Learn How to Bet on American Football

American football may be known as America’s game, but all over the world fans of the sport love to tune in and watch a game. Being such a global event, betting on American football is also very popular, with many people betting in many different ways for an interest on the action. If you are looking to get into betting on American football then this guide will help you grasp the basics, understand the main markets that the best new betting sites offer and put you on the right track going forward.

The NFL season runs from September until February, with teams playing once per week and having one bye week over a 17 week period. After that, we enter the post-season playoffs, where the two teams left standing will compete for the Super Bowl. Like other American sports, the main focus for all teams is the playoffs, with the regular season offering nothing other than qualification to the postseason. The games that take place in the playoffs add another degree of intensity and importance, and these are often the best games to catch so be sure to look out at the end of the season for when the playoffs are beginning.

Here is a rundown of the most common betting markets and a couple of strategies you should look to implement when betting on American football.

Most Popular American Football Betting Markets

The Money Line

This is the place to start if you are looking for the easiest way to get involved. The money line is the market you need when you simply want to back a team to win. With the potential for overtime in every American sport, the money line includes this so all you need to do is back a winner, it doesn’t matter how they do it. The odds on offer are not great if you are backing a favourite, but this market is ideal for newcomers.

The Handicap Line

This line is a little more complicated, but you will be rewarded when backing favourites with a higher price. The handicap line is the most popular way to bet on American football, and uses a fictional handicap that is created by your bookmaker. If you are backing a favourite then not only do they need to win the game, but they need to win by enough to cover the handicap too. When backing an outsider, they receive a head start, so they can still lose the game but give you a winning bet. One thing to note with this line is that the different American football betting sites will all create their own handicap lines, so shop around to get the best deal.

The Total Points Line 

Another popular way to get involved with American football betting with the best new betting sites is to bet on the total points line. This is similar to having a bet on the amount of goals in football, and can be a great and fun way to get involved in the action. The line is a basic over/under line that will end in .5, meaning there cannot be a draw, one of the two outcomes must win. Fans who have good knowledge about how strong teams are both offensively and defensively could use their knowledge to their advantage with this market, so it is certainly one to consider.

American Football Betting Strategies

When you are putting your money down on the weekly American football action it is important that you consider a few different things. Here are a few different betting strategies to think about, and things that could help you become a profitable American football punter.

Take Note of Where a Game is Played

Teams in the NFL are spread all over the USA and home advantage differs between the locations. For example, Denver play at high altitude and in front of a packed home crowd so playing here is far more difficult than an away trip to a team like Miami, who often play in nice, warm conditions. Being at home can have a huge impact on teams who have a big added bonus due to the climate and weather involved, so it often pays to look at these teams and think about them before putting your money down.

Stats and Player Knowledge can make the Points Line Profitable

The total points line looks to be a fun market to get involved with on the face of it, but actually it is a very serious betting market and if you are a big NFL fan it is certainly one you should be using. If you have intimate knowledge of the players taking part then you can use this to your advantage and place bets on how many points there will be in a game. Whether you like the defensive players and go under the line, or think points will flow and go over the line, the fact is if you can understand the teams involved and use that to your advantage, this line could become your best betting friend.

Be prepared to Shop Around

One of the most important tasks to do as an American football gambler is to shop around. This is something you should do every time you place a bet, and something that can have a big impact on your profit during the season. The best American football betting sites will offer the best prices and the best lines. Two of the three betting markets mentioned earlier in this article use lines that the bookmakers create for themselves. The difference of a point or two may not look like much to you when you are betting, but it could be the difference between a winning bet and a losing one. Over the course of the season if this happens a couple of times then your profit will take a big dent. It is vital that you always get the best line and the best odds, to avoid any losing bets that could have been winners elsewhere.