Question : Numeric if statment not generating desired results

Experts,
When given 2 numbers, I'd like to determine the "favorite" (for betting).  The Favorite is the NEGATIVE number.  So the team with a spread of "-7" is the favorite and the underdog's spread is "7".

When I output the home and visiting spreads:
      echo  $vis_spread . "<BR>";
      echo  $home_spread;
I get:
13.5
-13.5
So clearly, one is negative and one is positive, and therefore less than the other.

When I run the following if statement:

if ($home_spread<<$vis_spread){
// Option 1
      $FAV =       $teamname[1];
      $UDOG = $teamname[0];
      $SPREAD = $home_spread;
      }
 elseif($vis_spread<<$home_spread){
// Option 2
      $FAV = $teamname[0];
      $UDOG = $teamname[1];
      $SPREAD = $vis_spread;
      }
 else{
// Option 3
      $FAV =       $teamname[1];
      $UDOG = $teamname[0];            
      $SPREAD = '0';
// Spread of 0 means teams are EVEN.
   }
  }  
        
The above statement Outputs Option 1 EVERY TIME.
In cases when Option 2 should be true, it still results in #1.
I know this is incorrect, because the $SPREAD appears as a positive number
This shouldn't be possible because the negative number should ALWAYS be less than the positive, becoming the $SPREAD.

example of incorrect result:
-3
3


Favorite: Virginia Tech
Underdog: Boise State
Spread: 3

Visiting: Boise State -3
Home: Virginia Tech 3

The Favorite should be Boise State since it's spread is -3.
It's outputting 3 as the spread, telling me it believes option 1 in the if statement is true.

Any ideas?

Answer : Numeric if statment not generating desired results

try as

$vis_spread = $spread->{"spread_visiting"} + 0;
$home_spread = $spread->{"spread_home"} + 0;

0 addition will make sure that the variables are in integer...