What To Look For When Betting On Football
So the way to use statistical analysis to our benefit when betting on sports is to identify factors that have a strong correlation to winning that aren’t immediately apparent to the betting public. It may take some time and lots of playing around with large sets of data, but the reward will be worth it. Don't Panic Buy/Sell. Panic buying or selling is the most common way to lose money on the Football. Live betting is a fun and exciting way to bet on football. It also regularly presents opportunities for finding value. The fact that you’re able to watch games before making betting decisions is a distinct advantage, especially if you know how to read a game. On the following page we explain about live football betting in detail. We explain about how to analyse football (soccer) match for betting purposes. League position, Fixtures, Past results, Statistics, Injuries. Here are 12 tips for analysing football games.
Contents
How to Bet on Football
If you're looking to learn how to bet on NFL football, you're reading the right betting guide. There isn't a more popular sport to bet on in North America then football, as bettors each fall clamour to anything and everything related to betting on football. From point spreads, to over/unders, to money lines, to everything in between, there is no busier time in the sports betting landscape then during those fall and winter months when football season is going on.
How to bet on football during the season is about as easy as it comes as sportsbooks everywhere make the sport their priority. There is never a shortage of betting options on football games, and with the popularity of fantasy football as well, player props – NFL bets based on the player's production – are plentiful as well. To learn more about the NFL game and NFL players check out ourNFL headlines page which is constantly being updated for the latest NFL news and injuries to help you with your NFL bets.
Best Football Betting Sites
Rank | Football Sportsbooks | Welcome Offer | Legal States | Bet Now |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | BetMGM Visit Review | Risk-Free Bet up to $600 T&C’s Apply, 21+ | Available in CO, IA, IN, MI, NJ, NV, PA, TN, VA, WV | |
2. | PointsBet Visit Review | 2 Risk Free Bets to $2,000 T&C’s Apply, 21+ | Available in CO, IA, IN, IL, MI, NJ | |
3. | WynnBet Visit Review | Up To A $500 Risk-Free Bet T&C’s Apply, 21+ | Available in CO, MI, NJ |
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How to Bet on Football: A Beginner’s Guide. If you’re new to football betting and keen to get involved then you’ve just come to exactly the right place. On this page we will teach you all the basics of betting on football, and make sure that you are on the right track from the moment you place your first wager.
Understanding Football Odds
The biggest thing in regards to understanding NFL odds relates to the point spread that's put up on each game. Betting on football isn't as simple as just picking the eventual winner of the game, you've got to consider who will win, but more importantly by how much. The point spread is considered the great equalizer in football betting, and being on the right side of that line is the goal of every football bettor. An example of this would be seeing the Kansas City Chiefs as a -4.5 favorite over their opponent, meaning they would have to win the game by at least five points for a bet on KC to win. Otherwise their opponent covers the point spread and that side would win.
Aside from the point spread, the next biggest betting option in football odds each year is the over/under, or total for the game. All these are are point totals bettors are asked to go over or under on for the total combined points in a game. For example a total may be posted at 48.5, and the bettor's job is to predict whether or not the total number of points in the game will exceed or stay below that number. A final score of 30-20 would cash an 'over' bet (50 total points), while a final score of 24-21 (45 total points) would connect on an 'under' selection.
NFL Future Wagers
Future wagers in football are what bettors everywhere spend a good chunk of the summer breaking down, as it's all about what football teams will ultimately come out on top in whatever category the future wager concerns itself with.
The biggest future wager deals with who will ultimately win the Super Bowl that year, and that's one where all the teams will have varying odds on their championship potential. The more likely the team is to be in the championship/playoff fold, the lower their odds will be, but that shouldn't discourage you from looking at teams further down the odds list. Anything and everything can happen during a football season and often does.
Aside from trying to correctly predict the outright champion, other future wagers in football deal with eventual winners in different categories. For team-based futures, these include things like winning their respective division or conference (in college football), winning the AFC or NFC conference in the NFL, and probably the most popular, whether or not a team will go over or under their season win total projection. That's as simple as it sounds. Numbers are put up on how many outright wins a team will have in a given year – say 8.5 for the Buffalo Bills – and the bettor's job is to decipher whether or not the Bills will finish with at least 9 wins (over) or less (under).
How to Bet the Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the single biggest betting event on the sports calendar each year, and finding a place to bet on the game is never hard. How to bet on the Super Bowl is a tough thing to explain because you can literally bet on everything about the game and all the surrounding festivities that go on within it, so it's really up to the individual bettor on their wagering preference.
Super Bowl odds for the game itself are the first numbers to hit the market, as the Super Bowl line for the game is the number that quickly gets quoted and discussed about once the matchup is set. But Super Bowl betting is such a vast landscape as a whole, that it's a good thing for some that there is a two-week lead up to the game itself. Below are various tables of the best NFL betting sites with signup bonuses to get you started on your NFL betting journey.
How to Bet the College Football Playoff
NCAA Football odds bring a bit of a different dynamic to football betting overall, as the disparity in talent a lot of the time between college programs brings much larger college football point spreads in general. That tends to not be the case once the college football playoff arrives, as these are the consensus four best teams in the country that year, and with a full season of data behind them, sportsbooks are able to put out some of the toughest (aka sharpest) college football lines out for those playoff games.
College football betting lines during the CFB playoff are dissected for weeks, as bettors look to get what they believe to be the best of the number depending on which program(s) they are looking to back. It's a format where you get three total games to break down from a side and total perspective, and hopefully when it is time for that National Championship game, you keep the big picture in mind of what said teams did over the course of the entire year, and not just how good/bad they looked in advancing through the semi-final matchup.
Popular Football Wagers
Popular football wagers can generally be described as any and all wagers on the point spread or total for football games because of the overwhelming popularity of the sport for betting on the whole. Part of the reason for such popularity is the format of the game itself, as bettors get essentially a full week to do all the research they deem necessary to be successful and then go from there. There are fewer snap decisions or feelings of unpreparedness as there can be with the other major North American sports that operate on a daily schedule because there is only so much one can do in a single day.
NFL Point Spread
What To Look For When Betting On Football
If you had to rank or make a list of the most popular football wagers, the point spread would have to come in at the top. All football fans/bettors believe they have more of a grasp on the general question(s) of what team will win and by how many, as opposed to the total points scored, which effectively can be a bit more random. Point spread wagers are where everyone likes to concentrate their attention first.
NFL Over-Under
The total, or over-under, for a football game would have to be classified as next on the popularity list, as it is a wager where you can find a bit more of an edge over the oddsmaker if you are confident in what your handicapping process entails for totals. Yes, the total points scored can be considered a bit more random then the eventual winner of the game, but it's over-under numbers that see more movement on the whole each week leading up to a weekend of football action because bettors everywhere believe their data models etc give them a significant edge at certain numbers and don't hesitate to exploit them when available.
NFL Money Line
Money line bets in football are those where bettors can eliminate the second half of the questions regarding what football team will win and by how much. The “how much” doesn't matter at all in money line plays and oddsmakers price them accordingly. A bettor will have to put up much more money to win say $100 on the ML for a team that's got a -10 number beside their name on the point spread as opposed to a -3 favorite. But that's the price some are willing to pay to avoid getting burned by the 'winning by how much' question.
How Do I Bet Football Parlays
Speaking of money line wagers in football, one of the most common forms of getting a bulk of money line wagers is to have a few of them parlayed together. Betting football parlays is relatively simple in that you need at least two games to make a parlay, and whether or not you chose to use the money lines, point spreads, totals, or any combination of those three is completely up to the bettor.
An example of a football parlay would go like this: Say you believe the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos are both going to win their respective matchups on Sunday. This would be where you are using money line prices only and not concerned with the point spread or over/under for the games.
New England has a money line price of -200 while Denver has a money line price of -150. Bet separately, a bettor would have to put up $200 to win $100 on New England and $150 to win $100 on Denver, but combining the two teams in a money line (aka ML) parlay would have those odds multiplied together. In turn that creates a +150 price overall, and now a single $100 bet would end up potentially paying out $150 in profit for the bettor. However, both teams have to win their games, otherwise the parlay wager is a loser. That's the risk you take with parlays.
What are NFL Prop Bets
Prop bets, short for proposition, are bets that are essentially on anything and everything not specifically related to overall result of who wins and loses. That's not entirely true on specifics, but that's also part of a discussion for another day.
In general proposition bets cover things like statistical results for players – how many completions will a QB have, how many catches or receiving yards will a player have, or even how many points a field goal kicker will account for in a game. The list for what's offered in prop wagers for a specific football game is extremely long at sportsbooks, far too long to fully get into here, but if football bettors come to them with a fantasy football background they are much more easily digested. Prop betting is a market that's picked up exponential interest in recent years on online betting sites because the numbers oddsmakers typically put out are believed to be more beatable, but again, it takes plenty of time and research to feel completely comfortable in what you're doing with them. For example, you can place an NFL prop bet on Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper to have over 8.5 catches on Sunday Night Football against the New York Giants. NFL Prop bets allow the game to remain entertaining even when the score is lopsided.
NFL Teasers
Teasers are another popular football bet where NFL bettors can essentially manipulate the point spread and/or over-under line to a more favorable number for their selection. Sportsbooks offer NFL teasers in a variety of point ranges – as even buying a half-point on a spread is a form of a teaser, but in general, 6, 6.5, 7 and 10-point teasers are offered.
What To Look For When Betting On Football
Depending on the range a bettor selects – say a 6-point teaser – lines are then manipulated plus or minus 6 points for the bettor depending on what team/side they like. If the New England Patriots were a -7 favorite against Buffalo and you wanted to use a 6-point teaser on them, the new point spread would be New England -1 (moving 6 points lower), whereas if you liked the underdog Buffalo Bills instead in that game, the teased line would then be Buffalo +13 (moving 6 points higher. Teasers do also function like parlays in the sense that you've got to have at least two teased options to make a single teaser.
NFL Live Betting and In-Game Wagering
Many bettors and oddsmakers alike believe that live betting and in-game wagering is the future of sports betting on the whole, and with football betting being the biggest piece of the sports betting pie, live betting football games can be quite thrilling and profitable all at once.
How it works is exactly as the name suggests, as point spreads, totals, and money line prices (among numerous other things including prop bets) are offered throughout each game and before each play. Prices reflect the current score at the time and who has the football and where on the field, so if a pre-game favorite finds themselves in an early hole on the scoreboard, you can rightfully assume that that team is getting at least some support on the ML or new point spreads in live betting offerings.
Super Bowl 54 that saw the Kansas City Chiefs come back in the 2nd half to the beat San Francisco 49ers saw plenty of in-game wagering overall, as bettors who believed the Chiefs would ultimately come back did not hesitate to get as good as underdog price on the ML as they could with Kansas City when they were trailing.
With the way that data is consumed instantly these days, in-game wagering is offered on all NFL games each week and the majority of college football games as well. So whether it's Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football, or just a typical Sunday afternoon of following a full slate of football, live betting is something that every bettor should be willing to add to their toolbox as a handicapper.
NFL 1st half and 2nd half bets
These NFL bets are rather self explanatory as well, as they are just point spreads, totals, and money line prices for the respect 30 minutes of play they are titled as. Generally speaking (although it's by no means exactly how they work) 1st half bets are the full game numbers cut in half, give or take a point or so. So a full game line of New England Patriots -7 with a total of 48.5 would see 1st half lines of New England -3.5 or -4, with a 1st half total likely somewhere around 23.5 to 24.5.
2nd half bets are a bit of a different beast as they have to account for what's happened in the first 30 minutes so far and adjust accordingly to what was listed pre-game as well.
Other Football Leagues in United States and North America
XFL Football
XFL Football returned in 2020 before being shutdown like every other sporting event in the spring because of world events, but in the short time XFL action was on the football field, it had plenty of sports from football bettors everywhere. The success in that market proves just how much bettors love to bet on the game of football regardless of the league, and with the XFL coming back for 2021, and the league's initiative to welcome sports betting talk and referencing with open arms, there is likely tremendous growth in store for XFL betting markets in the future.
Canadian Football
Canadian Football (aka the CFL) has a few key rule differences to that of the NFL/NCAA football, but it's still the same game out there on the gridiron and can still be bet on accordingly. Given scoring and rule differences – like the XFL – key betting numbers in terms of the point spread and over-under lines are a little different, but CFL betting lines aren't nearly as obsessed over NFL/NCAAF lines are for oddsmakers and if you are able and willing to put in the time, CFL profits can be just as green for your bankroll's bottom line.
There is nothing like waking up on a Saturday morning, turning on ESPN Gameday, and watching college football games until you’re blue in the face. The only thing that makes this even more exciting is when you add sports betting to the mix.
Not only does your favorite team winning get your fan-side happy, but now it can also get your wallet a little fatter as well. You can also make games that you normally wouldn’t care too much about all that more exciting.
What we’d like to talk about today are the different college football betting sites available to you, which are the best, and how to select the sportsbook that is right for you. If you’ve already got a hot tip or pick and you’re just making a quick stop here to find somewhere to bet, we’ve got you covered. Below you’ll find our list of the highest rated and most trusted college football betting sites available on the net.
Betting Site | Bonus | Bet Now | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | up to €30 Free Bet | Go to Site | |
2 | 22Bet | 100% up to €122 | Go to Site |
3 | 100% up to €200 | Go to Site | |
4 | 10Bet | 100% up to €50 | Go to Site |
5 | 100% up to €50 | Go to Site |
Choosing the Best College Football Betting Site for You
If you’re looking for a little more direction in where to bet college football games, we totally get it. For people that are planning on betting a lot of games, this can be a pretty big decision. The college football betting site you choose can have a big impact on your bottom line, how many bets you win, and your overall fun and enjoyment of the process (which is still important even if your goal is making money).
Below you’ll find a collection of several tips and things you need to know to help you select the best college football betting site specifically for you and your needs. While none of these are hard and fast rules, we highly recommend you take them all to heart. These tips are from our team of experts who have been professionally betting college football for many years, and they know what is important.
Pay Attention to What Conferences You Bet
College football is broken up into several different divisions and then broken down even further into several different conferences. Basically, there are A LOT of different games going on every single week. Most online sportsbooks that cover college football betting are going to cover the major conferences and games within Division I. However, different online sportsbooks are going to cover way different amounts of the smaller Division I games and way different amounts of the smaller division games.
If you’re someone that only likes to bet the higher profile games, this isn’t going to be a big deal for you. Anywhere you go to bet is most likely going to cover what it is that you are looking for (at least in terms of “to-win” bets). However, if you like betting the smaller conference games or your favorite team that isn’t a huge national powerhouse, you’re going to need to look around for a site that caters to the hardcore college football bettor.
Figuring out this information is pretty easy during the football season. First, the list we’ve provided of recommended sites do a great job of covering a lot of games including the smaller conference schedules. To find out if your team or conference is covered, you’re going to need to go to the site and open up their betting lobby. If you see the games that you’re looking to bet, awesome. If you don’t, most likely they aren’t covering that conference or that particular game. Do keep in mind that if it’s not during football season, every site is probably not going to show many games to bet at all. Most likely all you are going to see are the futures bets about who is going to win the next National Championship.
The bottom line here is to find the site that caters to what you need. Need a lot of variety…find a site that offers it. We’ve done our best to recommend sites above that go above and beyond when it comes to variety.
Line Shopping is Huge
Sometimes it feels like we’re beating a dead horse when we talk about line shopping, but it really is that important of a factor when it comes to betting on any sport including college football. So, what is line shopping and what does it have to do with selecting a college football betting site?
In short, line shopping is checking multiple sportsbooks for a better payout on a bet or more points in your favor on a spread bet. Sportsbooks don’t change their odds based on the entire industry; they only change them based on the bets that they have received in their individual book. This means that you’re going to see varying payout odds and spread lines frequently. Furthermore, this means that you can make the exact bet at two different sportsbooks and get paid out better at one or you can get more points in your favor on a spread bet.
Imagine if you were betting the Florida Gators against the Tennessee Volunteers. If one sportsbook is offering you the Gators at -7.5 and the other is offering them at -7, you would be a fool not to bet at the book offering you -7. If the Gators end up winning the game by 7 points, you will push on your bet (tie) at the second sportsbook, but more importantly, you would LOSE your bet at the first sportsbook. It’s the exact same bet on the exact same game with the exact same payout except because you took the time to see if there was a better line you broke even instead of losing your bet.
So, what does this have to do with selecting a college football betting site? The takeaway here is that you really should be looking for 2-3 sites to join if you’re serious about making money. You don’t have to go crazy and join 10 sportsbook sites, but joining a couple is plenty to be able to shop lines. Often, you won’t find much difference in lines or payouts, but when you do, it can have a big effect on your bottom line and win/loss record.
College Football Betting Promotions
It’s no secret that the online sportsbook industry is a heavily competitive market. Sites are constantly fighting and trying to find ways to entice you to bet with them instead of with someone else. This means that you can always expect to see a lot of promotions aimed at acquiring new bettors and promotions aimed at retaining existing bettors.
While college football almost always qualifies for the general online sportsbook promotions, there are often specific promotions aimed at college football bettors. A lot of times these promotions are shorter lived but much more lucrative and enticing than the regular promos offered. Especially around the beginning of the season and bowl time, you should be on the lookout for these promotions.
Remember, these promos are aimed at new users, but they are also aimed at existing bettors. If the site you are betting with has a great promo they are offering new customers that you are interested in, it doesn’t hurt to contact customer support and see if they are able to offer it to you as well. The worst they can say is no. For the other promotions that are already aimed at existing customers, make sure you see if you have to opt into these or not. It’s usually free to join the promotion, but you can’t take advantage of it unless you let the site know that you want to. Not all sites do this, but it is a bit of a common practice. If you are unsure, just ask customer support BEFORE you place your bets or make your deposit. They should be able to clarify things as each promo is going to be different.
Prop Bets and Bet Variety
When it comes time for college football bowl season, you can expect most sites that are offering action to offer prop bets on most of the games. During the regular season, though, not every online sportsbook is going to offer more than standard “to-win” bets on games. If you’re someone that likes to bet more than just who is going to win the game, you are going to need to be selective about where you bet.
Again, the sites we have recommended are at the top regarding prop bet options throughout the season, but you still need to make sure they are offering the types of bets you like to make. Remember, not all prop bets are wild and wacky and only for fun. A lot of them are statistically based and are a way that a lot of serious bettors make a lot of money.
One additional thing we would like to mention with prop bets is that the payout odds seem to vary much more from site to site than they do with your standard “to-win” bets. This means that if you are betting a lot of prop bets you really should make sure that you are lien shopping these bets. Remember, you don’t have to make all of your bets on a particular game at the same site. You can have some bets at one site and the rest somewhere else depending on who is going to pay you out the best odds.
This is a lot like grocery shopping at multiple stores to save money except in this scenario you don’t have to drive a bunch of different places. You just have to click over to one of your other accounts and see what they are offering. The only reason not to do this is laziness, and you’ll never survive as a sports bettor if you’re not willing to put in a little bit of work.
The Wrap-Up
By now you should have a solid idea of which college football betting sites are the best out there and how to select the one that is the best for you. Remember, this decision might seem small, but it can be the difference on whether you make a profit or lose money. For recreational bettors, it’s equally as important because no one wants to waste their time betting with a site that is hard to navigate, doesn’t take care of its customers, and can’t be trusted.
Because there are some bad apples in the industry, we highly recommend you utilize one of the college football betting sites we’ve recommended at the top of this page. Our experts know what to look for and how to test a site to make sure that it can be trusted and offers the best possible betting experience for its customers.