To "cover the spread" in sports betting means that the favored team wins by more than the point spread set by the sportsbook, or the underdog team loses by fewer points than the spread or wins outright. The point spread is a margin designed by oddsmakers to balance betting between two teams by giving the underdog a hypothetical head start and requiring the favorite to win by a certain number of points to satisfy the spread. For example, if a team is favored by -7 points, they must win by at least 8 points to cover the spread. If they win by 6 or fewer points or lose the game, they fail to cover the spread, and bettors on the underdog can win their bets if the underdog loses by less than 7 points or wins outright. A "push" occurs if the team wins by exactly the spread points, leading to bets generally being returned. Covering the spread focuses on the margin of victory rather than just the final winner, differentiating it from a simple money line bet where only the outright winner matters.