Whether you are a diehard fan of the NFL, NBA, NHL or MLB, if you are a betting enthusiast, you may have heard the acronym ATS, but what does it stand for? To most sports bettors, it stands for Against the Spread. While it is true that a team with an ATS record can be a loser, this does not mean that betting on them is a bad idea. When it comes to the most important component of the wagering equation, the odds on your favorite team are more than favorable. In the NFL, the spread is usually the minus sign, while in the NBA, the minus sign is often represented by a + sign. In both cases, the spread essentially adds to the overall score.
The ATS or the SU is the acronym of choice for many bettors, especially when it comes to sports betting. As a result, you may have heard the acronym tossed about in the context of winning the big game or racking up a good night’s sleep. It is not uncommon for a team to be favored by a factor of ten, or more, over the course of a single game. To help make sense of the odds, the sports book will often assign a number to each team, the spread. In the NFL, this may be as low as three, or as high as seven, depending on the week. In the NBA, this is often a factor of a team’s relative health and the level of competition they face. In other sports, this is typically not the case.
It is also not uncommon for a team with a SU or ATS record to be an underdog. For example, the Jets are a ten game ATS streak despite winning seven of their sixteen games. Moreover, the SU or the ATS might be the only viable option, if you are an avid fan of the franchise. This is akin to betting on an underdog to win a basketball game. If you are a fan of the other teams in the division, you may want to play it safe. You may also want to consider betting on the home team to win the game. In the NFL, this is not always possible, especially if your home team is an underdog.
However, this has not stopped some fans from betting on the home team to win. In fact, some fans of the other team have even made the trip to the opposing city to watch the home team play in the flesh. It is important to note that the odds on the home team in this scenario are often low, as opposed to the home team in a neutral site game. So, if you are thinking of making a wager on the home team, be sure to weigh the odds on your favorite team before putting your hard earned cash on the line. You can do this by using a sports betting calculator.