point spread

noun

a betting device, established by oddsmakers and used to attract bettors for uneven competitions, indicating the estimated number of points by which a stronger team can be expected to defeat a weaker team, the point spread being added to the weaker team's actual points in the game and this new figure then compared to the stronger team's points to determine winning bets.

Origin of point spread

An Americanism dating back to 1950–55

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

For NFL fans used to thinking about point spreads, forecasting games based on probabilities might not be intuitive — but at FiveThirtyEight, we like to think probabilistically.
How To Play Our NFL Forecasting Game | Jay Boice (jay.boice@fivethirtyeight.com) | August 31, 2021 | FiveThirtyEight
It was estimated in August that the difference in performance between Mahomes and Henne was worth nine points in the typical point spread, which could shift this line quite a bit before kickoff.
NFL picks against the spread for the conference championship games | Neil Greenberg | January 19, 2021 | Washington Post
When the point spread has been 10 points or less, as it has been in 16 games, the economy grew 2.4 percent on average.
Want a Super Bowl Boost for the Economy? Root for Seattle. | Mark Lieberman | February 2, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
But in the 11 games when the point spread was 20 points or more, the economy grew an average of 3.5 percent per year.
Want a Super Bowl Boost for the Economy? Root for Seattle. | Mark Lieberman | February 2, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
It was a six point spread between McCain and Obama in the election: between 58 and 59 million people voted against the Democrats.
Yikes, What Does the GOP Do Now? | The Daily Beast | May 2, 2009 | THE DAILY BEAST

It was a pleasant diversion to get out of the level valley, which at this point spread out some miles back to the bluffs.
The Awakening of the Desert | Julius C. Birge
Peter's thoughts still hovered about old Rose, and from that point spread to the whole system of colored service in the South.
Birthright | T.S. Stribling
Southward to the point spread lands owned by the parish, and known as the common pasture.
Old Kaskaskia | Mary Hartwell Catherwood

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