When it comes to betting, bookmakers have added different features and options to make betting as entertaining for the bettor as possible, from games like aviator and innovative slots to betting options like over/under, money line, futures, etc. Today we’re turning our focus to a feature widely known by betting veterans called ‘ATS’ or Against The Spread. To that end, we will focus on providing a detailed answer to the popular question, “what is ATS in betting?”
What is ATS in Betting?
ATS stands for “Against the Spread,” which is a term used in sports and esports betting to describe the spread or point differential between two teams. In betting, the spread is a handicap set by the bookmakers to even the odds between two teams. When a bettor takes a team “against the spread,” they are wagering on whether the team will win the game by more than the set spread or lose by fewer points than the spread. For example, if team A is favoured to beat team B by 6 points, a bettor taking team B “ATS” would win if team B either wins the game outright or loses by fewer than 6 points.
Image Credit: Riot Games
An Example of Betting Against the Spread
Here’s an example of ATS in applied to VALORANT esports:
- First, let’s say that FNATIC is playing Cloud9 in a VALORANT best-of-5 match, and FNATIC is favoured to win by 3 points.
- A bettor who thinks FNATIC will win by more than 3 points can place a straight-up bet on the FNATIC team to win.
- A bettor who thinks Cloud9 will either win the game outright or lose by fewer than 3 points can place a bet “Against the Spread” on Cloud9.
- If team FNATIC wins the game by 3 points (or more), the bettor who placed a straight-up bet on FNATIC wins their wager.
- If FNATIC wins the game by 3 points exactly, the bets are considered a push, and the bettors get their money back.
- If Cloud9 wins the game outright, or if FNATIC wins by 3 points or fewer, the bettor who placed a bet “Against the Spread” on Cloud9 wins their wager.
In this example, betting Against the Spread added an extra layer of excitement to betting on VALORANT, as well as the opportunity for a different type of win or loss outcome for the bettor.
Be sure to check out the rest of our betting guides for more advice and tips.
