What is a Backdoor Cover in Sports Betting?

The backdoor cover bet involves an underdog scoring late goals or points to cover the spread. The underdog still loses the game, making the points meaningless. However, the backdoor bet means they end up covering the spread. 

You can make point spreads at the best betting sites online. No-one is immune from a backdoor cover bet, but there are ways to avoid losing out long-term. 

What is the Backdoor Cover on Underdogs?

A backdoor cover is a point spread bet where the underdog covers the spread but still ends up losing the game. The team covers the spread late on in a game with what are essentially meaningless points. The backdoor cover is truly the “bad beat” of the sports betting world. 

What does backdoor mean in football? Here’s a quick example:

Top of the AFC West Chiefs are at home to the LA Chargers, languishing bottom of the division. The bookies make the Chargers +12 on the spread. That means they cover the spread if they either win the game or lose the game by 13 or fewer points. 

Imagine the score is 28-12 to the dominant Chiefs. They are both winning the game and easily avoiding a point spread wipeout. However, in the dying seconds, the Chargers power through with a touchdown. 

The final score is 28-18 to the Chiefs who would win the game with or without that late touchdown. However, with the +12 addition, the Chargers cover the spread and ruin anyone with a wager on the Chiefs. 

Backdoor Cover vs Front Door Cover

The flipside to backdoor cover betting is the front door. While the backdoor cover applies to underdogs, the frontdoor is for the favorites. 

The frontdoor is when the favorite covers the spread but still wins the game. For example, imagine the Chiefs lead 24-12 with a -13 spread and then score a late touchdown. They would still win the game but would also win the point spread for anyone backing them. The late points do nothing to change the outcome of the game. 

Popular Sports for the Backdoor Cover Bet

Backdoor cover betting is more prevalent in sports with high scores and chances for late points. Here are some of the sports to watch out for when planning your point spreads and teasers. 

Football

The NFL is one sport where last-minute charges can change the outcome of the game. And the phenomenon is growing all the time.

From around 2001 until 2021, teams with the ball scored over 12% of the time during the final minutes of a game. However, the past few years have seen that percentage rocket to around 29%. The offense is performing better on rushing yards and drives too. While those stats may not affect the outcome of the game, they certainly can affect point spread results. 

Basketball 

The NBA is notorious for its wild point swings. The momentum can change between sides in seconds, making it harder to secure those point spreads. Teams go on runs of late charges too. 

For example, if the Lakers have an 11-3 run in the last three minutes, it means they have been securing lots of late points in response to not a lot from their opponents.  

Soccer Backdoor Cover Bet

The advent of VAR (Video Assisted Referees) in soccer in recent years has led to lots of late goals. Where once regular league games lasted 92-93 minutes (90 minutes plus 2-3 minutes added-on time), second halves can now go on for 98 or 99 minutes. 

In Asian Handicap bets (the closest soccer has to point spreads) late-minute goals can ruin -1.5pt spreads.