The Point Spread
The point spread is designed to even out the odds between two teams, making it more interesting to bet on games where there's a clear favorite and underdog:
- The Favorite and Underdog: In NFL games, one team is usually favored to win over the other.
- Spread Value: The point spread is a number that represents how much the favored team needs to win by for bets on that team to win.
- Example: If the point spread is -6.5 for the favorite team, they need to win by at least 7 points for bets on them to be successful.
- Underdog Advantage: On the other hand, if the point spread is +6.5 for the underdog, they can lose by up to 6 points and bets on them can still win.
- Balancing Bets: The point spread encourages balanced betting by giving bettors a reason to bet on both the favorite and the underdog.
NFL MoneyLine Bet
The moneyline bet is a straightforward way to bet on NFL games:
- Picking the Winner: You're simply choosing which team you think will win the game outright.
- Positive and Negative Odds: Each team is associated with odds. Negative odds (e.g., -150) indicate how much you need to bet to win $100. Positive odds (e.g., +200) indicate how much you can win on a $100 bet.
- Example: If a team has a moneyline of -150, you'd need to bet $150 to win $100. If a team has a moneyline of +200, you could win $200 on a $100 bet if they win.
Football Over/Under Betting
An over/under bet focuses on the combined score of both teams:
- Predicting the Total: You're predicting whether the total points scored in the game by both teams will be over or under a certain number set by the sportsbook.
- Example: If the over/under is set at 45.5 points and you bet the over, the combined score of both teams needs to be 46 or more for your bet to win.
- Research is Key: To make an informed bet, consider factors like the teams' offensive and defensive capabilities, weather conditions, and recent trends in scoring.
NFL Prop Betting
Props (Player Prop Bets): You bet on specific player performances, like how many touchdowns a certain player will score.
- Player Prop Bets: These bets focus on specific accomplishments by players during a game.
- Examples: You can bet on how many passing yards a quarterback will throw for, how many touchdowns a running back will score, or how many receptions a wide receiver will make.
- Research and Analysis: Consider player stats, matchups against opponents, and injuries before placing these bets
Football Parlay Bets
Parlay bets involve combining multiple individual bets into one:
- Higher Payouts, Higher Risk: If all your selections are correct, the payout can be significantly higher than if you had bet on each game individually.
- Examples: Let's say you want to bet on three different NFL games. Instead of betting on them separately, you can create a parlay bet by combining them. However, if even one of your selections is wrong, the entire parlay loses.
- Excitement and Risk Management: Parlays add extra excitement to NFL betting, but they're riskier since you need all your selections to be correct to win.
NFL Future Bets
- Futures: These are bets on events that will happen in the future, like predicting the Super Bowl winner at the beginning of the season.