That's not actually correct.

The spread is the same as betting the handicap. E.g, last night I bet the brumbies -6.5, that is the spread. Hence the term 'against the spread'.

MR J, correct me if i'm wrong, but i think the yanks call it the spread and we call it handicap, is that right, if so, the spread betting here is a extended version of the handicp.

Go visit Sportsacumens website and see if alters your ideas as to what constitutes spread betting.

Mo.

The yanks call it the spread, we call it all sorts of things. Aussie bookies are very inconsistent with terms.

Some books here call it the spread, some call it the line, some call it the handicap.
That's why I said spread betting is the same as handicap & line betting.

E.g.

TAB sportsbet call it the line.

Centrebet calls it 'lines' (linebetting), and 'points' (pointbetting). Also refers to that style of betting as the spread.

Betfair call it handicap.

"Yeah, that's what I thought you meant by Spread betting."

That's a variation of spread betting. The spread is EXACTLY the same as the handicap and linebetting.

Mr J
I have tomato sauce on my pie,not ketchup.
I put jam on my kids sandwiches,not jelly.
I walk on the footpath,not the sidewalk.
I follow the AFL,thats all.

Mo.

Yeah, I think the 'Spread' that Mr J is referring to is more an American term and I prefer to call it Line betting.

Moeee, I'm not totally sure, but I think the Spread betting that you're referring to may also be called 'Index' betting in some places. Anyway, it hasn't really caught on here and I can understand why. If your tips end up being a fair way off the mark, it can be VERY costly. I certainly wouldn't bet that way.

[ This Message was edited by: sportznut on 2004-05-23 18:49 ]

Thanks for clearing that up MR J , thats what i thought. you can aslo have line and start betting at some sites EG:

line. carlton -20.5 @1.90, melb +20.5 @1.90
start.carlton -25.5 @2.10, melb +15.5 @2.10

they adjust the line with the fav giving more start and the outsider getting less for a better price. so it can get confusing for someone thats new to it.

cheers

spot on again sportz, thats the word i was looking for, index betting , i called it an extension of spread , your one step ahead of me again.

Sportz I know the type you mean. Seen tennis bettors on bookiebusters use it (picking number of games in match). People need to know what they are doing, otherwise you can end up losing quite a bit.