SPORTS FOR THE LAYPERSON
What are “point spreads,” and how are they used?
Point spreads are used solely for gambling purposes. They are determined in Las Vegas by gambling experts, who are said to “handicap” the games. In any given NFL football game, point spreads are used to allow prospective bettors to pick either the favorite or the underdog, as determined by Las Vegas. The favorite is always “giving points”, while the underdog “gets points.”
If the Giants are favored by 10 points over the falcons, someone betting on the giants wins the bet only if the Giants win by 11 or more points. If the Giants win by exactly 10 points the bet is a wash.
If the Giants win by nine or less points, those who bet the Falcons would win. When a favorite, in this case the Giants, wins by more than the spread, the favorite is said to have “covered the spread.”
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SPORTS TRIVIA
When was the last time the USM field hockey team qualified for the NCAA tournament?
Answer:
1992. The Huskies have qualified five times in school history.