A -1.5 point spread in college football betting means the favorite must win the game by at least two points to cover the spread.
The corresponding side of a -1.5 point spread is +1.5. That means the underdog must either lose by one point or win the game (by any margin) to cover the spread.
How a -1.5 Spread Bet Wins or Loses
Winning Bet: You bet on Michigan -1.5 against Ohio State. The Wolverines beat the Buckeyes by three points (23-20).
Losing Bet: You bet on Texas -1.5 against Iowa. The Longhorns beat the Hawkeyes by one point (27-26).
Difference of -1.5 Point Spread vs. Moneyline
In point-spread betting, the margin of victory matters. In moneyline betting, the margin of victory doesn’t matter; only the final outcome matters.
In the case of a 1.5-point spread, the favorite could win the game by one point — which would result in winning tickets for all moneyline bets — but lose the spread.
Spread vs. Moneyline Odds & Payouts
Spreads and moneylines almost always have different odds. For example, here are odds for a Penn State-Oregon game:
Spread: Penn State -1.5 (-110), Oregon +1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Penn State -125, Oregon +100
If the Nittany Lions win by two points, a point-spread bet with a $10 stake would return $19.09 (including stake).
If you bet the same amount of money on the Nittany Lions’ moneyline, a win would return $18 (including stake).
Use BetMGM’s Sports Betting Payout Calculator to calculate the potential payout of a bet or convert odds to/from American odds, decimal odds, or fractional odds.
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