NFL is the most popular sport in the United States and learning how to bet on NFL games can make the sport even more enjoyable.
Whether you understand every nuance of the Tampa 2 defense or can’t tell the difference between a linebacker and a punter, you can easily learn about NFL betting online. Figuring out how football bets work will give you a better chance of winning. Our complete NFL betting guide breaks down everything you need to know.
How Does NFL Betting Work?
When learning how to bet on the NFL, the first thing to know is that you can wager on:
- Game outcomes
- Player statistics
- Season outcomes
- Season win totals
- Postseason champions
- Postseason award winners
You can wager before the teams play and on live odds that change during the game. For season-long and postseason bets, you can wager before or during the season. Sportsbooks update the future NFL betting odds after each set of games ends.
NFL gambling may involve betting on a single outcome or selecting more than one outcome in a combined bet. This is called a parlay. You must correctly predict each aspect of the parlay to win when betting on football games. Parlays offer higher odds than single-game wagers so you can win more. Some sportsbooks limit the types of bets you can combine into a parlay though.
NFL Betting Lines – Basic Bets
Although learning how to bet on NFL point spreads is the most common way to wager, several betting options are available. Understanding these options and their distinctions can help determine your favorite way to wager on certain teams or players with the best possible odds.
Moneyline or Straight Bets
The moneyline or straight bet is one of the easiest to understand for NFL bettors. You simply select the team you think will win the game. The favorite might open with odds of -300, while the underdog could be +250 to win the game on the moneyline. These odds may change in the week leading up to the NFL game based on team news, injuries, or weather conditions. Due to their simplicity, moneyline bets are particularly popular during the NFL season.
Point Spreads
When betting on the spread in the NFL, think of it like a handicap. If the oddsmaker sets the point spread at -7.5, the favorite must win by eight or more points to win the bet. The underdog, which would be +7.5, could win the game outright or lose by seven or fewer points to win the bet.
The best NFL betting sites place odds along with the point spread. For example, the -7.5 favorite may have odds of -115. Usually, the spread is determined by the value which evens the odds.
Over/Under or Total Bets
The over/under (O/U) bet involves betting on the total number of combined points both teams will score in the game. If the O/U is 45.5, the over bet wins if the total number of points is 46 or greater. The under bet wins if 45 or fewer points are scored. Unexpected weather conditions can play a big role in O/U bets and online sports betting sites may alter the odds accordingly ahead of the game.
Quarter/Half Bets
For NFL games, oddsmakers often create a point spread, moneyline odds, and O/U numbers for the end of the first quarter and first half. These bets work the same way as if you were wagering on the entire game outcome. The only difference is the payout occurs at the end of the quarter or half.
Game and Player Props
Wagering on NFL prop bets can be a fun alternative to wagering on game outcomes. Prop bets rarely have anything to do with the game’s final score.
Perhaps you want to bet on a player gaining a certain number of yards or scoring a touchdown from a certain distance. For a player prop that’s also a futures bet, you can wager on who will win the postseason MVP award.
A game prop may also include selecting the first team to score a touchdown, with team bets rather than player bets also being popular.
Parlays
When newcomers look at how to bet on the NFL, they often explore parlays. A parlay bet is when you combine two or more bets in a single bet. This type of NFL wager tends to give high odds and big payouts, especially compared to betting on a single game or outcome.
Many new NFL bettors think parlays are easy to win. However, you must win every part of the parlay to cash your ticket. This makes the wager much harder to win. Sportsbooks give big odds on parlays for a good reason.
Same Game Parlays
Same-game parlays work like other parlays, except you make multiple wagers on a single game. Perhaps you’ll bet the O/U, a player prop bet, and the point spread together to receive higher NFL odds. Same-game parlays are good if you are feeling confident about the game.
Teaser bets are popular for NFL games. With a teaser, you’ll receive more favorable odds on the point spread and O/U total than the oddsmaker initially provided. However, you must bet on those two items together as a teaser parlay.
It’s common to receive a six- or seven-point teaser on this type of wager. If the original point spread was -3 and the O/U was 42, a seven-point teaser would move the lines to -10 and 49, respectively. This lets you bet the underdog and the under as a parlay. The teaser gives you a better chance of winning. However, the odds if you do win are far lower than if you don’t use the teaser to create the parlay.
Futures
Futures wagering allows you to bet on long-term outcomes that will occur after the NFL regular season or postseason has concluded. Some examples include:
- Super Bowl winner
- Conference champions
- Division champions
- Team win totals
- MVP award
- NFL Draft positions
You can wager on futures before the season begins. You can also wager as the season goes along, but the odds will change to reflect game results each week. Futures are particularly popular on both NFL and college football betting sites before the season starts.
In-Game or Live Betting
Live or in game betting allows you to wager on the moneyline, O/U, point spread, and prop bets during the game. The sportsbook updates the odds as the game takes place, reflecting the game’s current status. This can be a fun way to try to make money by predicting the flow of the game while watching it.
Other Football Bets
Some other non-traditional NFL bets can be a lot of fun to try. Here are some examples:
- First Scoring Play: You can wager on what you think the first scoring play will be in any particular game. Options include field goal, touchdown, or safety.
- Player Performance Doubles: To gain better odds when you want to bet on a certain team to win outright, you can add a second wager about a certain player on that team scoring a touchdown.
- Anytime Touchdown Scorer: This is an easy-to-understand wager that often has favorable odds. Just bet on a certain player to score a touchdown at any time in the game.
- Total Team Points: Rather than betting the over/under for total points in the game, you can wager that one of the teams will score over or under a certain number of points.
- Race to Points: To win this bet, you select which team in the game will score a particular number of points before the other team, such as 10, 15, or 20. A “tie” bet means you think neither team will reach a particular number of points.
Understanding NFL Betting Odds
Each of the NFL betting lines discussed above will have associated odds. Learning how to bet on NFL games requires understanding how American odds work. The odds will have a plus or minus sign next to them.
American odds assume you are placing a $100 bet (although you can bet less or more, depending on your sportsbook’s limits).
- If you see a minus sign, you must bet that amount, such as -115 or -105, to win $100.
- If you see a plus sign, you must bet $100 to win that amount, such as +100 or +200.
When you win when betting on the NFL, you also receive your original wager amount back.
If you are not betting exactly $100, you can calculate the amount you could win based on the stated odds. For example, if you want to bet $25 on a +110 odds wager, you’re betting one-quarter of $100. This means the amount you could win would also be one-quarter ($27.50 in this case).
Fortunately, when looking at how to bet on NFL games online, the online sportsbook will automatically calculate the amount you could win when you enter the amount you want to bet. You can then accept the bet, if desired, or adjust it accordingly.
How To Bet on the NFL – Tips and Strategies
Learning how to bet on the NFL successfully often involves following a few key NFL betting strategies. It also involves monitoring NFL betting trends.
Perhaps the best tip we can offer is this: Ensure you understand exactly how each bet works. When wagering on NFL games, you shouldn’t accept the bet unless you are certain what has to happen for you to win. This tip applies to any kind of sports wagering.
NFL Betting Tips
If you are looking for NFL wagering techniques that specifically apply to pro football, here are some strategies you can try:
- Do Your Research and Bet With Your Head: Try to take emotion out of the equation when making your wagers. If you are just trying to have fun, betting on your favorite team each week is fine. If you want to win, though, you’ll need to assess each team’s chances dispassionately.
- Keep Abreast of Weather and Injuries: Injuries to key players are extremely important in NFL games. You can find the latest official news on injuries and weather conditions about an hour before kickoff.
- Don’t Stay Loyal to One Sportsbook – Shop Around: Don’t be afraid to look at multiple online sportsbooks when figuring out how to bet on NFL games. Some books may give you slightly better odds or slightly different wagers. This could influence how much profit you receive.
- Follow the Odds and Fade the Public: Some gamblers prefer to watch the movement of the odds and point spread in the week leading up to the game. If most public bettors are wagering heavily on one team, forcing the point spread to move, some gamblers believe strongly in betting the opposite way. They believe the oddsmakers know more than the public, so the original line is more accurate than where the public wagering moved it.
- Analyze the Schedule: In the NFL, schedule strength is a key piece of wagering information. A team playing its third straight road game may be worn down. By the same token, a team coming off a bye may have healthier players. Furthermore, some teams based in the Pacific Time Zone struggle when they have to make a cross-country trip and play a 1 p.m. game in the Eastern Time Zone (which is 10 a.m. Pacific).
- Don’t Just Pick Favorites: The oddsmakers attempt to set the point spread so that the underdog and favorite have roughly a 50/50 chance to cover the spread. However, according to multiple studies, bettors (especially new ones) tend to wager on favorites more often than underdogs. Don’t just assume the favorite will always cover the spread, even though many people may naturally feel more confident about the favorite.
- Consider Homefield Advantage: Typically, the point spread will give the home team an advantage of a few points compared to the point spread for a game at a neutral venue. However, some teams play better at home than others. Don’t just assume the home team in an NFL game always has a distinct advantage. Pay attention to which home teams have greater success or struggles at home when making your wagers.
- Manage Your Bankroll: As with any kind of sports betting, managing your bankroll for NFL betting is important. Plan how much you want to wager on each game and each day based on what you can afford to lose and stick to it. Don’t assume you have to wager your entire deposit on the early games on a Sunday. Follow your plan, regardless of whether you’re winning or losing.
- Don’t Chase Losses: Chasing losses is one of the worst strategies for an NFL bettor. If you lose the first three wagers on NFL Sunday, betting twice as much on the next three games in a desperate attempt to recover your early losses is a bad strategy. Chasing losses frequently just leads to bigger ones. Stick to your plan for your bankroll.
Tips on How To Beat the Spread When Betting on NFL Games
Learning how to bet on NFL games using the point spread is the most popular option among gamblers. The following are some of our top tips for NFL betting:
- Assess Projected Points: When studying where you think the point spread should be, make an estimate of what the final score might be. Use things like the location of the game, weather concerns, and injuries to come up with your most educated guess. You then can see how your projection compares to the point spread.
- Pick Your Favorite Games: If you are new to NFL wagering, you may feel like you want to bet on every game. There’s no reason to do this. Stick with the games you believe most strongly in based on your projections.
- Don’t Wait To Bet: Once you make a decision, go ahead and bet. Point spreads can move throughout the week. However, if you bet early, you lock in your spread number at the time of your bet, regardless of how it moves later. Although the spread could move in your favor later in the week, it could also move against you if you wait.
How To Place a Bet on NFL Games
Now that you know how to bet on NFL games, here are the steps to follow for an enjoyable experience:
- Find a Sportsbook: Figure out which local or offshore betting site you want to use. Try to find one that gives you the best odds or a strong sign-up bonus if you’re making your first deposit.
- Create Your Account: You’ll need to enter some personal information to create your account.
- Make a Deposit: Add your first deposit to your account. You can use a credit card, bank transfer, cryptocurrency, or any other option the sportsbook accepts.
- Claim Your Welcome Bonus: To receive the welcome bonus on your first deposit at the sportsbook, you will likely need to complete multiple steps. Ensure you understand what you need to do beforehand to avoid an unpleasant surprise.
- Make Your NFL Bets: Navigate to the NFL section of the website. Find the game(s) on which you want to bet, select the type of bet and amount you want to wager, then place your bet.
Responsible Gambling
Although it’s easy to get caught up in the emotion of watching NFL games, it’s important to gamble responsibly. Never wager more than you can afford to lose. Set betting and time limits for your NFL gambling.
If wagering on NFL games is causing anxiety for you, step away and spend some time on other interests. Take advantage of the online sportsbook’s resources for automatically setting wagering limits and cooling-off periods.
If you feel like you’re struggling with out-of-control gambling on NFL games, try these resources:
If your state offers sports wagering and other types of gambling, it probably has a local responsible gambling organization that can help.
Conclusion
Learning how to place a bet on the National Football League can bring an extra level of excitement. If you’re ready to begin betting real money, ensure you understand the rules in your state and of the online sportsbook you decide to use.
You don’t have to be a huge NFL fan to have fun betting on pro football. Be open to learning how the wagering process works and about NFL team trends. Then you’ll be ready to cash that first winning NFL ticket in no time.
NFL Betting FAQs
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