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Why do betting lines end in .5?

Lines end in .5 so the score can't land exactly on the number, which means every bet either wins or loses.

Example: With a line of 6.5, a team that wins by 7 covers and a team that wins by 6 doesn't. With a line of 6, a 6-point win is a tie with the bookie and a $10 bet gets its $10 back.

Bookies use whole-number lines too. Then a result right on the line is a push.

Half points also show up in totals: over 44.5 points means 45 or more.

As of 5 October, the bookies keep about $5 of every $100 bet on NFL spread bets.

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Updated 5 October 2026. More betting questions · How we write and correct our pages.

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