What Does -8.5 Mean in College Football Betting?

A -8.5 point spread in college football betting means the favorite must win the game by at least nine points to cover the spread.

The corresponding side of a -8.5 point spread is +8.5. That means the underdog must either lose by eight or less points or win the game (by any margin) to cover the spread.

How a -8.5 Spread Bet Wins or Loses

Winning Bet: You bet on Florida -8.5 against Ole Miss. The Gators beat the Rebels by nine points (21-12).

Losing Bet: You bet on Ohio State -8.5 against Rutgers. The Buckeyes beat the Scarlet Knights by eight points (34-26).

Difference of -8.5 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 8.5-point spread, the favorite could win the game by eight points — 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 Oklahoma-South Carolina game:

Spread: Oklahoma -8.5 (-120), South Carolina +8.5 (-110)

Moneyline: Oklahoma -650, South Carolina +450

If the Sooners win by nine points, a point-spread bet with a $50 stake would return $91.67 (including stake).

If you bet the same amount of money on the Sooners’ moneyline, a win would return $57.69 (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.