Continuing our series of tips for those of you new to the world of online betting, we bring you some insight into how the point spread is made.

So, you're new to the world of betting on basketball and football, you know what the point spread is and how they work. So how is the point spread made?

There are a number of misconceptions surrounding how the point spread is made. It's not supposed to be based on some mathematical formula that makes up for any particular disadvantage one team may have. It is also not designed to get the bettors split between the two teams. Rather, it's about splitting the money coming in between two teams.

The latter point might seem like a distinction without a difference, but here's why the point is to split the money rather than the bettors: some bettors wage a lot more than others, and sportsbooks typically know what to expect from different kinds of bettors.

Experienced and knowledgeable gamblers will typically bet higher amounts than those newer to online sports betting - no surprise there. Spreads are designed with that in mind and therefore, designed to beat those knowledgeable bettors risking the most cash.

If a sportsbook thinks the experienced gamblers will be betting on one team, and the average Joe will be betting on the other, they'll design the spread in the favour of the average bettor. Why do they do this? They know these average gamblers are more likely to give back their winnings from ill-conceived bets on other games down the road. All of this is obviously critical information to have when examining lines and deciding exactly where your hard-earned money should go.