads
SBO-Thai88 is an online casino that is proud to offer football odds for matches taking place all around the globe. Regardless of where your favorite team plays, you can find all of their matches listed in our online sportsbook. Now that you have had football odds explained to you, you are ready to start winning money by betting on football. To get started, contact SBO-Thai88 on LINE today @sthai88 or click this link to add @sthai88 as a friend on LINE automatically.