What is ATS (against the spread) in sports betting?
The short answer
A team's record when accounting for the point spread.
Watch the lesson
Play the ATS (Against The Spread) videoBet type guide
Knowing the language is step one — knowing the true price is the edge. The Cold Line’s signal desk tracks the no-vig fair number and the closing-line value behind terms like this, before the market moves.
In plain English
How often a team covers the spread. "Chiefs are 8-4 ATS this season."
What to remember about ATS (Against The Spread)
The definition
A team's record when accounting for the point spread.
In plain English
How often a team covers the spread. "Chiefs are 8-4 ATS this season."
Example in context
They're seven and two ATS at home this season, even though they've only won five games outright.
Check yourself
Term quiz
Check yourself: ATS
1.A team's ATS record measures…
2.A team is 7-2 ATS but 5-4 outright. What does that tell you?
3.Is a strong ATS record a reason to keep backing a team?
Keep learning
Explore the next question before you place a bet.
- What is an accumulator in sports betting?
- What is an action reverse in sports betting?
- What is an alternate line in sports betting?
- What is an ante-post in sports betting?
- What is an Asian handicap in sports betting?
- What does buying points mean in sports betting?
- What is a correlated parlay in sports betting?
- What is a cover in sports betting?
Put the concept to work
Explore ATS (Against The Spread) with a concrete research workflow. Build your own number, compare sportsbook prices with a sharp reference, or use Audits to review timestamped book moves beside play-by-play.
Browse the full A–Z betting glossary or read the complete betting guide. The Cold Line also publishes a free year-round sports calendar and an odds board (Free account: delayed odds).

