If you’re new to sports betting, you might be wondering what a “backdoor cover” is. A backdoor cover is when an underdog loses but still covers the spread. This means that bettors who wagered on the underdog to cover win their bets. However, bettors who picked the underdog on the moneyline lose. A sharp will take the possibility of a backdoor cover into account when placing a wager on an underdog. Read on to learn more about backdoor covers and how you can incorporate them into your sports betting strategy.

An Example of a Backdoor Cover

If Team A is a +6 underdog and loses by five points or fewer, this is a backdoor cover. This term is most often used when an underdog barely covers the spread by scoring dramatically at the end of the game. However, the term is still accurate for less dramatic occurrences.

What is Not a Backdoor Cover

There is a common misconception it’s a backdoor cover when an underdog wins by scoring at the last second. While the underdog has certainly covered the spread, this is not a “backdoor” cover because they actually won the game. This means that bettors who picked the underdog to win on the moneyline also win their wagers.

Incorporating Backdoor Covers Into Your Betting Strategy

Sharps often bet on the spread rather than the moneyline when wagering on a dog. They do this because the underdog could cover on the backdoor even if they lose, which means they have a higher chance of winning a bet. Of course, the payout will also be lower. It takes intuition and experience for a sharp to choose between a moneyline bet and a spread bet.

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