Point spread
A goal or point handicap that the favourite has to beat and the underdog has to stay within for your bet to cash.
A point spread (écart) gives the underdog a head start so both sides are worth betting. In football and basketball you'll see spreads like -7.5 or -3. In hockey, goals are scarce, so the main spread is the puck line at 1.5, but most books also post alternate spreads like -2 or -2.5 if you want a bigger payout.
Whole number vs half number
Here's the thing that trips people up. A spread with .5 can't tie. A spread with a whole number can, and that's a push: you get your stake back, nothing more, nothing less.
Example: Habs -2
Say the Canadiens are -2 at +210 on an alternate spread (illustrative, not a pick). You throw $10 on it.
- Habs win 5-2 (by three): you win $21, $31 back.
- Habs win 5-3 (by two): push. Your $10 comes back.
- Habs win 3-2 or lose: you lose the $10.
Compare that with -2.5 at, say, +260: you'd get $26 profit on the 5-2 win, but the 5-3 result becomes a straight loss instead of a push.