Complete NFL Betting Guide for Beginners

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Football Betting Guides: How to Bet on the NFL

Our football betting guides covers essential aspects of betting on NFL games from the perspective of first-time players. We have a selection resources if you’re looking to expand your NFL betting expertise.

• Best NFL Betting Sites: Comprehensive reviews and rankings of top NFL betting platforms to help you choose where to place your bets. 
• Football Betting Strategies: Essential football betting tips and strategies for both beginners and experienced bettors.
• Using Statistics for Football Betting: Detailed guide on leveraging game statistics to make informed betting decisions in NFL games.
• Super Bowl Betting Guide: A Super Bowl-specific guide to help you choose the best sites and markets, alongside expert tips and the latest trends.

Types of Football Betting Wagers

NFL Moneylines

Moneylines in the NFL are as straightforward as betting gets. You simply choose who you think will win the game. There are no points to worry about, just winners and losers.

For instance, imagine the New England Patriots are playing the New York Jets. The Patriots might be listed as -150, which means you’d need to bet $150 to win $100 if they’re victorious. On the other hand, if the Jets are +130, a $100 bet would net you $130 if they pull off the upset.

NFL Point Spread

This market levels the playing field between teams, assigning a virtual deficit or surplus of points to each. Let’s say the Los Angeles Rams are 7-point favorites against the Chicago Bears. If you bet on the Rams, they need to win by more than 7 points for you to cash your ticket. Bet on the Bears, and as long as they don’t lose by more than 7 points—or they win outright—you’re in the money.

Expert Point Spread Tip

Consider the teams’ recent ATS (Against the Spread) records. Betting on those who consistently beat the spread can be profitable, especially when they’re underestimated by the public.

NFL Totals

Also known as the over/under, this bet focuses on the total points scored in the game by both teams combined. Let’s say the Miami Dolphins and the Buffalo Bills racked up a final score of 27-24, respectively, making a combined total of 51 points. If the over/under for this game was set at 49.5, betting on the over would have been the winning move, as the actual total exceeded the predicted line.

NFL Parlays

A parlay lets you combine multiple bets on one ticket. You need all parts of your wager to hit to win anything—it’s all or nothing. For example, you could bet on the Philadelphia Eagles to cover the spread, the total to go over in the Steelers game, and the Packers to win outright. Hit all three, and your payout is calculated by multiplying the odds of each pick, which comes out significantly larger than any single-game bet.

Expert Parlays Tip

Got a strong feeling about a particular game? Sites like Bovada let you build same-game parlays where you can mix different types of bets—like point spreads, over/unders, and player props—all from a single matchup.

NFL Prop Bets

NFL prop bets (short for proposition bets) cover events within a game that don’t affect the final outcome. Some sample prop bets include over/under passing yards for a quarterback, first touchdown scorer, and total number of field goals in the second quarter.

Say it’s the Dallas Cowboys vs. the San Francisco 49ers. A few example football prop bets could include wagering on Deuce Vaughn to score the first touchdown of the game, or for Dak Prescott to throw over 250 passing yards.

NFL Teasers

A teaser bet is like a parlay, but it gives you the advantage of adjusting the point spread for two or more games. Odds become shorter, yet it’s easier to win since you move the line in your favor.

For example, if the Raiders are favored by 9 points against the Broncos, and the Bengals are 3-point underdogs against the Browns, you could tease 6 points, so the Raiders only need to win by more than 3 points, and the Bengals could lose by up to 9 points for you to still win your bet.

NFL Futures

Futures are all about the long haul, like wagering on who will win the Super Bowl before the season even starts. Football betting sites typically release these markets well in advance, and they are constantly updated based on team performances. Other popular futures markets include Regular Season MVP, Total Season Wins, Division Champions, and Conference Champions.

Expert Futures Tip

Monitor public betting trends and avoid heavily-favored picks where the value is diluted. Track offseason moves closely; sign up for alerts on trades, draft picks, and coaching changes. Look for undervalued teams that might be flying under the radar but have strong potential to exceed expectations.

NFL Live Bets

Bets placed before the opening kickoff are called pre-match odds, and bets placed after the kickoff are considered live betting wagers. Most pre-match wagers are still offered during live betting, but the odds update in real time based on the play-by-play action. 

For example: if a team scores early, the point spread adjusts right away. And if a team scores three times before the other team does, the moneyline odds are updated accordingly. You might even see new bets show up — like whether the current drive ends in a touchdown, field goal, or punt.

NFL Derivatives

NFL derivatives focus on smaller parts of the game rather than the final outcome. You can bet on events like the first half spread, second quarter total points, or how many points a team scores in a single quarter. 

Keep in mind odds on these markets adjust quicker and within shorter time frames than most bets. If you see a derivative bet you like, quickly place the wager before it disappears. 

Derivative bets give you additional chances to wager as the game plays out, compared to pre-match spreads or moneylines whose odds are locked once the game starts.

Football Betting Terminology to Know 

Football betting terminology can be confusing, especially for newcomers. Here are a few commonly used terms to make the football betting experience less daunting:

Juice (Vig)

Think of the juice (or vig, short for vigorish) as the sportsbook’s fee for accepting your bet. It ensures that the sportsbook always makes money, no matter the outcome of the wager. The juice is worked directly into the odds on any given bet. 

For example: on moneyline bets, evenly matched teams should theoretically have +100 odds, or a 50% chance for each team to win. Instead, most sportsbooks list -110 for each outcome. -110 odds imply a 52.4% probability per team for a total of 104.8%. The extra 4.8% is what the sportsbook collects as a profit.

Push

A push happens when the game’s result matches the exact number in the point spread or total. Let’s say the over/under is 48, and the game ends 27–21 for a combined total of 48 points. The bet is simply cancelled, and you get your money back.

Some sportsbooks offer spreads in 1/2 point increments to avoid push bets. For instance: a Kansas City Chiefs vs. Buffalo Bills matchup may have a spread total of 9 1/2 points. Since it’s impossible to score a half point in football, it would therefore be impossible for a push to occur. 

Off the Board (OTB)

If a game is off the board, it means sportsbooks have temporarily stopped taking bets on it. 

This usually happens when an unexpected event occurs that affect the odds. Some examples include major injury, weather issues, or breaking news that could potentially affect the outcome of the game. Once the odds have been adjusted accordingly, the sportsbook resumes taking bets. 

Race to Points

A Race to Points bet predicts which team will be the first to hit a specific point total. For example, you might bet on the Falcons to score 15 points first. Even if they lose the overall game, you still win the Race to Points bet as long as they reach 15 points before the other team.

Public Money

Public Money refers to wagers placed by the general public. These bets are often influenced by current trends, media hype, and other hot topics of the day. Sportsbooks monitor this activity and may adjust the odds if a bet attracts too much action. Experienced bettors sometimes go the opposite way of the general public, as they predict the majority’s picks are based more on emotion than analysis.

For example: Say the Chicago Bears are betting underdogs against the Baltimore Ravens. Let’s also say that 75% of the bets placed are on the Bears, despite them being underdogs. Even though the Ravens are still the betting favorites, sportsbooks may adjust their lines to account for the heavy betting action on the Bears.

How to Bet on Football Online

Football and NFL betting is easy to pick up. The simplest bets available for beginners are moneylines, as they allow you to jump right into the action by betting on which team will win outright. Moneyline bets are easy to learn and allow you to get a taste of how sports betting works without too much difficulty.

After moneylines you can learn a wide range of football bets like spreads, totals, props, and derivatives. The Bovada sportsbook offers an array of NFL bets with a clean layout that’s easy to navigate and well suited to newcomers betting on football for the first time.

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1

Create Your Bovada Account

First things first, you’ll need to set up an account on Bovada. This should take you at most three minutes to complete. Head to their website and look for the “Join” button at the top right of the homepage. Click on it, and you’ll be prompted to enter some basic information like your name, date of birth, ZIP code, email, and password.

Sign up now at Bovada

2

Deposit Funds

Once your account is ready, you’ll need to add some money to it in order to bet. Look for the ‘Deposit’ option in your account menu and choose from the various payment methods. In Bovada’s case, you’ll find both traditional options like bank transfers and credit cards, as well as cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum.

Remember: The first deposit usually qualifies for a welcome bonus, so check if there’s a promo code or a minimum requirement in order to claim.

3

Browse the Available NFL Markets

With funds in your account, click on the ‘Football’ option from the horizontal menu above the promotional banner. On the left, the top section shows the trending bet types and competitions—NFL Futures, Awards & Leagues, CFL, Preseason, and more. Below this, you’ll find the whole lot listed in alphabetical order. Choose the category that piques your interest to see all upcoming games and available betting markets.

4

Understand NFL Odds

You really can’t start betting on football online without a solid grasp of the odds. Offshore sportsbooks typically use American odds as default; these show you which selection is the favorite and how much you can win if your bet is successful. For example, if the odds are +150, a $100 bet would return $150 in winnings plus your original $100 back. Negative numbers like -150 mean you need to bet $150 to win $100.

5

Choose Your NFL Bet(s)

Now for the fun part—building your ticket. In the NFL section, you’ll see a list of upcoming games. Browse through them and pick the one(s) you want to bet on.

You’ll need to decide what type of bet you want to make. Bovada offers various options like point spreads, moneylines, and totals (over/under). Each will have its own odds; click on the ones you want to go for, and they’ll be automatically added to your bet slip. This will show you the different permutations (singles or multiples) available, as well as the potential payout.

Note: At this point, you’re still allowed to play around with different selections (add or remove). No bets are yet confirmed!

6

Place Your Bet

Once you’re happy with your ticket, enter the amount of money you want to wager and click on ‘Place Bets’. You’ll get a confirmation message once it’s accepted.

7

Watch the Game and Wait

All that’s left now is to watch the game and hope for the best! You can follow the action live, and Bovada usually offers a way to track your bet in real time.

If your bet wins, your winnings will automatically be added to your account balance. You can either withdraw them or use them for further bets as you please.

NFL Betting Tips for Beginners

Now that you have a clearer understanding of the betting process, here are six essential tips to keep in mind when placing your first wagers:

Don’t chase losses

NFL betting is meant to be fun; setting up a budget and sticking to it to make sure you keep it that way! If things go your way, that’s excellent. If not, do not get caught up trying to win back what you’ve lost in previous bets, as this can lead to riskier bets and further losses.

Take advantage of bonuses and promotions

Sportsbook bonuses and promotions are very common among betting sites, especially for new sign-ups. Go through the fine print to learn their true value and use them to your advantage to increase your starting bankroll.

Shop for the Best Lines

Different sportsbooks may offer different odds for the exact same market. Register with multiple sportsbooks like Bovada, BetOnline, BetUS, and Everygame to make the most out of the discrepancies.

Pay Attention to Team and Player News

Player injuries, trades, and other news can significantly affect the outcome of games and, therefore, the betting odds. Always dedicate some time to go through the latest news before placing your bets.

Analyze Historical Performance and Trends

Look at how teams have performed against each other in the past. Seasonal performance trends, such as how well teams do after a bye week or in certain weather conditions, can also be telling.

Choosing a Payment Method

Always consider your priorities when picking a payment method. Are quick transactions and privacy important to you? Or do you prefer the reliability of trusted banking options? If you’re thinking about claiming a promotion, make sure to check the eligible methods.

How to Bet on Football Online 

Getting into NFL betting is pretty straightforward, especially once you understand the basics of how sports gambling works and are familiar with the typical sportsbook layout. Begin by creating an account at multiple betting sites—we recommend Bovada for beginners, but if you’re still unsure, check out our list of honest reviews—go through their welcome bonuses, understand the different odds and markets, and deposit funds when you’re ready to wager. Always keep up-to-date with the latest team and player news, shop for the best lines, and manage your funds wisely. 

Zachary

Wolf

Content Editor

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Zachary Wolf is a Content Editor specializing in online gambling content. His writing credits include state-specific U.S. gambling laws, casino reviews, and various sports betting guides — most notably WWE betting guides. He enjoys playing slots, poker, and blackjack, among other games.

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