If you’re the kind of gambler that likes to take control and make strategy decision, buying points on the spread might be the move for you.

In this sports-betting strategy guide, we’ll tackle the hotly-contested concept of buying points. We’ll dig into how it works, whether it’s a good idea and some of the most common sports and spots where it works best. By the time you’re done, you may have a new sports betting tool in your belt or you may come to the conclusion that buying points isn’t the right strategy for you.

Either way, you’ll no longer be asking the question: “Should I buy points on point spread bets?”

Buying Points at a Glance

Not everyone thinks buying points is a good idea but it is a strategy you should be aware of, especially if you enjoy betting on NFL or NBA basketball.

Here are the fast facts about buying points in sports betting:

• Buying points works with point spread bets
• Buying points lets you move the point spread in favor of one team or the other
• The sportsbook charges you a premium in the form of a slightly worse payout in exchange for moving the line in your favor.
• Usually, it costs an extra 10% for each half point. For example, if the odds on the regular point spread are -100, buying half a point will have odds of -120.
• Buying points is mainly used for betting on football and basketball
• Buying points is also known as “alternate point spread” which will explain in more detail below.

Point Spread Basics

Before we dig into buying points, it’s important for everyone to understand the basics about betting on point spreads. This is for beginners so if you’re already familiar with the concept, jump to the next section on buying points.

The point spread is the expected point-margin at the end of the game. Point spreads are used in tons of sports including hockey and baseball but when it comes to buying points on the spread, people are usually talking about football or basketball.

Let’s look at an example of an NFL point spread bet. Imagine the Eagles and Redskins are playing this weekend. The point spread might look like this:

• Philadelphia Eagles -5.5 (-100)
• Washington Redskins +5.5 (-110)

In this example, the Eagles are the favourite and must win the game by six or more points to cover the point spread. The Redskins are the underdog and can either win the game outright or lose by five or fewer points to cover the point spread.

Both teams have odds of -110 which means you’ll win $100 in profit for every $100 you bet.

The Basics of Buying Points

The main reason people buy points is that they can give you a more favorable point spread, meaning you’ll win more often. The downside and the thing that most people overlook is the worse payout you get. The more you want to shift the spread, the worse the payout gets.

You can move the point spread in favor of either team and when you do it, you’ll notice that the odds for your bet change depending on how many points you want to buy.

Take our above example:

• Philadelphia Eagles -5.5 (-110)
• Washington Redskins +5.5 (-110)

If you bet on the Eagles and they end up winning the game by five points, your bet loses. If you had bought one point on the spread to make it -4.5, however, your bet would win.

On the other hand, if you made a point spread bet on Washington and they ended up losing by six points, your bet would lose. If you moved the spread to +6.5 by buying one point, you would win. The trade-off is that your new bet might have odds of -130 or worse, meaning you have to bet more to win the same amount.

How Buying Points Works at Online Sportsbooks

Buying points is easy when you’re betting on sports online. There are two main ways you can do it, depending on the online sportsbook you’re using.

Buying Points

• Find the regular point spread bets for the game you want to bet on
• Click on the point spread bet for the team you want to bet on to add it to your bet slip
• Look for a button on the bet slip that says “buy points” or something similar
• Select how many points you want to buy and review the new odds.
• Enter how much you want to bet and place your wager.

Alternate Point Spreads

Some online sportsbooks use a slightly different format to let you adjust the point spread. They’re called alternate spreads and they’re really easy to use. Instead of giving you a tool to select how many points you want to buy, the site just lists them all out individually.

• Just find the game you want to bet on and drill down into the different kinds of wagers available.
• Look for alternate spreads which are a long list of different point spread and odds
• Pick the one you want and add it to your bet slip just like a regular bet.