Betting on the NFL is becoming more and more popular each season but with its growing popularity, many have jumped in without have the NFL betting odds explained to them. This is because it has come commonplace in the country to discuss betting lines on the NFL, but there are not many outlets that detail what these pundits, experts, and analysts are actually saying. No longer is Las Vegas the only place to make a wager, as over a dozen states have legal sports betting and there are also a handful of offshore betting sites that service the needs of NFL bettors.
Betting lines have come to your home, right on your computer screen, and this page is here to explain NFL betting odds + wager types. From point spreads to over/unders, prop bets and more, we're going to cover the details behind these types of wagers. After reading this, you should feel comfortable walking into any sportsbooks (or logging into one) and laying your money on the line with confidence, knowing exactly what you are risking.
Get the latest NFL odds, point spreads, money lines and over/unders for popular sportsbooks and view SportsLine's expert analysis of each upcoming game.
- Get the Best NFL Odds. Locking in the best odds is the key to maximizing your potential profits sports betting. Sports Betting Dime makes it easy to find the best NFL lines and odds quickly – whether you’re looking for this week’s NFL lines or futures odds for Super Bowl, playoffs, and player awards.
- NFL odds do not stop at the point spread and OVER/UNDER. There are numerous ways to bet on NFL football these days, including the NFL moneyline, futures (Super Bowl.
Bet On Super Bowl 55 Odds
Moneyline: Chiefs (-160) vs. Buccaneers (+140)
Spread: Chiefs -3
Total: 56 Points
When looking to bet on Super Bowl 55, there are plenty of places for bettors to lay action. Some of the top legal online Super Bowl sportsbooks are Bovada, BetOnline and MyBookie as they all offer tons of different Super Bowl betting lines and Super Bowl prop bets as well in addition to the regular game lines. As for how to bet on Super Bowl 55, bettors can take advantage of the game line and pick an outright winner on the moneyline, they can bet on the margin of victory with the spread or bet on the amount of points that will be scored with the point total. For those not looking to bet on the game line, there are player props as well such as how many yards either quarterback will throw or game props like betting on how many total field goals will be made.
Why NFL Betting Odds Exist
Betting odds for the NFL are formed for several aspects of the league. They are based on outcomes for games, the season, and more. Oddsmakers research and install betting lines for a variety of outcomes relating to the season. A bettor can then search to see what they would like to wager on, and then make the bet. If they win, they get the designated payout. If they lose, the sportsbook takes the bet.
NFL Point Spreads Explained
Betting on the point spread for an NFL game might be the most common wager one thinks of when betting on the NFL. The point spread is a bet made on a specific matchup, as a favorite (-) and an underdog (+) are determined. With a specific number of points set on the line., the team in the role of the favorite must win by the number of points they are associated with.
For the underdog, they must lose by less than their associated points – which is the same number as the favorite – or win the game outright. This is a concept designed to hypothetically even the playing field, as oddsmakers thoroughly research every aspect of the game before coming out with the game line.
Point spreads are not just for the entire game though. In fact, oddsmakers install quarter, half, and fulltime betting odds for NFL games. These betting lines work just as they would for betting against the spread for the whole game.
Betting the spread on the first or second half is a popular betting strategy of NFL bettors. These are just like betting on the normal spread, but it only covers one of the halves. The line in the second half allows bettors to make a wage after oddsmakers see the first half of play.
NFL Moneyline Betting Odds Explained - Straight Up Betting Lines To Win
Betting on the NFL moneyline is quite easy, as it is the simplest form of wagering. For moneyline wagers, all you must do is select who will win the game. Point spreads, the number of points scored, and every other factor has no merit on the moneyline. This simplicity is often why it is called straight-up betting, as it only requires picking the winner. To keep things balanced, sportsbooks will offer odds on every NFL game, where the favorites (-) and underdogs (+) are represented by their moneyline betting odds. When betting on a favorite, you must lay more than what you would profit, while taking the risk on the underdog comes with a higher payout than what you wagered.
Article: Moneyline Betting Odds Explained
NFL Over / Under Bets Explained - Total # Statistical Wagers
Another straightforward way to bet on the NFL is through point totals or over/under bets. These can be broken down by each team, but the numbers you often here on sports betting shows and news is the combination of both teams. Often, these point totals are the most common style of wagering, as bettors can gain insight on certain team’s scoring abilities, defensive prowess, and offensive tempo. Payouts are typically right around 'Even' money (minus the juice) because there are just two choices... over or under.
Article: Over / Under Betting Odds Explained
Weekly Game + NFL Team Proposition Wagering
Outside of game lines, oddsmakers form what are called proposition betting odds. These are other types of betting lines formed that are not betting on the outcome of the game specifically. In fact, NFL team prop betting lines can range in nature quite a bit. For example, in an NFL matchup, a team prop line might be formed asking which team will score 10 points first. The wager would be made on one of the two teams and whoever reaches this mark first dictates the winner of the prop bet. After the proposition is met, the wager is done and the rest of the game does not matter. Other examples include how many total sacks both teams will tally, what the longest field goal of the game will be, and so on. Team Prop odds are a fun way for bettors to place wagers on outcomes outside of the game lines.
Understanding How NFL Player Proposition Wagers Work
NFL player prop lines are another type of proposition betting line. And just like team props, these do not directly relate to the outcome of an NFL matchup. They can have an effect, but that is not what you are wagering on. A player prop NFL line is typically performance-based. For example, the total passing yardage for a quarterback, or the number of touchdowns a running back will have in a game, are two examples. A betting line would be set with an installed number, and the wager would be made according to the guidelines of the bet. NFL player props can be a lot of fun, with tons of them formed for the different games each week.
Understanding NFL Live Betting Odds
One of the newer types of betting onto the scene in NFL betting is Live Betting. Live Betting has become one of the more popular aspects, with the technology that online sportsbooks possess. Live Betting on the NFL can be done from your own computer, mobile device, or in-person at a sportsbook that offers it. In short, instead of placing your bet at the beginning of the game and awaiting the outcome, live betting allows you to place action on a game at any moment during that game. Odds, spreads, and point totals are all available but will constantly be changing as each second of the clock influences the betting lines. Live wagering on the NFL is the most interactive form of betting yet and can be very exciting. In this style, being informed and confident are requirements as getting in at the right time is half the battle.
Betting Odds For The Super Bowl + Online Wagering Guide
Super Bowl betting odds for the upcoming or current NFL season are up almost year-round at online sportsbooks. In fact, almost the day after the Super Bowl from the previous year is completed, oddsmakers form odds to win the next season's Super Bowl. And these odds remain up through offseason, preseason, and the regular season up until the Super Bowl matchup is known.
The different ways to bet on Super Bowl odds can be very simple or they can be slightly more involved. It's not always just betting on the team that you think will win the Super Bowl. No, no sir! There is much more to take in and even the odds to win the Super Bowl can change drastically from week to week.
Get More Help:Super Bowl Odds Explained
NFL Wager Types
Nfl Sports Betting Odds
There are several different types of NFL bets that can be made on a game. Oddsmakers form game lines, but the type of bet you choose to make is up to you. There is the straight bet which is your basic bet on a game or prop. But then there are bets that link multiple games together like a parlay or and if bet. There are also bets that can switch up the betting lines like a teaser or a pleaser. Get more help learning about those here:
Parlays | Teasers | If-Bets | Pleasers | Straight Wagering
Bovada Sportsbook - Top SportsBook For NFL Games
With the games just now starting and the season just now beginning, the NFL is one of the most exciting sports that players look to watch and love to bet on. This is why all players on SportsBetting are cashing big on their accounts. The point spread and betting odds on NFL games are huge and shown to be very profitable. The banking methods here are also easy for players to deal with and makes it simple for them to transfer money on to their account and get them ready for NFL games.
Prop bets and point spreads stick out on SportsBetting as a few of the top betting options there for players as they get ready to make money. The NFL Season is so long so there is money that can be won a lot throughout the season and also throughout the game using the live betting option. SportsBetting is known to have a lot of sports to wager on but when it comes to NFL games, players' eyes get big and wallets get bigger as well.
BetOnline Sportsbook - NFL Games At The Top For BetOnline Players
Take the first step and sign up for BetOnline as you will not regret it! The NFL season is just now getting started so this is the best time for players to have their account created and be able to join in on the fun of making a lot of money. The betting odds are the best here on BetOnline as you will find great point spreads, and moneylines all the time with different games.
Prop bets and mobile betting features are here as well and players love to use these betting options. The money that can be one is huge and all players have to be is 18 and older to sign up for an account with BetOnline. When players see the point spread here and also the Moneyline, they are very excited because of how much money they can see themselves winning. BetOnline has it all and this is where all players come to play and win huge!
MyBookie Sportsbook - NFL Fans Love MyBookie
When it comes to placing bets on the most exciting sport out there, MyBookie is the answer for most players. This online sportsbook has all the things that players look for an that is especially for NFL games. Fans have their favorite teams and most of the time there are a lot of prop bets for each game so this means that fans will stay happy with betting options here for players. This is just where the knowledge that they can spend money and have a chance to make more money while they watch their favorite team.
The live betting option is one that players do not need to look over. There always NFL games going on and these games turn once the second half starts. This is what makes games so exciting. Players can start off cold and get hot the next half and if a player puts the right bet down on them, the money will easily flow their way. MyBookie Sportsbook is known to many players as one of the better sportsbooks and the NFL games that they offer makes it even better!
Where Should I Bet On NFL Online? Who Can I Trust?
Sportsbooks | USA? | |
$1,000 Max - 50% Bonus | All 50 States | Go To BetOnline |
$250 Max - 50% Match | 46 States | Go To Bovada |
$1,000 Max - 50% Bonus | All 50 States | Go To MyBookie |
100% to $300 | All 50 States | Go To Xbet |
$1,000 Max - 50% Bonus | All 50 States | Go To Sportsbetting |
NFL POINT SPREADS EXPLAINED:
The NFL is the most wagered upon sport in North America and it's not even close. I will spare you the grand introduction and lead you right into the mean and potatoes of this article. If you are a novice bettor who is just learning how to bet on the NFL, keep reading. If you understand the common concepts like money line, spread and totals wagering, you can skip down to the advanced wagering options by clicking here. If you want to know how to lay a few bets down on the futures market, I suggest you click here.
Betting on the NFL Money Line
As a concept, this is the simplest wager you can make on any game in any sport (except soccer). The money line betting option allows you to place a bet on the team you think is simply going to win the game. In the NFL, this bet includes overtime, but there have been a few instances where the game finishes tied at the end of OT and both sides get their money refunded.
Example:
Chicago Bears: +150 ML
Minnesota Vikings: -200 ML
The money line betting odds correlate to the listed point spread. In this example, the Vikings are the favorites and you must wager $200 dollars to turn a profit of $100. If you are a homer or love betting on the underdog, the Bears will return you $150 for every $100 you wager on them if they pull off the upset. If the game happens to end in a tie, bettors with money line tickets on either side will be refunded.
Betting on the Point Spread
Regardless of if I am talking about the NFL, CFL, NCAA, Arena League or upcoming XFL, the point spread is the most popular wagering option for bettors who love to test football betting skills. The point spread is an indication of which team is the favorite and underdog heading into their matchup.
A negative betting line such as -2.5 indicates that the team is expected to not only win the game outright, but win by three or more points. On the flip side, positive betting lines such as +2.5 indicate a team's underdog status. Not only is the underdog expected to lose, but they are expected to lose by at least a field goal
When looking over betting options for the NFL, you will come across lines that look like the following:
Chicago Bears +2.5 (-110)
Minnesota Vikings: -2.5 (-110)
Depending on which side you select, your team must 'cover the spread' in order for your wager to be graded a winner.
Nfl Odds Week 19
If you choose to take Chicago +2.5, you will be a winner if either of these three scenarios play out. The first being Chicago wins the game outright by any score. The second being Chicago loses by two or fewer points, thus 'covering' the +2.5-spread. And the third being if the game finishes as a tie.
If you decided to wager on the Vikings as -2.5-point favorites, they must win by three or more points in order for wager to be graded as a winner.
One thing to keep in mind when betting on the point spread is that the point spread moves up or down depending on how much action a certain side is receiving. If you are able to lock in your bet at -2.5 and the line goes down to -1.5, your ticket would only be a winner if your team won by three or more points. If they won by two, they would have beat the closing spread of -1.5, but your odds are locked in from the time your ticket is printed or you click place bet.
Betting Game Totals
Despite being classified as the same sport, the NFL and CFL couldn't be more different. The NFL is played on a much smaller field and gives teams three downs to make a first down before electing to punt. The NFL is generally a much lower scoring league than the CFL, but that doesn't mean that betting 'unders' are the way to turn a profit in the NFL.
When looking at betting an NFL total, there should be three things you take into consideration. The first being the weather. The second is both team's offensive and defensive numbers. And the last thing is the intangibles such as is it a short week, does a team have injury problems, travel delays, etc.
Let's look at an example of a game total:
Chicago Bears/Minnesota Vikings – 'Over' 38.5 -110, 'Under' 38.5 -110
If you are to bet the 'over' 38.5, there must be a total of 39 points or more scored in the game in order for you to be a winner. If there are 38 or fewer points scored, then those who bet on the 'under' will cash their tickets.
If totals are whole numbers such as 38 or 40 and the total happens to land exactly on the number, your bet, regardless whether it's an 'over' or 'under' bet, will be graded as a push and your money will be returned to you.
Advanced NFL Wagering Options
The NFL is the most popular sport in North America to wager on. It draws in the most money among the four major sports and there should be no surprises why. Sportsbooks offer up an endless amount of wagering option to go along with the most common three wagering options; money line, spread, total. Here are some of the popular options.
Team totals
This works almost exactly like the game total, but revolves around one team instead of both. With the 'team total' wagering option, you are essentially betting on whether you think Team X will score more or less than the line given out by the sportsbooks.
Example:
Chicago Bears Team Total: 'Over' 16.5 -110, 'Under' 16.5 -110.
In this case you have two options. You can bet them to score 17 or more points or 16 or fewer. The decision is ultimately up to you. This bet also includes overtime, unless otherwise stated in the betting rules provided by your sportsbook of choice.
First Half Spread
The 'first half spread' betting option is a trickier form of betting the full-game point spread. This option takes into account the score at half time in order to determine a winner. The first half spread is usually half of what the full game spread is.
Example:
Chicago Bears +1.5 1H
Minnesota Vikings -1.5 1H
Depending on what side you are on, the score going into half time is what is used to determine a winner. If the score is 17-14 in favor of the Vikings, bettors holding a Minnesota -1.5 1H ticket are winners since they were able to cover the -1.5- first-half spread.
As I mentioned above, the first half point spread is typically half of what the full game line is.
Player Props
Betting on NFL player props is a tricky situation since not all football games go according to plan. If you believe Quarterback X will complete more than 22.5 passes, but his defense scores twice and they are blowing out a team, the chances of him reaching 23 completions is very low. He will just simply hand the ball off and run out the clock.
If you think a running back has a distinct advantage of going up against a poor run defense, you may take that running back to go over the posted rushing yards line. However, if the team with the poor defense gets a sizeable lead, you can almost forget about it. That team will go into throwing mode and the running back will be the one to suffer.
Examples:
Tom Brady: 'Over' 22.5 completions -110, 'Under' 22.5 completions -110
Jay Ajayi: 'Over' 74.5 rushing yards -110, 'Under' 74.5 rushing yards -110
Antonio Brown: 'Over' 4.5 receptions -110, 'Under' 4.5 receptions -110
For each of these three player prop options, each player must go 'over' or 'under' the posted line. If you think Brady will complete at least 23 passes, you would take the 'over'. If you think Brown will be held to four or fewer catches, you would bet the 'under'.
First Touchdown Scorer/Anytime Touchdown Scorer
This proposition is the most popular when Super Bowl rolls around. For one reason or another, people always make a big deal about who is going to score the first touchdown in the Super Bowl. I get that the first touchdown is important, but rarely does a game end with only one touchdown scored.
If you wager on the First Touchdown Scorer prop your goal is to (obviously) pick the player who will score the first touchdown.
First Touchdown Scorer Example:
Rob Gronkowski +400
Danny Amendola +500
Brandin Cooks +650
Jay Ajayi +750
Alshon Jeffery +1200
Nick Foles +3300
Tom Brady +4400
Anytime Touchdown Scorer Example:
Rob Gronkowski -150
Danny Amendola +120
Brandin Cooks ++300
Jay Ajayi +350
Alshon Jeffery +400
Nick Foles +2500
Tom Brady +3000
As you can see, the 'any time touchdown scorer' odds drop drastically compared to the first touchdown scorer. But with this prop, your player can score a touchdown in any quarter, including overtime in order for you to cash your ticket.
Futures Bets
A futures bet is a wager placed in the time leading up to the start of the event on a team or player that you believe is going to win their respective competition. Heading into the 2018 NFL season, the Super Bowl futures odds look like this:
Super Bowl LIII Champion: New England +500, Philadelphia +750, Green Bay +1200, Minnesota +1200, Pittsburgh +1400, San Francisco +1600, Los Angeles +1800, New Orleans +1800, Jacksonville +2000 etc.
In order for you to successfully cash your ticket, you must correctly choose the team that will hoist the Lombardi trophy at the conclusion of Super Bowl LIII.
Team Win Totals
This is another popular type of futures bet amongst pro handicappers. The concept is straight forward. Every sportsbook will put out a 'win total' for every team long before the season begins. Handicappers must simply decide whether they believe that team will exceed the posted win total or fall short of it.
Example:
Pittsburgh Steelers Win Total: 'Over' 11.5 wins -110, 'Under' 11.5 wins -110
If the Steelers go 12-4 or better, the 'over' would cash. If they go 11-5 or worse, the 'under' would cash.
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