What the Point Spread Actually Means in College Football
A point spread assigns a margin of victory the favored team must beat for a bet on them to cash. If Alabama is -14 against Arkansas, Alabama must win by 15 or more for an Alabama spread bet to win. Arkansas covers at +14 if they lose by fewer than 14 or win outright. The standard juice on each side is -110,
meaning you risk $110 to net $100. Sportsbooks shade lines to balance action, so watching where a number opens versus where it closes tells you a lot about where sharp money landed before kickoff.