Updated on: October 2nd, 2024
Football betting is a common pastime in the United States. It doesn’t matter if you want to bet on the National Football League (NFL), college football or even the Canadian Football League (CFL), you can do it all with the best online football betting sites. They offer some of the greatest odds and lines American gamblers will ever see on the sport.
If you follow football and are interested in betting on the sport but do not know where to start, we have created a guide for you. We have put together this basic football betting guide to help you understand what betting on this sport is like and how to place your first bet. We also cover sports betting advice you should keep in mind when wagering online. So, read on to find out more about betting on football at online gambling sites. You won’t regret it!
Best Football Betting Sites 2024
How to Bet on Football
So, we already know that when it comes to football, there are two major leagues – the NFL and the CFL. Then, there is also college football, which some fans would argue is more exciting than any professional league. You can place wagers on any of these options at online sports betting sites.
To start wagering, you have to choose whether you will be betting pre-match or on a live game. Then, you will have to choose the odds for the bet you want to make, and you will be ready to place your bet. Note that, not all sports betting sites offer the same odds. It is also important to pay attention to the football betting rules provided on the site as they may cap how much you are able to win on a particular bet.
Football Betting Lines
You also need to know the kind of bets that are available to you and understand each one to make an informed decision. See below for the different betting lines:
- Moneylines – you place this bet on which team will win the match.
- Spread Betting Football – the team favored to win a match is given a handicap. Thus, in order for bets on the favored team to be successful, they need to win by a particular scoreline. In hockey, this is known as puck line betting and in baseball as run-line betting.
- Props – you place this bet on specific outcomes within the game, such as which team will score first.
- Futures – You place this bet on the result of a team or specific players over a gaming season. For example, you will bet on which team will win the Superbowl once the season starts.
- Parlays – When you put together different kind of bets into one. For example, you can choose to bet on a point spread bet on five different games.
- Teasers – is also a kind of parlay where you can modify the point spread or total wagers you have made into one bet. The bets will be changed to be in your favor.
- Pleasers – similar to teasers; however, the difference is that the bets are changed in favor of the bookmakers.
- Live Football Betting – this is also known as in play betting. Essentially, gamblers bet on a game that is already taking place.
Understanding Football Betting Odds
Odds are not at all difficult to understand although they seem to be what puts most bettors off from placing football bets online. There are three different odds formats, but in the United States and Canada, the only one you really need to know is American odds.
Basically, when you visit a sportsbook, a betting line will be represented in the following manner:
Redskins +140
Eagles -160
Now, it’s pretty easy to calculate how much you could possibly win on a bet on either of these two teams by looking at the figure next to their name. If you were to bet $100 on the Washington Redskins, you would win $140. However, to win $100 while betting on the Philadelphia Eagles, you would need to bet $160. We are able to tell this by looking at whether there is a plus or minus sign next to the numerical figure. A minus sign means that the team is favored to win the game.
Football Betting Apps
Since we spend more time on our mobile phones than actual PCs, it only makes sense to have football betting apps. These apps make it easier to wager on your favorite team no matter where you are in the USA.
There are things that you must look out for to find the best football betting apps. The top football betting apps will update their odds often and must be done fast. It also needs to have the option to place wagers live and have different bets available on mobile.
Best Football Betting Tips
As a new bettor, you may be looking to find the best football betting strategy that will ensure that you win every single bet. There is no such strategy, unfortunately. However, there are things that you need to keep in mind before placing a wager, which may increase your chances of placing successful bets. Use the tips below as a guide:
- Have a bankroll for placing wagers. This allows you to manage your bankroll better.
- Understand how handicapping works before placing any bets. Handicapping is a sports betting strategy where you compare odds from different sports betting sites to choose which odds have value. This strategy will help in making good betting decisions.
- Choose to use simple football betting strategies. Start by learning the simple strategy to maximize your chances of winning.
- Learn from your mistakes. It is common to make mistakes when you are starting out, and that is ok. You will be able to learn from them and make informed decisions on your next bets.
- Follow football betting tipsters on social media. That said, it is important to take everything they say with a grain of salt. Free football betting tips are still free and could still be nothing more than one person’s opinion on a particular match up.
Football Betting Online FAQs
Now, all you have to do is eagerly await results of the match you have placed a bet on. While football betting on line, you will often get an instant notification informing you of whether your bet has been successful.
