What Does +1.5 Mean in College Football Betting?

A +1.5 point spread in college football betting means the underdog must either lose by one point or win the game (by any margin) to cover the spread.

The corresponding side of a +1.5 point spread is -1.5. That means the favorite must win the game by at least two points to cover the spread.

How a +1.5 Spread Bet Wins or Loses

Winning Bet: You bet on Ohio State +1.5 against Michigan. The Buckeyes lose to the Wolverines by one point (35-34).

Losing Bet: You bet on Pittsburgh +1.5 against Duke. The Panthers lose to the Blue Devils by two points (30-28).

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 underdog could lose the game by one point — which would result in losing tickets for all moneyline bets — but win the spread.

Spread vs. Moneyline Odds & Payouts

Spreads and moneylines almost always have different odds. For example, here are odds for a Boise State-Oregon State game:

Spread: Boise State +1.5 (-120), Oregon State -1.5 (-110)

Moneyline: Boise State -110, Oregon State -108

If the Broncos win by two points, a point-spread bet with a $10 stake would return $18.33 (including stake).

If you bet the same amount of money on the Broncos’ moneyline, a win would return $19.09 (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.