Dumb football pool question

[Peaches]

Since I know nothing about football, I'm TRYING to look at this logically and it makes no sense to me:

Why does Indiana get 3.5 points on the spread this week?

[clemsontiger]

Originally posted by Peaches@Dec 7 2003, 01:00 PM
Since I know nothing about football, I'm TRYING to look at this logically and it makes no sense to me:

Why does Indiana get 3.5 points on the spread this week?

First of all, it's Indianapolis. Second of all, the spread is the number of points that professionals (critics) come up with that they think the one team is better than the other. If the spread is 0 then they consider the teams to be equal. Since Indianapolis has a 3.5 spread, they feel that Indianapolis is better than Tennessee by 3.5 points.

[Peaches]

Originally posted by clemsontiger@Dec 7 2003, 01:43 PM
First of all, it's Indianapolis.

I was abbreviating it....yeah, that's the ticket.... Plus, isn't Indianapolis IN Indiana?

Second of all, the spread is the number of points that professionals (critics) come up with that they think the one team is better than the other. If the spread is 0 then they consider the teams to be equal. Since Indianapolis has a 3.5 spread, they feel that Indianapolis is better than Tennessee by 3.5 points.

Yes, I know how it works, but they gave Indianapolis the 3.5 points which means they think Tennessee is better than THEY are, right?

I suck at math. :angry:

[Hell Puppy]

The lines are complicated. But remember they're more about the betting than they are predictions of score. The casinos will give just enough points to the underdog team to get people to bet on 'em.

When setting the lines these days the big vegas bookmakers may use everything from complex computer simulations to the arthritis in their granny's knee to make the forecast. The won-loss record of each team in football isn't all that relevant. Football is played one week at a time and you have to figure in weather, injuries, emotion, etc.

The Falcons this week are a perfect example. They're 2-10 and have looked pretty pathetic all season long. They're playing the division leader and they're only getting 1.5 points. Why? Michael Vick is starting. The feeling with most people betting will be that Carolina has been sliding the the Falcons should be pumped up and a different team with Vick in the game. It only takes 1.5 points to even up the bets. Without Vick, the Falcons probably get 5.5 points against the Panthers.

[Peaches]

Originally posted by Hell Puppy@Dec 7 2003, 05:12 PM
The lines are complicated. But remember they're more about the betting than they are predictions of score. The casinos will give just enough points to the underdog team to get people to bet on 'em.

So, trying to make sense of it is bascially futile. :grrr:

[Hell Puppy]

Originally posted by Peaches+Dec 7 2003, 05:40 PM-->