We were curious about how to bet on football like a pro in the US. After exploring some of the top sportsbooks, we realized that mastering key wagering markets such as the Moneyline is essential for placing potentially rewarding bets.
For the record, we also looked into the latest performance of the team we’re betting on and chose bookmakers that offer competitive odds. In this guide, we’ll explain how popular NFL betting markets work, provide tips for wagering on football, and close with frequently asked questions.
Quick Facts About Betting with Football Strategies
Popular football betting markets for US bettors include Moneyline and Spread
Punters can explore live betting via mobile-optimized sports betting sites
Top leagues like the NFL offer lots of football wagering opportunities
It’s important to choose licensed sportsbooks to enjoy a secure betting experience
Research the team form and know the betting odds to minimize inaccurate wagers
How Does Football Betting Work in the US?
For us, football betting means placing wagers on the outcome of a match. For example, we might bet on who we think will score the first goal in an event, or if the game will end in a draw.
What’s more, we could place bets before the football event starts (pre-match) or while it’s ongoing (live betting). There are loads of games to explore with US-friendly leagues like the National Football League (NFL) and the newly established United Football League (UFL) for professional football and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for college football.
So, is it easy to bet on football, or do you need to pull a stick to make it work? We believe football betting is one of the easiest to access at most sportsbooks. Plus, you can always wager on this game from the comfort of your sofa via well-optimized sites or dedicated apps for mobile or desktop versions.
Keep These NFL Wagering Markets in Mind
Based on our experience betting at sportsbooks, familiarizing yourself with National Football League (NFL) markets will help you place informed wagers. Here are prominent options to get you started:
Over/Under (Total)
If you aren’t bothered about which team wins or loses, the Over/Under is your go-to option. Here’s the thing: the bookmaker sets a total number of points depending on the contest. Then you predict whether the final score will be above or below that number.
For instance, when we bet on “Over 32.5 points” in the NFL preseason, we win when the cumulative scores of both teams in a specific match are 33 or more. Conversely, if it’s the “Under 32.5 points” market, we win if the total number of points scored is 32 or fewer. Keep in mind that the Over/Under points in the NFL regular season are higher, as they may range from 38 to 46.5.
Moneyline
From our perspective, the
moneyline bet
is the simplest market because you only need to pick the winner in a match. Keep in mind that sportsbooks usually categorize the teams into the “favorites” and “underdogs,” so you can identify the odds of winning. Let’s see how they work in the table below:
Favorite
The favorite is the team that’s more likely to win. When we see a minus sign (-) behind the wager amount, we know it’s a “favorite” moneyline.
Underdog
On the other hand, the underdog is the team that’s less likely to win, and it’s indicated using the plus sign (+).
Outright
Outright allowed us to wager on future events. For instance, we could place bets on who’ll win the Super Bowl, the most valuable player in the NFL regular season, the coach of the year, or the offensive player of the year.
Points Spread
Points Spread is an extreme sport, but we like it for that. It means betting on the final score difference between the favorite and the underdog. Let’s say the Los Angeles Rams bring -2 as a favorite and the Houston Texans come with +2 as an underdog in an NFL game. In this case, to win the “favorite” wager, the former must win by more than two points.
As for the Houston Texans, you’ll clinch the bet when the team either loses by two points or wins the game outright.
Half Time/Full Time Wager
In our book, Half-Time/Full-Time means predicting the outcome of the first half and the entire match. The catch is that both predictions must be correct to win the wager.
Here are the potential betting options that we encountered in the Half Time/Full Time market:
Home Win / Home Win
Home Win / Draw
Home Win / Away Win
Draw / Home Win
Draw / Draw
Draw / Away Win
Away Win / Home Win
Away Win / Draw
Away Win / Away Win
Note that the first results above apply to Half Time bets, while the second works for Full Time. For context, the home team means the team plays from its home stadium, which is usually listed first in football fixtures.
In the same breath, the away team plays the match at their opponent’s venue. We usually check the location of the game to know which is which.
Now that we’ve explained how the NFL markets work, let’s look at five key tips for wagering on football:
🏦 Choose a licensed sportsbook
We prioritized sportsbooks licensed and regulated by reputable gambling authorities like the Arizona Department of Gaming and the New York Gaming Commission. Moreover, sportsbooks that took reasonable steps to protect our personal details with robust security measures like SSL encryption technology, password-protected databases, and two-factor authentication (2FA) worked for us. So, it’s worth looking out for these qualities as well.
💰 Deposit the minimum wagering
Generally, you must deposit a minimum amount before placing wagers on football. Before registering, we made sure that my ideal sportsbooks offer diverse and safe deposit methods, including credit cards (e.g., MasterCard and Visa) and e-wallets (Apple Pay, PayPal, and Google Pay). This way, we won’t have to face deposit issues when it’s time to place bets.
📊 Research on the team form
This tip is a crucial
NFL betting strategy
as it helped us identify our preferred team’s overall strengths and weaknesses. First, we checked whether they consistently win, draw, or lose in the last two to five games. Do they perform better at home or away?
Another essential part of exploring the team’s form is paying attention to injury reports and player suspensions. The absence of top players might impact their recent performance. Reviewing these details enhanced our betting decisions.
⚖️ Aim for competitive football betting odds
As we briefly mentioned in our previous discussion about favorites and underdogs, odds reveal the likelihood of a team winning a match. Therefore, the better the wagering odds, the more rewarding your returns.
Plus, we never stuck to sites that offered uncompetitive odds. We looked around, analyzed, and settled for the best odds.
Speaking of competitive odds, first, it’s worth understanding the
meaning of fixed odds. When you add selections to your bet slip, the odds you see are locked in at that moment. They won’t change after you’ve placed your bet, even if something unexpected happens, like a last-minute injury.
That’s exactly why researching team form is always our first step.
💵 Bet within your means
It’s counterproductive to wager without a budget. While betting at reputable sportsbooks, we limit the maximum amount of money we wager per football bet and our deposits (daily, weekly, and monthly), which prevents unnecessary spending.
Now that we’ve covered how to bet well, here’s a run-through of standard steps for wagering at most sportsbooks:
Deposit the qualifying amount
Navigate your preferred bookmaker interface to find football betting markets
Select a wager and add it to your bet slip
Enter the bet amount
Confirm and place your wager
We hope the above answers your question: how do you bet on football?
Pros and Cons of Football Wagering for US Punters
We had fun exploring multiple football betting markets at top-tier sportsbooks across the US. Here are the highs and lows of football wagering based on our experience:
Pros and Cons
Most bookmakers offer football betting
Loads of NFL betting markets to explore
Often eligible for welcome and ongoing offers
Unexpected outcomes undermine consistent wins
Conclusion – Betting on Football with the Right Strategies Pays Off
We can say that again; football is one of the most popular sports betting options for US bettors. Employing effective tactics such as understanding different NFL wagering markets, choosing licensed sportsbooks, and prioritizing competitive odds significantly enhanced our football betting experience. As for the wagering markets, the Over/Under, Moneyline, Points Spread, Outright, and Half Time/ Full Time came to mind.
If you’re ready to start betting on football, why don’t you click the sign-up banners on this page to explore leading sportsbooks and apply what we described here?
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How to Bet on Football FAQs
We’ve discussed the most prominent NFL betting markets for US bettors earlier. They include Over/Under, Moneyline, Points Spread, Half Time/ Full Time, and Outright.
No. Given our experience, you must also stick to brands with solid security measures, such as SSL encryption and 2FA authentication.
For us, betting with football strategies demands familiarizing yourself with diverse wagering markets, choosing reputable sportsbooks, researching the team’s recent performance, and betting within your means.
