What Does +3 Mean in College Football Betting?

A +3 point spread in college football betting means the underdog must lose by two points (or less) or win the game (by any margin) to cover the spread. If the underdog loses by exactly three points, it’s a push (a tie), which refunds all stakes.

The corresponding side of a +3 point spread is -3. That means the favorite must win the game by at least four points to cover the spread. If the favorite wins by exactly three points, the bet results in a push.

How a +3 Spread Bet Wins or Loses

Winning Bet: You bet on Texas +3 against Georgia. The Longhorns lose to the Bulldogs by two points (30-28).

Losing Bet: You bet on Duke +3 against Miami (FL). The Blue Devils lose to the Hurricanes by four points (27-23).

Push Bet: You bet on Cincinnati +3 against Texas Tech. The Bearcats lose to the Red Raiders by three points (45-42).

Difference of +3 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 3-point spread, the underdog could lose the game by three points — which would result in losing tickets for all moneyline bets — but push the spread.

Spread vs. Moneyline Odds & Payouts

Spreads and moneylines almost always have different odds. For example, here are odds for a BYU-Utah game:

Spread: BYU +3 (-108), Utah -3 (-110)

Moneyline: BYU +155, Utah -190

If the Cougars lose by two points, a point-spread bet with a $10 stake would return $19.26 (including stake).

If you bet the same amount of money on the Cougars’ moneyline, a win would return $25.50 (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.