What Does Plus Mean in Betting

If you often use American betting sites then you’ll probably come across the - and + signs when betting. But, what does the plus and minus mean when betting?

Well, in America, we most commonly use moneyline odds. The number in moneyline odds is always preceded by either a plus or a minus, depending on whether the pick is the underdog or the favourite.

You’ll also see plus and minus signs when betting on the point spread. Where the plus and the minus show how much either team needs to win, or lose by.

We’re going to take an in-depth look at exactly what plus and minus mean in betting, so that you feel confident reading and understanding moneyline odds, point spreads - and placing your own bets!

How Does Plus Minus Work in Sports Betting?

There are two different betting situations where you’ll see a plus and a minus, in moneyline odds and in point spread betting. Let’s take a look at what the plus and the minus are in both types of betting.

Moneyline Betting

The plus and minus signs in moneyline betting indicate whether your selection is considered the underdog or the favourite. The underdog will have a plus sign and the favourite a minus sign.

For example, you might see a hockey game with odds of -110 on one side (Team A) and +120 on the other (Team B). This means that if you think Team A will win, you’d need to wager $110 to win $100. If you think Team B will win, you’d need to wager $100 to get $120 back.

Point Spread Betting

The +/- signs in point betting indicate the point spread on the favourite (+) or the underdog (-).

For example, if you see a soccer team with a -1.5 point spread, it means they can lose by up to a goal and still win on the point spread. If you see a soccer team with a +1.5 spread, it means they have to win by at least 2 goals to cover the spread.

These are sometimes referred to as a positive or a negative spread.

How To Read Plus Minus Odds in Betting

Now that you know about a plus spread and negative spread, as well as positive odds and negative odds, it’s time to look at how to read them. 
●    Moneyline Odds: Moneyline odds are read as either, what you need to bet to win $100 (in minus odds) or what you get from a $100 wager (in positive odds). 
●    Point Spread: The negative or positive point spread is read as either how much a team can lose by at the most (negative point spread) or how much a team has to win by at the least (positive point spread).

Examples and Calculations

Let’s take a look at some calculations that look at both types of + and - odds, as well as a plus and minus point spread too. This way you’ll be able to see how each side of the plus and minus work.

Calculating Positive and Negative Moneyline Odds

For this example, we’re going to take a baseball game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. The bookmakers think it’s going to be a close game, but that the Boston Red Sox are likely to win, so their odds are -110. The New York Yankees aren’t far behind with odds of +100.

Let’s calculate what your returns on both teams could be.

You have a bet on the Boston Red Sox and they win. You make a $110 wager, so you receive $100 back plus your stake for a total of $210. This is because for negative moneyline odds, you need to wager the number shown, to receive $100 back.

You have a bet on the New York Yankees and they win. You make a $100 wager and you receive $100 back, plus your stake, for a total of $200. This is because for positive moneyline odds, you get whatever number is shown for a $100 wager.

Calculating a Positive and Negative Point Spread

The plus or minus in point spread betting works completely differently. Let’s take a basketball game as an example and we’ll calculate what needs to happen in order for both betting options to win.

The game is between the Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls. The bookmakers think this is going to be a tightly played game, but that the Chicago Bulls will probably win. So, the point spread for the Chicago Bulls is +1.5 and the point spread for the Boston Celtics is -1.5.

You have a bet on the Boston Celtics to win on the point spread. This means that as long as they win or lose by less than two nets, your bet is paid out.

You have a bet on the Chicago bulls to win on the point spread. This means that they have to win by at least 2 nets for your bet to be paid out. If they win by just 1 net, this still counts as a loss because of the positive point spread.