Football Betting Sites

Legal States to Bet on Football

I would like to make it clear that only some states in the US have legalised betting on football and others have not, I that number will continue to grow with time though. Currently you can only bet online or in person at a licensed sportsbook in selected states. Here are a few of the states that allow football betting online and others that don’t.

Features of Top NFL Betting Sites

When looking for top NFL betting sites, pay close attention to their odds. We recommend pulling up the NFL betting markets for different games and then comparing the odds for the same bet across 4 or 5 online sportsbooks.

You want to find an NFL betting site that consistently has competitive odds because even small differences in odds can radically impact your bankroll, especially if you bet often.

The best NFL betting sites are also fully mobile optimized. They have dedicated apps for iOS and Android and have sites that work on any browser. They have spent time designing fast and easy-to-navigate platforms.

To have the flexibility to bet on all aspects of an NFL game, find an NFL betting site that has a solid variety of bets. They should have all of the classic markets like moneyline, spread, and totals but also lots of fun props, and every market should be available pre-match and live.

Before you sign up to an online NFL betting site, do some research about the available payment methods. You should pay special attention to any fees involved, the number and types of payment methods, minimum and maximum betting limits, and the processing speeds. High fees can really eat into your profits, and there is nothing more frustrating than waiting weeks to receive your winnings.

At the best NFL betting sites, you can deposit and withdraw via secure and 100% free payment methods, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, PayPal, ACH, and bank transfer. Deposits are instantly added to your account, and you can receive your winnings within 72 hours.

Can I bet on Football games online legally?

The good news is that as long as you are the appropriate age and located in a state that regulates sports betting, you can legally place an football bet on your online sportsbook of choice. No longer are football bettors restricted to just visiting Las Vegas to wager on a regular season or playoff game. Since the repeal of PASPA in 2018, online gambling has expanded quickly across the country. This means more people than ever can access an football betting online and wager on their favorite team.

You must check your local state laws though first.

Read our full guide on legal betting states to find out more.

Football Line Options – What To Bet On

Moneyline Bets – Explained

Football moneyline odds or bets are the simplified versions of everything you read so far. It is the layman’s terms of betting, as it simplifies which time you wish to bet on—aka the one you think will win the game.

You start by picking the football team you think will win. Then you wait for the game to end and find out about you, and your betted team won. By looking at the odds before the game, you can make your prediction and pick the winner of the football match.

However, if the gap between positive and negative is only marginal, you should be careful with your options. Because, as indicated before, this also means the game might be a close one. Yet, picking a team to win a tight game also means higher yields.

For instance, if the Pittsburgh Steelers are the favorite, you will see their odds, such as -175. While if the Vikings are the underdogs, then it would look like -150. So, how can you tell if it will be a close-fitting game?

If the numbers for both teams are the same as -175 and +175, then there is no clear expected winner even in the mind of experts. If the odds look like -175 against +100, then the former team is the favorite. For instance:

• Minnesota Vikings: -175
• Pittsburgh Steelers: +110

In this case, Pittsburgh is the underdog, whereas Minnesota is the favorite. However, betting on Pittsburgh would garner higher rewards since no one expected them to win. So, betting on the underdog is risky, but it can help you gain more. In contrast, gambling on the favorite team is a safe bet.

Spread Betting – Explained

Football point spread Bets are not that different from money line bets. Both entail a basic prediction on who wins the game, except for the difference in positive and negative. The underdog team appears positive, while the favored team appears negative in points spread. Such as:

• Minnesota Vikings: +110
• Pittsburgh Steelers: -110

Rather than placing the underdog team with favorable odds, the favored team is ahead since the experts think they will score higher. However, you can still win if you accurately predict the game’s final score.

For instance, if Vikings win the game, and your wager was on the Steelers scoring 110, while the Vikings scored only 115. So, you will win since you predicted the score accurately. However, if Vikings win by a field goal, your wager is lost.

Totals (Over/Under) – Explained

Points Total is your wager on the overall score of the game. You can wager on total over/under points scored by the teams. If a game is going to be action-packed or very close-knit, the commentators might remark about the importance of the total points.

Your goal is to bet on the final or Points Total score of the game. If the sportsbook issues 55 as the final total, you must bet on the final combined score. This total Bet helps you predict and win on the last collective points scored by both playing teams.

It needs to be in close vicinity, so whether you go higher or lower, the goal is to stay in lanes of the final points total. Some sportsbooks even let you wager on the final time of the game. However, it is improbable that any of the aforementioned or reputable sportsbooks would.

Futures – Explained

Some people say that a futures bet is the mother of all bets, granted that you get it right. It deals with the final result of something significant. An ace game in the Super Bowl, two rivals against each other, or even the final. In simple words, who do you think will be the champion at the end of this season?

Or, who do you think will be the MVP? If you have a prediction, then betting on that is what future Bet entails. Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the favorite to retain their title by +525 against Kansas City Chiefs +650 as of this writing.

This means someone will think Buccs have a better chance, while others will be in favor of the chiefs.

Props – Explained

Football prop bets is about betting on moments in the game. For instance, it can be your Bet on the final score or who will score first. The possibilities in prop betting are endless; however, the only thing you cannot bet on is who will win since that is already covered.

So, if you predict a team will get to 10, 15, or 25 points first, you win if they do. This betting system is straightforward. Predict the first touchdown; you win. Predict the final touchdown, and you win too. Here are a few things you can predict or bet on:

• First scoring play
• First to X points
• Touchdown scorer: you can bet on any player
• The first or final touchdown
• First-quarter Winner
• First-quarter total

Parlays – Explained

Parlays deal with two or more bets and become a singular, combined payout. Each platform has its different way of adding these multiple wagers into a parlay. You can include the outcome of several games, a different variation of the same game, or play in a parlay to pick a hometown team to win on a particular day.

Live And In-Play Betting Options – Explained

Live or In-Play betting options are accessible when the game begins. You can hedge your pregame wagers from kick-off to the final touchdown if you deem the game to yield an opposite result of your initial expectation.

Betting on the Super Bowl

Read more: Betting on the Super Bowl

Effective NFL Betting Strategies

Are you tired of following your crazy uncle’s NFL betting tips? Level up your betting game and try out these effective strategies:

• Bet on home underdogs who are coming off a big loss – NFL teams usually play better at home, and when a team has suffered a recent tough loss, the odds often swing against them too far. With this bet, you are banking on the fact that the home underdog will be fired up and ready to play well in front of their home fans and also a reversion to the mean effect where their previous bad performance is unlikely to repeat itself.
• Bet against east coast teams when playing on the west coast – Home-field advantage is amplified when an east coast road team has to travel across the country and deal with a long flight and a 3-hour time difference. We recommend betting on the Seattle Seahawks whenever they are playing an east coast team at home.
• Avoid betting on divisional matches – Each season, every NFL team plays 6 games against teams in its division. These games can be very difficult to predict because the teams know each other very well and are able to come up with specific game plans.
• Don’t add too many bets to your parlays – Parlays can result in some huge wins, but if you add too many selections, they quickly turn into lottery tickets. The sweet spot is between 2 and 4, any more, and your odds of winning plummet.
• Bet on teams coming off a bye – After a bye, NFL teams are refreshed both physically and mentally and are ready to secure a win. Don’t blindly use this strategy, make sure the team you are betting on has all of its star players and is ideally playing a team that has been in some matchups and is looking a little fatigued.

Football Betting Trends

Football betting trends change every season. They change with every game; they switch every week, and even during the first half of play, they can change for the second half. The most recent trend for bettors is to wager on underdogs, with underdogs winning bettors 55.2% of the time.

We advise against trusting tipsters or paying them. Reading prior to betting though is wise, as you can discover last minute changes, injuries, and several other areas that could sway the outcome to one side. Our news section is the best place to get the latest football news and inform your betting.