How NFL Betting Functions
Every sport possesses its own distinct personalities, and American football is not an exception. To most gamblers, it remains a sort of foreign country, all full of details and subtleties that have the immediate power to influence the win or loss of a wager. As with the wider trends in casino industry growth, betting on the NFL requires attention to detail and understanding of the unique features of the game.
- In American football, it's all about the little things. So many factors have a significant part to play when deciding on the right bet – the form and style of the teams involved, individual players, the venue, offense and defense ratings, and much more.
- The official game length of a game is 60 minutes of playing time (four 15-minute periods). Due to the fact that so frequently games are interrupted, though, games will generally last 2.5–3 hours overall (similar to the NBA).
- In the event of regulation time resulting in a tie, there is a further 15 minutes of overtime. In regular season NFL, there is only one overtime period – after that, the game can be played out in a tie. In the playoffs, however, overtime is continued until a winner is determined.
The Most Common NFL Bets
As with the majority of sports, within the NFL you are able to bet on result (regulation or game-stake) and totals as well as spreads. There are some special American football betting markets that exist as well:
- Moneyline – Bet on the game result including overtime. Utilized during the playoffs where a tie is not an option. Within games played during regular season, bookmakers will pay out stakes if a tie occurs.
- Spread Betting – A wager on whether the result will be higher or lower than the bookmaker line. It is possible to make the spread on halves or quarters.
- Parlays – They are also known as accumulators or express bets. One wager on several games; they all need to be correct in order to succeed. They maximize bookmaker margin but can pay out more.
- Futures and Long-Term Bets – Some of the most common markets are betting on the Super Bowl winner, overall team win total during a season, division winners, or MVPs. Bookmakers even offer props such as "Which coach gets fired first."
- Special Bets – Additional options like alternative handicaps, first-quarter scores, or other special propositions.
NFL Betting Tips and Strategies
The NFL is the most followed league of American football across the globe. That's where you will get plenty of information on any game. The official league website alone publishes detailed statistics, interviews, and forecasts – and there are plenty of other niche websites with expert advice.
Use Arbitrage and Matched Betting to Your Advantage
Arbitrage and matched bets allow the bettor to win at least a small sum of money regardless of the outcome. Otherwise known as "surebets," arbitrage involves betting on opposite outcomes of the same game at two different bookies. Matched betting, meanwhile, offers fewer opportunities for losses.
Follow Expert Predictions
There are fewer expert NFL betters than in other sports such as soccer. To make things worse, some of the tipsters try to pose as experts but know very little about American football, hawking predictions that amount to nothing more than guesses. Be careful when deciding whose counsel to take.
Keep a Betting Journal
A betting log helps you keep costs in check, track results, and analyze mistakes. It is very useful in the event that you are betting across a number of sportsbooks. While account history exists, having all your numbers in one location gives a better picture.
Today, few use paper notebooks – you can instead create an online journal for free or even start a thread in a forum to track your wins, losses, and learnings. The advantage in having a forum diary is that you can also share ideas with fellow NFL bettors.
Avoid Big Stakes – Focus on Steady Profit
Some beginners believe they will get rich quickly and start placing large bets right away. Don't forget: that never pays. You may win some of your first bets, but losses are bound to follow – and on high-risk bets, your bankroll can easily be destroyed.
It is far more intelligent to spread your bankroll wisely over the long run. Various financial techniques are available online that successful gamblers utilize. With discipline and perseverance, you can make small but sure returns.