The term to cover means a pointspread win
By Kris Lazaro (11/30/2006)
Definition
The term “to cover” means a pointspread win. A team must win by more (or lose less than) than the number designated by the oddsmakers have made (in other words, such a team must ‘beat’ the spread “to cover”).
Example
Take for example the 2006 Superbowl in which the Pittsburgh Steelers were favored to win the game by 3.5 points. This meant that if a bettor wanted to back the Steelers against the pointspread, he/she would have to lay 3.5 points (to win the game by 4 points or more). The window of victory for the bettor is actually modified, for the team has to win the game by 4 points or more for the bet to win. If the team wins the game, but wins by 1, 2, or 3 points, then the Steelers bet will not win and, hence, one may say that the Steelers did not “cover” the game. In the real world example, the Steelers did in fact cover the 3.5 points by beating their opponent the Seattle Seahawks 21-10 (winning by 11 points).
Why bet on the spread and ask a team to cover…why not just lay the price?
The primary reason why it is a better idea to bet on the spread and ask a team to just cover a number is based on mathematics and money management. Truly, teams who win a game usually do cover the number, except in instances of high profile games. It is better to lose a bet at –110 (laying $110 to win $100) than to lose on a heavy favorite (anywhere from –200 to –1000, laying $200 to win $100 and $1000 to win $100, respectively).
Should I bet the underdog to cover or just back them on the moneyline?
This is always a tough question to answer. As stated earlier teams who win usually do cover the game. As per this question, underdogs who cover the game also end up winning the game straight up. So the question becomes, “should I just play the underdog on the moneyline?” The answer is dependent on one’s preferences. If one decides to play underdogs on the spread, then consistently play them on the spread. Likewise, if one decides to play underdogs on the moneyline, then consistently play them on the moneyline. A word of note: high profile games usually are very tricky—the favorite on the spread does not usually win ATS, especially if the spread is very low (1-3 points)
Summary
In conclusion, “to cover” means that a team must win by more (or lose less than) the amount of points designated by oddsmakers for a bet on such a team to win. |