Football in the NFL is the most popular sport in the United States, and millions of viewers also tune in from across the globe. With all those eyes on the sport, there’s also a very active betting crowd that wagers on their favorite team. If you’ve ever thought of joining that crowd, you can find everything you need to know right here. Below you’ll find out how NFL betting works, the different types of NFL bets, and an FAQ where common questions have been answered.
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Getting Started with NFL Betting
Sports betting is carried out through sportsbooks, which are licensed and regulated to give odds and take wagers on all kinds of sports events. Being the most common, you’ll find American Football odds at BetVictor. To make a bet with us as your chosen sportsbook, you’ll need to create and verify an account, and make a deposit.
Once you’ve added funds to the account, you can navigate to the football section and find the game you want to bet on. From there, you can choose which team to back, pick the odds you’d prefer, and confirm your wager.
Since you’re new to betting, you may want to consult our safe and responsible gambling guidelines to minimize losses and learn about common mistakes to avoid.
NFL Odds Explained
To choose your odds, you’ll need to understand them. Every time two teams duke it out in one of America’s football stadiums, sportsbooks predict who will win and who will lose. The winner becomes the favorite while the loser is the underdog. Depending on the perceived gap in skill and performance, odds are then given for each.
Bettors take those odds when they make a wager. The odds determine how much money they could get should their wager win. Here’s an example from 2023’s Super Bowl – a game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, with real (outdated) odds from CBS Sports:
| Philadelphia Eagles | Kansas City Chiefs |
| -125 | +105 |
| 1.80 | 2.05 |
| 4/5 | 21/20 |
Note that we’ve included decimal and fractional formats above. International sportsbooks may represent American odds, but Canadian and European sportsbooks like Betvictor give odds in fractions and decimals.
These are moneyline odds, meaning they’re focused on who’s going to win. We have more odds types below, though the key to understanding odds is knowing how moneyline betting works.
Taking the Super Bowl as an example, Philly Eagles were the favorites at -125 preseason. This number dictates the payout ratio, so at -125 a bettor needs to spend $125 to get a $100 profit from their wager. The numbers reverse for the underdog, the Chiefs at +105. In this case, a $100 bet has the potential to return $105.
Being Super Bowl odds, these are very close. Despite being the slight underdog, and having a marginally better payout ratio, the Chiefs went on to win the Super Bowl for 2023.
American Football Betting Types
Alongside moneyline betting, there are a few more betting types that focus on other aspects of NFL football. Winning isn’t everything, so some wagers focus on the score or the performance of individual players over the whole team.
Moneyline Bets
Moneyline bets are quite simple: bettors predict who will win the game. Whether this is a calculated decision or a fan backing his team, bettors choose to back the favorite or the underdog. The underdog will have odds that give a better payout ratio because they’re less likely to win. We’ve explained moneyline odds above – they are typically shown in American format but at BetVictor, you’ll find them expressed through fractions as default. You can change this format when you first log into your account.
Point Spread Bets
While moneyline bets focus on who will win, the point spread estimates each team’s scoring potential. So, if the point spread is 5.5, it’s predicted that there’ll be at least 6 points between the winning team and the losing team. The favorite will have -5.5 while the underdog will get +5.5. You choose who you back and if the favorite wins by 6 points, you’ll win. If you back the underdog, the -5.5 means they can lose by 5 points, and you’ll still win. If the underdog wins, you’ll also win your wager.
Over/Under Bets
Over/under bets are similar to point spreads, though they predict the total points scored by both sides. So, if the over/under is 42, you can then put money on if the score will go higher or lower. You’re not betting on any team, though you’ll want to analyze how each team’s offense and defense lines up, to predict how many touchdowns will be scored.
Prop Bets
Speaking of touchdowns, prop bets focus on individual aspects of the game besides who wins. For example, how many touchdowns the team’s star quarterback will make during the game.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most common questions that get asked about American football in the NFL.
What Are Some NFL Betting Tips?
As a beginner, one good tip is to choose one team and follow their performance closely. It’s easier to learn and anticipate the performance of one team over every player in the league.
What Does Positive/Negative Betting Lines Mean?
In most forms of sports betting, positive and negative lines indicate which side is the favorite and which is the underdog. The favorite will have negative lines while the underdog has positive.
