{"id":14939,"date":"2025-03-03T13:01:25","date_gmt":"2025-03-03T10:01:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/7bet.co.uk\/blog\/?p=14939"},"modified":"2026-01-21T11:14:02","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T08:14:02","slug":"spread-betting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/7bet.co.uk\/blog\/spread-betting\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Spread Betting and How Does It Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Spread betting is a technique that is widely used in sports gambling. Compared to regular fixed odds betting, it may seem somewhat complicated and take some time to wrap your head around the ways it works. But once you get the hang of things, it can diversify the gaming process.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this guide we will take a close look at what spread betting is, how it works, and what you need to know before you start using it in sports betting.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is Spread Betting?<\/h2>\n

In spread betting, instead of betting on a particular outcome of a sporting event (known as fixed odds betting), you bet on whether it will be higher or lower than the spread set by the bookmakers.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So <\/span>what does \u201cspread\u201d mean in betting? Let\u2019s say, the bookmaker (bookie) says the total number of goals in a football match between Team A and Team B will be 2.8 – 3. This range is called a \u201cspread\u201d. It is often expressed in decimals, and later we will explain why.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bettors can either \u201cbuy\u201d (go higher) or \u201csell\u201d (go lower) when betting on this range. If you think the total number of goals in this match will be higher than 3, you buy. If you think it will be lower than 2.8, you sell.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Now that you are familiar with the key terms in spread betting, let\u2019s take a closer look at how it works.<\/span><\/p>\n

From <\/span>football<\/span><\/a> to <\/span>tennis<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>horse racing<\/span><\/a>, 7bet offers spread betting to its consumers. If you are interested in trying spread betting, visit our betting pages for your favourite sport, and enjoy!<\/span><\/p>\n

How Spread Betting Works<\/h2>\n

One of the main reasons for introducing spread betting is to bring balance to the field and allow the punters to place wagers on either side of the game.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The spread set by the bookmakers shows what result they expect from the game. It is based on factors like the teams\u2019 recent performances, their common history, squads and injuries, and others.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spread is often displayed in decimals to avoid a tie, known as the \u201cpush\u201d. If a push occurs, neither the bookmaker nor the bettor wins, and all bets are returned.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bettors can win both by buying and selling as long as their bet falls on the right side of the statistics. In the example above, you could buy by betting that the total number of goals in the match would be higher than 3. If this proves to be the case, you win.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You could also sell, betting that there would be fewer than 2.8 goals. Should the match end with 2 or fewer goals scored, you win your bet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Key Features of Spread Betting<\/h2>\n

One major difference between the fixed odds and spread betting is that in fixed odds you know exactly how much you can profit in case your bet wins. At the same time, if the outcome you bet on doesn\u2019t occur, you know that you stand to lose your stake.<\/span><\/p>\n

In spread betting your potential winnings as well as your potential losses are much more volatile and will depend on the exact outcome of the game and how accurately you predicted it. On the bright side, this theoretically opens up a possibility of unlimited profit. But it just as well means unlimited potential losses.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look at an example of how profits and losses are calculated in spread betting.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you stake \u00a310 and decide to buy in the match where the spread is set 2.8-3:<\/span><\/p>\n