Betting 101: How to bet on the NFL for beginners

Looking at the various sports betting options centered around the NFL, with betting advice, tips and definitions of key terms.

The NFL is the most popular league in America. And while watching the games are fun enough, one way to get more out of games is having a personal investment in the outcome. That is where betting comes in. Wagering on a game adds excitement and intrigue — while increasing the emotional interest because of the money involved. It is similar to fantasy football, except with the rooting interest being in the outcome, not players’ stats.

NFL betting: Ways to bet

Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list of sports betting odds and lines.

  • Futures betting: Wagering on an outcome beyond a single game result. The most common futures bets are Super Bowl champion, followed by conference/division champion, making the playoffs and regular-season win totals.
  • Single-game betting: Wagering on the outcome of a single game. It can be the straight outcome — which team wins outright. It can be against a point spread — whether a team wins or loses by a set number of points. Or it can be whether the combined point total goes Over or Under a predetermined number.
  • Prop bets: Wagering on individual occurrences or individual player acts or performances, such as whether a player will score two touchdowns in a game or who scores the first TD of the game.
  • Live betting: Bets made after a game starts. As the game goes on, the point spread and Over/Under total will change, as will odds of each team to win outright. If a team favored before the game falls behind early, they may become the underdog.

NFL betting: Key betting terms to know

  • Moneyline: This is betting for the outright winner of a game. The line is posted with a positive or negative number. A positive numbered line will profit more than the initial wager. Example: A line of +160 means that a $100 bet would profit $160. A negative number line profits less than the initial wager. Example: A line of -150 means one would have to bet $150 to profit $100 (getting $250 total — their original bet and the profit).
  • Point spread: This is essentially a handicap for one team. A team with a negative spread number must win by more than that amount. If the line is Cardinals -3.5, they must win by 4 points or more to win the bet. A positive spread (ex: Bengals +3.5) means one can win the bet if that team loses by less than that amount. Betting the Bengals +3.5 means the bet wins if they lose by 3 points or less, or if they win outright.
  • Over/Under: This is also referred to as the total. It is the line for the combined total points scored by the two teams. Often the lines are weighted. An Over/Under line of 45 (-120, +100) means one must bet 1.2-to-1 on the Over, while it’s an even-money bet (1-to-1) on the Under.
  • Push: This is when the point spread or point total is matched exactly. If the line has a half point, this can’t happen. If the line finishes in a push, all money is refunded. If the line was Cardinals -3 and they win by exactly 3 points, the bettor gets his money back.
  • Parlay: A combination of two or more bets in which all bets must win in order for the parlay to win; if any one bet loses the entire parlay loses. The benefit is a successful parlay pays more. Moneylines, point spreads and Over/Unders can be parlayed. Sportsbooks differ in payouts, but the average payoffs are:
PARLAY PAYOUT
2-teamer 2.6 to 1
3-teamer 6 to 1
4-teamer 11 to 1
5-teamer 22 to 1
6-teamer 40 to 1
7-teamer 80 to 1
8-teamer 150 to 1

While they pay more than a straight bet, many consider these sucker bets. The sportsbooks make a lot of money on bettors’ losing parlay bets. Any bet that results in a push does not end the parlay; it is treated as if the game never happened. So a 4-team parlay with a push becomes a 3-team parlay and assumes 3-team odds.

NFL betting: How do odds work?

Odds are usually given in two styles. One is as a positive or negative number. The other is a ratio.

The positive and negative numbers were explained above, but what about ratios?

One might see 8/1 odds. This is the same as +800. A winning bet profits eight times the original bet. Odds with a smaller number on top (or first) are the same as a negative number. 2/5 odds mean every $5 wagered will profit $2 if the bet wins. The smaller the ratio is the more likely the expected outcome.

Get some sports betting action by placing a bet with BetMGM today. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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NFL Conference Championships Payday: 2-Bet Parlay

Conquer the NFL Conference Championships with this 2-bet parlay.

The NFL’s Conference Championship weekend is the smallest slate of the season but the most pressure-packed because the winners are going to Super Bowl LIV. Since our opportunities to get loot betting on NFL football is dwindling, let’s try to maximize our return on investment with a winning two-bet parlay on this weekend’s action.


Get some action on this NFL matchup or others and place a bet at BetMGM!


Titans +7.5 (-115) vs. Chiefs 

(Photo credit: Christopher Hanewinckel – USA TODAY Sports)

No way you can take the Chiefs at -7.5 against a Titans team that beat them 35-32 at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 10 and who’s best player—RB Derrick Henry—tramples them. In three career games against the Chiefs, Henry has 402 rushing yards with five touchdowns on a staggering 7.3 yards per carry. The Titans are 3-0 in those games, including a 22-21 win in the 2018 Wild Card Round. While QB Ryan Tannehill hasn’t been asked to do a lot in the Titans’ first two playoff games, he did lead the NFL in QB rating and yards per attempt, and was third in completion percentage in the regular season.

On the other side, Chiefs’ all-world QB Patrick Mahomes activated legend mode in their 51-31 beatdown of the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round. After falling behind 24-0, Mahomes lit up the Texans with four passing touchdowns in the second quarter and finished with five passing touchdowns and 374 total yards. The Chiefs just have too many ways they can win, plus a long-overdue return to the Super Bowl for Reid, to predict a Titans upset.

But, the Titans already had their way with the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots and No.1 seed Baltimore Ravens in these playoffs. While Mahomes’ magic will advance the Chiefs to the Super Bowl, Tennessee has too much going for it in this game to not BET TITANS +7.5 (-121).


NFL odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.


49ers -7.5 (-110) vs. Packers 

(Photo credit: Kyle Terada – USA TODAY Sports)

The 49ers dismantled the Minnesota Vikings, 27-10, and the Packers held on to beat the Seattle Seahawks 28-23 in the Divisional Round; however, it’s tough envisioning a different result in this game than the 37-8 stomping the 49ers put on the Packers in Week 12 at Levi’s Stadium. Both teams were among the NFL’s top teams against the spread this season—the Packers had an 11-6 ATS record and the 49ers were 10-6-1—but San Francisco has clear statistical advantages.

The Packers’ 23rd-ranked rush defense could be in serious trouble against a 49ers team ranked second in rushing yards. Also, the 49ers should be able to keep the secondary in coverage and get pressure on the quarterback in obvious passing situations. San Francisco has the fourth-lowest blitz percentage but the second-highest percentage of quarterback pressures, which will make it insanely difficult for Packers QB Aaron Rodgers to connect with a thin wide receiver corps outside of Davante Adams.

If the 49ers can dominate both sides of the ball, the Packers will need Rodgers’ wizardry to pull off the road upset. I don’t see it because Rodgers has looked like a mere mortal this season. TAKE 49ERS -7.5 (-110). 

BET SLIP:  BET $100 TO EARN A PROFIT OF $349.53

Want action on this game? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @Geoffery_Clark and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship, and there is no influence on news coverage.

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