Introduction to Betting NFL

The NFL begins every year with a few preseason games and then a full 17-game schedule for each of the league’s 32 teams. Fourteen teams qualify for the postseason and each season culminates with the league’s ultimate game – the Super Bowl.

Every week, bettors have the opportunity to bet on every game on the schedule. In addition to the most common NFL bets, bettors will find numerous team and player props and other specials. Starting in the offseason, bettors can get in on the action betting the NFL futures market. The most common futures bet is on the next Super Bowl champion.

With the number of betting opportunities out there, how does the average bettor sort it all out? Using Sports Hub, of course.

Most Common NFL Bets

The point spread bet is the most common NFL bet placed on a weekly basis. There are a number of reasons why but, for now, just know that it is one of the most popular sports bets in the industry.

NFL bettors also wager on the moneyline and on game totals. In addition, NFL player props are gaining in popularity as numerous daily NFL fantasy players enter the betting markets. We examine the moneyline, point spread, and totals bets next.

Moneyline Bets

If you’re just getting into sports betting, the moneyline bet is usually the one that you’ll understand first. A moneyline bet is one where you place a wager on a team to win. That’s it. If your team wins, you win the bet. 

The thing that bettors have to understand in relation to moneyline bets is the odds. Every bet comes with odds attached to it. Oddsmakers at sportsbooks set these odds using a number of criteria. For more on how odds are set, come back to the Sports Hub and read up on the topic.

For now, we need to understand how odds work. We’ll use an example to help. Below, we see an NFL game featuring Philadelphia and Dallas.

• Dallas Cowboys -125
• Philadelphia Eagles +130

When looking at a moneyline bet, negative odds are associated with the favorite. In this case, Dallas is the favorite at -125 odds. If you like the Cowboys to win, you would need to place a bet of $125 in order to win $100. You can bet any amount, but American odds are given in terms of $100.

On the other end of the bet, the Eagles are the underdog as signified by the +130 odds. If you like the Eagles to pull the upset, your $100 bet would pay out $130 if Philadelphia did win. Again, you don’t have to bet $100, but you will receive $1.30 for every $1.00 wagered. Notice that you win more when betting on the underdog. 

Point Spread Bets

A moneyline bet is not concerned with the score. A team can win by one or 25. The point spread bet is concerned with the final scoring margin. The point spread is the equalizer between two teams of varying ability.

Again, oddsmakers establish these point spreads, aka lines, for all NFL games. There are a number of factors that go into setting a point spread. You can read more on that subject here at Sports Hub. 

For now, we just need to understand the basics. We’ll use our Cowboys-Eagles game as an example. 

• Dallas Cowboys -3.5 (-110)
• Philadelphia Eagles +3.5 (-110)

Dallas is favored by 3.5 points. Remember, point spread favorites are signified by the “-” minus sign in front of the line. The Eagles, of course, are the underdog. 

The key here for the newer bettor is to understand how the point spread works and how to bet the point spread. As with any bet, point spread bets are given odds. The standard odds at a sportsbook on a point spread bet are -110. What this means is that a better must wager $110 to win $100.

Now, in order for Dallas to cover the point spread, they must win by at least four points. If the final score is 28-24, for example, the Cowboys cover and any bets on the Cowboys pay out.

The Eagles cover the spread if they lose by three points or less or win the game outright. If the final score ends up 28-27 in favor of Dallas, the Eagles cover. A moneyline bet on Dallas would be a winner, but a point spread bet in this case would lose.

Totals Bets

Bettors can wager on NFL game totals too. It’s one of the common NFL bets along with moneyline and point spread bets. When betting on NFL totals, bettors wager whether the final combined score of a game will go Over or Under a total set by oddsmakers. 

Using our Dallas-Philadelphia example, let’s say that oddsmakers set the game total at 43.5. It is common for oddsmakers to set game totals in increments of 0.5. This eliminates the “push.” A push is when the final score equals the set game total.

Let’s say oddsmakers set a game total at 44. The final score of the game is 27-17. That equals 44 and the result is a push. When this happens, all bets are refunded. There are no winners and no losers. It’s the betting world’s equivalent of a tie. To avoid a push, you will see totals like 43.5 at sportsbooks.

Back to the example. The totals bet for a game between Dallas and Philadelphia might look as follows.

• Dallas Cowboys O 43.5 (-115)
• Philadelphia Eagles U 43.5 (-105)

After reviewing some stats and NFL metrics, you determine that you are going to wager on the Under. Remember, every bet is given odds. Here, those odds are -105 on the Under. That means you will have to wager $105 to win $100. When the final score is 20-17, you would cash a winning ticket. 

Notice that the Over is the favorite here. You would have to risk more ($115) when betting the Over. Standard odds on a totals bet are -110, but sportsbooks will adjust those odds for a number of reasons. You can read more on that subject here at Sports Hub.

Successful NFL Strategy in Betting

Bankroll Management

Effective bankroll management is crucial for long-term success in betting. Learn strategies to manage your funds responsibly to sustain your betting career.

Shopping for the Best Lines

One of the most important strategies in sports betting is line shopping. Getting the best possible line can be the difference between a win and a loss. We provide tips on how to effectively shop lines across different sportsbooks.

NFL Conference & Divisions

The NFL was born in 1920. In the 1960s, a rival league – the AFL – was started. In 1970, the two merged to form today’s NFL. The league is divided into two conferences – the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). Many of the teams from the old NFL are in the NFC. Teams from the AFL are still part of the AFC.

Each conference has 16 teams divided up into four divisions of four teams each. The way the NFL is aligned is important for scheduling. When betting on the NFL, understanding the schedule can help you win more bets. 

NFL teams play the other teams in their division twice each year. Then, a team will play all four teams in another division within its own conference. They also cross over and play all four teams in a division from the other conference. That’s 14 of the 17 games right there.

Teams then play two teams from the remaining divisions within their own conference. The final game is played against a non-conference opponent based on league standing from the previous season.

Bettors can keep track of teams, their division and conference standing, and more right here on the NFL league landing page. All the data that you need to succeed as a bettor is laid out for you here at the Sports Hub.

NFL Handicappers Thrive at Sports Hub

What bettors will also find at the Sports Hub is a number of outstanding NFL handicappers. Remember, we bring bettors and cappers together to help both succeed. 

Bettors can buy picks from reliable and reputable NFL handicappers at Sports Hub. It’s all transparent, no guessing. Bettors don’t have to search the internet and research handicappers. Just log into your Sports Hub account and find your answers right here.

Maybe you’ve thought about becoming a capper yourself. It’s entirely possible with our help. We are the first-ever pay per head for handicappers. With all of our experience in the pay per head and sports betting industries, it only made sense that we bring the handicapping industry into the new millennium. 

Sports Hub takes care of everything a capper needs, like their very own website, and has you up and running with your own capper platform in no time. Why not make money from doing what you love?

Using Handicappers Picks from Sports Hub

Bettors benefit from joining Sports Hub – for free, by the way – as they get access to a wide range of the best handicappers in the sports betting industry. There are free picks, computer picks, and paid picks as well.

The best thing is that everything is transparent. Our handicapping software tracks everything and bettors can see which cappers are hot and in what sports. Sports Hub makes it very easy to find a quality capper no matter the betting need.

There are plenty of times when bettors will want to use picks from a reliable and reputable handicapper. Bettors might want to buy picks when they are betting on something big like the Super Bowl or Stanley Cup final. 

Every bettor gets into a slump at some point. Having access to winning sports picks can help the slumping bettor get back on the right side of the action. 

At Sports Hub, we make the whole process of obtaining picks easy by bringing bettors and handicappers together in a one-of-a-kind community.

The Sports Hub Solution

Sports Hub is the perfect marriage of bettor and handicapper. Sports bettors can access a huge selection of betting picks, including daily free picks from the world’s best. Bettors can also access premium service plays which are available to Sports Hub members for a fee. Gain an advantage against the books with expert sports picks.

To top it off, members also get access to our unique system of statistics-driven, AI-generated computer picks. Picks are only released in certain situations, so bettors can have more confidence in using them.

On the other end, Sports Hub is completely changing the sports handicapping world. With proprietary software that will revolutionize the industry, Sports Hub is simplifying what it means to be a handicapper. 

Want to reinvent yourself as a go-to handicapper? Partner with us as we introduce the first-ever pay-per-head for handicappers. Plus, Sports Hub eliminates scammers and betting syndicates and provides continuous monitoring of all cappers’ picks. Everything is 100 percent transparent so that bettors can feel confident in using expert picks from the Sports Hub community.