NFL Betting: Tips for How To Bet on Football Online

When you get started betting on games in the NFL, it's worth learning how to read betting lines, and how odds work.

Before we jump into that, here are some online betting sites we recommend using for football betting:

Ok, where were we?

Ah yes, the basics of betting. Here is a quick video - watch it and keep reading :-)

We have plenty of information about how sports betting works so we won't be covering this here. 

Read these posts and come back to this article later:

• What moneyline betting is
• How spread betting works
• Prop bets
• Parlay bets

Other types of NFL bets you can make

NFL betting offers more than just the types we list above—spreads, moneylines, and totals: there are plenty of other options to explore. 

Once you get more familiarized with the basics of betting, try one of these: future bets, prop bets, parlays, and live betting.

Here’s a breakdown of each of these:

Futures bets

Futures bets focus on long-term outcomes and are especially popular during the offseason. These wagers let you predict how the season will unfold.

• Super Bowl winner: Bet on which team will win the next Super Bowl. Every team, no matter how strong or weak, will have odds listed.
• Divisional winners: Each division's four teams will have odds to win their division. The best time to place these bets is in the preseason before the odds adjust during the season.
• MVP predictions: Wager on which player will win the league’s Most Valuable Player award. Top quarterbacks and standout players are usually favorites.

Prop bets

Prop bets let you bet on specific events within a game, rather than the game’s outcome. Originally made popular by the Super Bowl, props are now available for most regular-season games and cover a wide range of scenarios.

Examples of football prop bets:

• Patrick Mahomes passing yards against the Broncos
• Derrick Henry rushing yards against the Jaguars
• Justin Jefferson receiving yards against the Bears

Prop bets can be a lot of fun and often offer value, but finding the best ones requires some research and understanding of matchups.

Parlays

Parlays combine multiple bets into a single wager, giving you a chance at a much larger payout.

How it works: Instead of placing individual bets, you combine them into one. For example, you could bet on the Chiefs to win, the Packers to cover the spread, and the Cowboys game to hit the over. To win, all the bets in your parlay must hit, which makes these wagers riskier but more rewarding.

Teaser bets

Teasers are a variation of parlays where you buy points to adjust the spread or total in your favor.

Example:

• The Chiefs are -3, and the total is 54.5.
• With a 6-point teaser, you could adjust the bet to Chiefs +3 and UNDER 48.5.

Both legs of the teaser must win, but the adjusted odds make it less risky than a traditional parlay.

Live betting

Live betting has exploded in popularity, letting you place bets as the game unfolds.

What you can bet on:

• Game outcomes at the end of a quarter, half, or full game.
• Total points during specific time periods.
• Specific plays, such as the result of the next drive.

Live betting requires you to stay alert and ready to act quickly, but it can be rewarding if you’re paying close attention to the game and have a solid strategy.

Basic tips for becoming a sharper NFL bettor

Getting really good at sports betting takes time, effort and money. 

Here are some tips if you want to become a sharp NFL bettor:

1. Study teams and players, and know the teams. Know them inside out. Know their tendencies. Know their weaknesses. Know what they are looking to do. Know what they have done. This is very important. Follow those that are around the organization this team is playing for and get all the valuable information you can. There are a lot that “think” they know about a team or a player, so be sure to be careful where and who you are getting your information from.
2. Manage your bankroll. If you want to be a sports bettor and make money doing so for a long time, starting with a healthy bankroll, and being sure to operate it safely and wisely is a major key. Bankroll is the amount of money you have available to bet. It’s recommended by many to break them into  “units” and when you go to figure out what you want to bet in the NFL breaking how much you like the bet into “units”/
3. Don't chase losses. Don't double wins. Don't get emotional. If you have a favorite team, don't beat them because you “want them to win” or they were “due '' to have a reason why you are making the bet, and that reason makes sense.
4. Keep track of your bets. Do research on your results. Find out what you are good at, and what you are bad at. Fix the things you are bad at, and continue with the things you are good at. Track all your bets!

How to bet on the Super Bowl

The Super Bowl isn’t just the "big game"—it’s also the grand finale of the NFL betting season. As with regular-season betting, make sure to do your homework before placing your wagers. Most importantly, stick to your budget and practice smart bankroll management.

And just as with the regular season, the Super Bowl has all different kinds of bets. You can bet on the moneyline, the spread, the total, and dozens and dozens of prop bets. These prop bets are as silly as the color of Gatorade dumped on the winning coach to what the coin toss will be: heads or tails.

Final thoughts before you make your first NFL bet

Back to betting on the NFL. Of course, you follow the game religiously. Of course, you are following the teams, and know the players; you know the coaches and might guess how they think and what they want to do. 

But, in the end, your intuition might fail you! So, here are some more tips to consider:

1. Understand the importance of line movement. There is usually a reason the lines moved. The sportsbooks may want you to go one way or the other, or there may be a ton of money on one side of the bet. Follow line movements and understand WHY they are moving the way they are.
2. Follow the injury report. Obviously, you will be less likely to bet the Kansas City Chiefs -1 if you find out Patrick Mahomes (or another strong player) is out. A common bettor will see the numbers and think “oh wow this looks great” and then find out after the fact, the Most Valuable Player is going to miss the game. That’s a big deal. Follow injuries and follow team news before you make the bet.
3. Follow the weather. We mentioned earlier that you should follow the weather, and it really is an issue. Also, keep in mind what team is at home, and which is on the road. Home games matter, and they matter more for some teams rather than others. Be sure to know and understand what this means.
4. Start small if you are unsure. So, you want to get into sports betting, and feel like you have an idea how it works? Start small. Start small and build your bankroll, then maybe you can re-evaluate your unit sizes.

That's it, Ladies. Happy NFL betting!