What Is a ‘Hook’ in Betting?

In sports betting, a hook is a half-point that is added to a spread or a total. It is used to create a more balanced betting proposition for the sportsbook and the bettor while also ensuring that there is a winner and a loser instead of a push.

For example, if the spread is set at 7 points then there is no hook, but if it’s set at 7.5 then the 0.5 is seen as ‘the hook’.