Favorite vs underdog - minus and plus explained
The minus sign marks the favorite and the plus sign marks the underdog. On a spread the sign is on the points, so the favorite gives up a head start. On a moneyline the sign is on the price, so the favorite pays less.
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Worked example
To start, the box below is filled in with Hawks -6.5 -110. In this starting line the Hawks are 6.5-point favorites at a price of -110. Try the Bears +6.5 to see the underdog side. The box is editable: type any line, or tap one under the card, and the explanation updates.
Hawks −6.5: Hawks must win by 7 points or more.
What it means
6.5 points are taken off Hawks' final score (the favorite gives up points). The other side of this bet is the opponent at +6.5, which wins on any result other than a 7+ point win for Hawks.
Scenarios
| If… | Hawks −6.5 | Opponent +6.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Hawks win by 10 points | Win | Loss |
| Hawks win by 5 points | Loss | Win |
| Hawks lose by 2 points | Loss | Win |
The numbers
Hawks −6.5 −110
- Implied probability
- 52.38%
- Decimal
- 1.91
- American
- −110
- Per 100 staked
- returns 190.91 (profit 90.91)
Watch out for
The spread isn't the price. In Hawks −6.5 −110, −6.5 is the points and −110 is the odds. A minus spread means that team is the favorite.
Learn more: Point spread guide
Common lines to try
On a point spread
The sign is on the points:
- Favorite: minus (Hawks −6.5). The Hawks give up 6.5 points. They have to win by 7 or more.
- Underdog: plus (Bears +6.5). The Bears get 6.5 points. They win the bet if they win the game, or lose by 6 or fewer.
The price next to the spread (often −110 on both sides) sets the payout. It doesn’t say who’s favored. The why −110 guide explains it.
On a moneyline
There’s no head start. The sign is on the price:
- Favorite: minus (−250). You stake more than you can win: 250 to win 100.
- Underdog: plus (+205). You can win more than you stake: 100 wins 205.
Moneyline: what each side pays
| Odds | Profit per 100 staked | Total return per 100 | Implied probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| −250 | 40 | 140 | 71.43% |
| +205 | 205 | 305 | 32.79% |
A bigger minus number is a heavier favorite. A bigger plus number is a bigger underdog.
Both sides together
The two sides of a market always add up to a little over 100% in implied probability. The extra is the bookmaker’s margin.
| Market | Sum | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline: −250 / +205 | 104.22% | 4.22% |
| Spread: −110 / −110 | 104.76% | 4.76% |
When neither team is favored
- A spread of 0 is a pick’em (
pk). Whoever wins, wins. A tie is a push. - On a moneyline, a near-even game can have both sides at a minus price, such as −110 / −110. Neither is clearly the favorite; the minus on both comes from the margin.
Common misreadings
- The favorite is the team that will win.
- The favorite is the team the prices treat as more likely to win. Underdogs win games too. This site doesn't predict results.
- Both sides of the spread are -110, so both teams are favorites.
- The -110 is the price. The favorite is the team with the minus number on the spread itself, like −6.5.
- Backing the underdog on the spread means they have to win.
- Not on a spread. +6.5 also wins if the underdog loses by 6 or fewer.