Home >> Games & Cards >> Games

How to Create Your Own NFL Point Spread

Developing National Football League point spreads has become a lucrative business for sports gambling sites across North America. Football-savvy sports books spend all week researching injuries, trends and even weather conditions as they look to set a spread that will encourage betting on both teams. The ability to come up with a solid point spread requires a solid knowledge of the NFL and access to the most up-to-date information regarding injuries and position battles. Becoming good at point spreads can lead to a job in handicapping NFL games full-time.

Things You'll Need

Word processor
Calculator

Instructions

- 1
  Check the records of the teams playing in the selected game. The biggest impact in determining a point spread is often the win-loss records of the teams, since that gives people the best idea of how good or bad a team is at that time. Also make note of which team is hosting the game, since home teams traditionally perform better than road teams.
- 2
  Research previous point spreads. Compare games featuring teams with similar record discrepancies to see how those games were handicapped. This information may not ultimately lead to the final point spread for this game, but it should help provide a good starting point.
- 3
  Make use of statistics that might influence the point spread one way or another. Find out about up-to-date injury reports, and adjust the spread accordingly. For example, if the underdog team is missing its star quarterback, a three-point spread might need to be increased to five or six depending on how good he is. Consider weather conditions, as well. A team that plays its games indoors may need to be dropped in the spread if playing a game in cold conditions.
- 4
  Calculate a point spread based on the notes you have accumulated. Be willing to adjust it as game time approaches based on any new information you collect. Keep a calculator handy in case multiple calculations are needed.

Games