Betting is done against a point spread. A team is picked to win by so many points. I have been surprised at how much the point spread has become a part of the game. You have probably gone to sporting events at which people in the stands were disappointed that their team did not beat the point spread. Even though the team won, some of the fans were upset that they did not defeat the team by enough points to cover the spread.
True fans are concerned if the team wins or loses.
Gamblers, however, are concerned with whether the team was able to beat the point spread. Winning by one point is not enough if the point spread was three. Sportswriters and sports broadcasters routinely announce that a team is favored by a certain number of points. They argue that reporting such information is appropriate because it is relevant to the game. Sports gambling has affected sports by introducing organized crime into the sporting arena.