What is Against the Spread in Sports Betting?

Against the Spread Explained in Detail

Against the spread is the full phrase shortened to ATS. It is used both as a betting term and as an analytical metric. Betting against the spread means placing a wager on the point spread rather than the moneyline. Evaluating a team against the spread means assessing whether they covered, not just whether they won.

The phrase is fundamental because it distinguishes between two different ways of looking at game results. The Giants beating the Cowboys 24-21 is a straight-up result. The Giants covering as +6 underdogs is an against the spread result. Both are facts about the same game, but they have completely different implications for bettors.

Against the spread analysis forms the backbone of most sports betting research. Databases of ATS results allow bettors to identify patterns: which teams are undervalued, which situations produce consistent ATS value, and which public biases create exploitable inefficiencies. Every serious handicapper maintains ATS records as part of their analysis.

The most profitable ATS angles tend to be contrarian in nature. When the public piles onto a popular favorite, the line can move past the true number, creating value on the other side against the spread. Understanding which teams the public overvalues and which they undervalue is the essence of against the spread analysis.