HOW TO BET FOOTBALL (SPORTS BETTING 101)
How to Bet on Football
Sports betting, in general, is on the rise in the U.S. after courtroom battles have opened the doors for legal sports gambling in many states. Since football, both college and NFL, are so popular, football betting makes up a huge portion of legal bets placed in the U.S. So, how can you get in on the action?
If you have never bet on football before or don’t have much experience doing so, you have come to the right place. In order to have success in football betting, you must first have an understanding of the basics.
Understanding Betting Lines
To bet on football, one must first have some working knowledge of college and NFL lines. There are a number of ways to bet on football, but the three most popular and traditional betting methods are moneyline, point spread, and game totals.
Moneyline Betting
Moneyline betting is the easiest for beginners to understand. When placing a moneyline bet, the bettor is simply picking the winner of a college or NFL game. Moneylines are typically expressed in American odds and reflect a team’s implied probability of winning a game. Without getting too deep, here is an example of an NFL game.
BALTIMORE -225
CHICAGO +188
In this game, Baltimore is the favorite. Favorites are indicated with a “-“ in front of their odds to win. In this case, a bettor that wagers $225 on the Ravens to win would win $100 if they do indeed win. On the other end, a moneyline underdog is has a positive value next to its odds. A $100 bettor would win $188 if the Bears won.
Point Spread Betting
Another traditional method of football betting is using the point spread. Teams are required to win or lose by a certain number of points in order for a bet to win. Oddsmakers determine the perceived difference between two teams and express that difference as a point spread.
The stronger team is the favorite and is indicated by a “-“ next to the point spread. The weaker team, or underdog, will have a “+” next to the spread. Let’s use the same Baltimore-Chicago game as an example.
BALTIMORE -5 (-110)
CHICAGO +5 (-110)
Baltimore is favored by five points. That means in order for a bet on the Ravens to cash Baltimore must win by six points or more. A bet on the Bears wins if Chicago loses by four or fewer points or if the Bears win the game outright.
The -110 next to the point spread is commonly known as the “juice” or “vig” which is simply the amount a sportsbook takes to place your bet. It is typical for sportsbooks to take 10 percent (-110) when placing a point spread bet. What that means is a bettor would wager $110 to win $100 on either Baltimore or Chicago in this case.
Totals Betting
The other traditional form of football betting is on the game total. When a bettor doesn’t have a clear idea of which side to take in a game, it’s possible to bet on the total number of points that will be scored in a game. Bettors can wager on the total going Over or Under a set amount.
BALTIMORE O 43.5 (-110)
CHICAGO U 43.5 (-110)
In our example, the game total is set at 43.5. A bet on the Over means you believe the combined final score will be at least 44 points or more. A winning Under bet in this case would have to have a combined final score of 43 points or less. Again, there is a fee for placing the bet which is expressed at -110.
Moneyline, point spread, and totals bets are the most common in football betting. There are more and there is much more to learn. Check back frequently for more tips and strategies on how to become a better football bettor.