What Does +6 Mean in College Football Betting?

A +6 point spread in college football betting means the underdog must lose by five points (or less) or win the game (by any margin) to cover the spread. If the underdog loses by exactly six points, it’s a push (a tie), which refunds all stakes.

The corresponding side of a +6 point spread is -6. That means the favorite must win the game by at least seven points to cover the spread. If the favorite wins by exactly six points, the bet results in a push.

How a +6 Spread Bet Wins or Loses

Winning Bet: You bet on Pittsburgh +6 against Clemson. The Panthers lose to the Tigers by five points (45-40).

Losing Bet: You bet on Rutgers +6 against Purdue. The Scarlet Knights lose to the Boilermakers by seven points (28-21).

Push Bet: You bet on Northwestern +6 against Washington. The Wildcats lose to the Huskies by six points (26-20).

Difference of +6 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 6-point spread, the underdog could lose the game by six 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 an Penn State-USC game:

Spread: Penn State +6 (-110), USC -6 (-120)

Moneyline: Penn State +210, USC -250

If the Nittany Lions lose by five points, a point-spread bet with a $20 stake would return $38.18 (including stake).

If you bet the same amount of money on the Nittany Lions’ moneyline, a win would return $62.00 (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.