How To Bet On The NFL – American Football Betting Explained
How to bet on the NFL? This is a common question among bettors who have discovered the exciting experience of watching American football.
While the NFL is packed with absolutely thrilling action it can be overwhelming for bettors at first trying to make sense of all the different rules, let alone the incredible amount of betting markets available.
If you are confused about some of the NFL betting markets and terms, then worry no more! This article is going to be your comprehensive guide to NFL betting. We will explain all the common bets and give you our best NFL betting tips.
What is NFL MoneyLine or Match Betting?
The most common bet made on NFL games is on the match betting market. You might also see this referred to as a ‘moneyline’ bet. Don’t worry they mean the exact same thing.
Match betting is where you bet on which team will win the game. An added bonus for NFL bettors is that ties or draws are extremely rare. There are probably only about two per NFL season.
In football there are of course a lot of draws but as mentioned before, this isn’t something that you have to worry about much in American football. So, what happens if there is a tie? If you bet on the match betting and that game ends in a tie, then you would get your money back.
NFL Moneyline or Match Betting Key Takeaway
- A moneyline bet is simply a bet on which team will win the game.
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What is NFL Handicap or Spread Betting?
Handicap betting is where a bettor predicts if the points difference between two teams at the end of a game will be greater or less than the number set by the bookies.
You might also hear the term spread betting. Handicap betting and spread betting mean the exact same thing.
The idea of handicap betting is that it makes the game a level playing field. So, the bigger the gap between two teams then the bigger the handicap for the game will be.
Still sound a little confusing? Don’t worry we’re going to go through an example of a handicap bet to make things crystal clear.
Take a look below at the handicap betting for the NFL game between the Arizona Cardinals and the New Orleans Saints. We can see that the Cardinals are -2.5 points favourites for the game.
This means that if you bet on Arizona they need to win by 3 or more points for your handicap bet to be a winner.
Alternatively if you are to bet on the Saints then you would need them to either lose by 2 points or less, tie or win the game for your bet to be a winner. Another way of looking at it is that the Saints are getting a 2.5 points head start in the game.
An advantage of handicap betting is that it gives people a greater reward for betting on the favourite in a game by allowing bettors to almost double their money if the favourite wins by more than the handicap.
It is also a nice option if you expect an underdog team to keep a game close but you’re not entirely sure that they will win.
NFL Handicap or Spread Betting Key Takeaways
- If you bet on the favourite then that team needs to win the game by more than the number of the handicap. So, if the handicap is -3.5 then your team needs to win by four or more points.
- If you bet on the underdog then that team needs to lose by less than the handicap total, or tie or win. So, if the handicap is +5.5 and your team loses by 3 points then your handicap bet is still a winner.
Read More:
How To Turn Small Stakes Into Massive Returns With An NFL Bet Builder
What is Total Points Betting In The NFL?
Total points betting is where you predict if the number of points scored in a game will be under or over a given number of points that is set by the bookmaker. In other words, you are betting on the combined points scored by both teams in a game.
The easiest way to explain total points betting is with an example so let’s take a look again at the Arizona Cardinals v New Orleans Saints game to explain total points betting.
As you can see, here at BoyleSports the line for this game has been set at 44.5 points. That means that there is about a 50/50 chance of the total points scored in the game being over or under 44.5 points.
You might have worked out already that the ‘O/U’ is a common abbreviation for over or under.
As a bettor you can bet on whether you think there will be more than 44.5 points in the game, or less than 44.5 points scored.
Of course, if you think there will be 45 or more points scored in the game then you would bet the over. If you think there will be 44 or less points scored in the game, then you would bet the under.
NFL Total Points Betting Key Takeaways
- If you bet over a points total, then you need there to be more than that number of points scored in the game. So, if the points total was 47.5 points, then you need there to be 48 points or more scored in the game for your bet to be a winner.
- If you bet under on a points total, then you need there to be less than that number of points scored in the game. So, if the points total was 52.5 then you need there to be 52 or less points scored in the game for your bet to be a winner.
What Is A Teaser Bet In The NFL?
A teaser bet in the NFL is where you add two or more alternative handicap bets to create odds of about even money or 1/1. In NFL handicap betting there are two key numbers that you have to be aware of. Those are +/- 3 and +/- 7.
The reason that 3 and 7 are such important numbers in the NFL is because the most common scores come from a field goal, worth 3 points, and a touchdown which usually ends being worth 7 points.
A teaser bet allows bettors to position themselves on the right side of these key numbers. Let’s go through an example where we will show you how a teaser bet works with one underdog and one favourite.
NFL Underdog Teaser Bet
Below you can see the handicap betting for the match between the Titans and Colts. In this game the Colts are +2.5 underdogs on the handicap which is the perfect number for an underdog teaser.
So then, the next step is to go to the ‘Alternative Handicap’ market. In this section we are looking for the Colts +7.5 to add to our betslip.
This means that the Colts will now only need to keep the game within 7 points or a touchdown for this leg of our bet to be a winner.
Given that a lot of NFL games finish with a 7-point score difference this extra 0.5 points is often the difference between a winning and losing bet.
NFL Favourite Teaser Bet
Now let’s look at how we would go about teasing a favourite. Here I’ve picked out the Miami Dolphins v Pittsburgh Steelers game as a perfect opportunity to tease the favourite, Miami, is a -7.5 points favourite on the handicap.
Let’s go to the ‘Alternate Handicap’ section of our BoyleSports website again and find the Dolphins -2.5 points. We can see that the Dolphins are 4/11 at the handicap of -2.5 points, let’s add that to our betslip.
Now the Dolphins only need to win by a field goal or more for our bet to be a winner. Once again we have put ourselves on the right side of the key NFL betting numbers of 3 and 7.
When we combine both of these alternative handicap bets into a double we can see that we are offered odds of 0.91/1 which is equivalent to 10/11 odds.
The ability to put yourself on the right side of the key NFL betting numbers of 3 and 7 while still getting odds close to evens make the teaser a very appealing type of bet to NFL bettors.
NFL Teaser Bet Key Takeaways
- With a teaser bet you are using two or more alternative handicap bets to put yourself on the right side of the key NFL handicap numbers of 3 and 7.
- When you tease an underdog you are increasing the number of points on their handicap to greater than 7 points.
- When you tease a favourite you are decreasing the number of points that they have to win by to less than 3 points.
What Is A Bet Builder In The NFL?
In a bet builder there are two or more bets on a game that are combined into one single bet. Think of it as like an accumulator except all the selections are from the one game.
Bet builders are quickly becoming one of the most popular bets among NFL bettors. The reason for this is because many NFL fans like to watch just one game at a time, but they also want the opportunity to get big returns from a single bet.
This is where the bet builder comes into its own. NFL fans can sit down and watch one game with the potential of scoring a massive return off of just one bet.
For a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to create an NFL bet builder bet click here.
NFL Bet Builder Key Takeaways
- A bet builder bet is when you combine two or more selections in the same game to create a single bet.
- A bet builder allows bettors the chance to get massive returns from one game which wasn’t possible before.
NFL Betting Tips & Strategies
Read The Injury News
The NFL is often seen as a violent sport. Injuries are part of the game, and it is not uncommon for players to get injured during games. However, the NFL has been trying to reduce injuries by making equipment safer and changing the rules so that players don’t have to tackle each other as hard.
With that being said, there are always plenty of injuries on an NFL team at any given point. So, make sure that you check out the injury news for a team before you bet on them to ensure that you are aware of any injuries to key players.
Check The Weather Forecast
The weather can have a massive impact on NFL games. Before you place your bet you should always first check if the game is being played outdoors or under a closed roof.
If a game is expected to be played in bad weather then you might want to think about betting the under. You also might want to consider backing the underdog as poor weather conditions can not only reduce scoring but also bring an element of randomness into the game which benefits the underdog.
Look At Team Travel Schedules
The NFL is a sport that requires a lot of physical and mental energy. Players have to spend hours on the field, whether it’s practicing or playing, and they are constantly traveling from one city to another.
NFL players are humans too so a lot of travelling will make them fatigued and unable to play at their best. Before you place your bet, check to see where both teams have played their last few games.
If you see that one team is playing their second or third straight away game then this could be a reason to bet on the opposing team.
So now that you know how to bet on the NFL why not try put your new-found NFL betting knowledge to the test with our wide variety of NFL betting markets here at BoyleSports.
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