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It would be really easy to bet on a game if you could put money on a heavy favorite to win. That's where point spreads come in. Let's look at an example: Philadelphia Eagles (-4.5). Football games today with odds, Give you every match you want to bet on and never let you miss even a single one! Football games Today with odds- Sportybet.com For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Propositions (Prop Bet): Prop bets are fun to wager on, especially if you're not as experienced with sports betting. These are bets like 'who will be the first to have and end zone celebration' or 'what quarter will LeBron James cry'. Prop bets are just added wagers to keep the games.
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Betting on the NFL isn't necessarily easy, but making smarter bets is always possible for those motivated to learn a bit of new strategy.
Try these nine thoughtful tips when wagering at online football betting sites and watch your bankroll grow.
1. Bet With Your Head, Not Your Heart
It may sound obvious, but avoiding emotion when wagering remains a challenge for many bettors. We all have our personal biases. Whether it's a favorite team or one we despise, putting aside these preferences isn't easy.
But here's the thing: becoming more objective towards NFL betting online is literally the easiest way to make smarter bets. It doesn't require a detailed strategy on mathematical analysis, it just requires common sense.
Cheering on your favorite team (at least) 16 times per year is a lot of fun, but losing money in the process is not. To become a smarter bettor, be aware of your biases and try to avoid decisions based solely on favoritism.
2. Pay Attention to Where the Game Is Played
Home-field advantage matters, and it matters more at certain stadiums. For example, the New England Patriots, went 42-6 straight-up (32-14-2 ATS) at home from 2014-2018. The Seahawks also perform exceptionally well in Seattle: they are 92-31 at home since 2003.
But they're not the only two teams with such an advantage. Do your research by comparing each team's home vs. away record when handicapping for home team advantage.
West Coast teams traveling to the Eastern Time Zone tend to have less difficulty overcoming the time change, but East Coast teams are at an inherent disadvantage when forced to play on the Pacific Coast, three hours later than they're used to.
There are also teams who don't travel well. From 2014-2018 (a five-season span), the San Francisco 49ers were a terrible 9-31 on the road, third-worst in the league. They weren't much better against the spread, going 16-22-2 (fourth-worst in the NFL). The Texans also struggled to cover the spread on the road in 2016, posting a 2-6 record ATS.
Knowing where and when the teams played the previous week is also an important factor to consider. Some teams suffer from real disadvantages. West Coast teams traveling to the Eastern Time Zone tend to have less difficulty overcoming the time change, but East Coast teams are at an inherent disadvantage when forced to play on the Pacific Coast, three hours later than they're used to.
Lastly, certain dome (indoor) teams can struggle to perform outdoors. For example, Drew Brees' passer rating drops from 102.5 in a dome to 90.3 when playing outdoors. And this is all extremely useful information for bettors.
3. Know the Individual Matchups
Football is often referred to as the ultimate team sport, but there are certain one-on-one matchups that can dramatically affect the outcome of a game.
Play scratchers online and win money. For example, a weak offensive tackle should not be expected to perform well against the premier edge-rushers in the league. Pay attention to major skill discrepancies between players who will be going head-to-head.
Coaches are perhaps the most significant head-to-head matchups that bettors should consider. Every coach uses recurring strategies that fare very well against some opponents and flop against others. Coaches get to know each other's approaches to the game, and some are better at responding to these strategic considerations.
A great example of this is Tom Coughlin and Bill Belichick. The Patriots have been dominant since Belichick has been steering the ship, but he was 2-5 when coaching against Coughlin following the 2018 season.
4. Know More than Just the Trends
When it comes to betting on NFL games, following the trends isn't a bad idea — patterns sometimes provide valuable information. For example, from 2010 to 2018, the Bears went 12-5 ATS when coming off a bye week, while the 49ers, on the other hand, were just 5-11 ATS in that same time frame.
The sharpest bettors always look at the context behind the numbers when evaluating statistical trends.
Noticing that a team just scored 49 points the previous week doesn't necessarily mean that their offense is firing on all cylinders. Go back and look at how all the points were scored. Maybe a defensive back fell down to allow a long touchdown pass. Perhaps the defense scored a couple of those touchdowns. Maybe they were just playing the Browns.
The sharpest bettors always look at the context behind the numbers.
5. Check the Injury Reports
As we mentioned, football is the ultimate team game, and small changes can throw off the entire unit. Make sure you know which players have missed practice during the week, what their status is for the upcoming game, and what role they play on the team.
Team injury reports can be a little vague, so it's always a good idea to check the Twitter accounts of beat-writers for each team. Often, they will provide a little more detail.
6. Take Caution with Divisional Matchups
Teams that play each other twice per season get to know each other very well, and even bad teams tend to dig a little deeper when they are battling a division rival.
Looking to 2016, the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, and San Francisco 49ers were three of the bottom-four teams in the NFL, but they all posted a 4-2 record ATS within their respective divisions.
Even though one team may appear superior on paper, divisional matchups are often much closer than anticipated. This makes the great choices to bet on the NFL point spread, but they can be risky choices on the moneyline.
7. Don't Fall in Love with Value
Betting the underdog on the moneyline can certainly pay off, but you need to consider why long odds are so long in the first place. Make sure you have very specific reasons and logic behind taking a +800 underdog on the moneyline, because you can be sure the sportsbook used reason and logic to set that moneyline in the first place.
We strongly recommend limiting parlays and teasers to 2-5 events when betting on the NFL.
You also need to be careful when constructing parlays and teasers. Don't load them up with too many events. NFL teams are generally closely-matched compared to other sports, and it's far too difficult to correctly predict the outcome of more than a handful of games. We strongly recommend limiting parlays and teasers to 2-5 events.
8. Monitor the Lines Throughout the Week
Monitoring the betting lines throughout the week is a big part of maximizing your chances. Some online books may provide more favorable NFL odds, and as the week progresses, you may find the odds change.
It's important to keep in mind the influence of public perception here. Popular teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, and New England Patriots will always have loyal supporters betting with their hearts. They're often referred to as public teams, and it's very likely they'll be more heavily favored than the statistics suggest they should be.
If you're planning on betting against the public, wait around and let emotional bettors drive the odds in your favor. Conversely, if you're planning to bet on a public team, jumping on an early line is likely the best decision.
9. Diversify Your NFL Bets
There is success to be had betting on the moneyline, the spread, and game totals. But to maximize your success, it's crucial to know all the alternative bets you can make.
Many sportsbooks will allow you to bet on alternate spreads or buy and sell points. Instead of settling for a -3.5 spread that makes you a little uncomfortable, you can opt for a -2.5 spread with a more modest payout.
Enjoy the Action this NFL Season
The strategies above are great to keep in mind while wagering this football season, but they're only a start. In the end, finding success is all about putting in the time and effort to research your pick and manage your bankroll effectively.
If you're looking to for more football action than the NFL can provide, open up your Saturdays and take a look at our intro to betting on college football for more helpful tips and tricks.
Super Bowl 55 is nearly upon us, and that means it's time for you to do some research on how to bet on the game, if that's something you like to do.
That's where this annual post comes in.
We picked 10 prop bets that are game-specific (a roundup with our more fun prop predictions will be coming soon!), and delivered our expert takes to help you win some money on Sunday.
A reminder: just because the favorites to win some of these are the obvious choice doesn't make them the best bet to make.
Away we go!
(All bets courtesy of BetMGM)
1 Chiefs: First touchdown scorer
Steven: Travis Kelce (+600)
It was between Kelce and Tyreek Hill for me, and I ultimately went with the tight end because I refuse to believe the Bucs are going to let the latter run wild after what he did in the first game between these teams. On that opening possession, they're going to make the Chiefs work for it and they'll have to score in the red zone. That's Kelce's territory.
Charles M: Patrick Mahomes (+2200)
The Chiefs have always been pretty good at designing read and option plays for Mahomes near the goal line. They scored on one last year in their Super Bowl win against the 49ers and they aren't afraid to use his athleticism when space gets tight.
Charles C: Darrell Williams (+1600)
I'm eyeing the Patrick Mahomes odds at +2200, but it feels like Andy Reid will lean on Williams to run early on, so I'll back the RB to find the end zone first.
2 Buccaneers: First touchdown scorer
Steven: Rob Gronkowski (+1800)
Those odds are too good to pass up, and Gronk had a good game in the first matchup. I think he'll be a big part of this week's gameplan given the personnel the Chiefs defense trots out there. He'll have some mismatches and Tom Brady will look to exploit them.
Charles M: Mike Evans (+1200)
I like how the Bucs wide receivers match up against the Chiefs cornerbacks. Evans is the Bucs best, healthiest receiver entering the game and they should feed him early and often.
Charles C: Cameron Brate (+1600)
Leonard Fournette at +600 is good — he's found paydirt five times in his past six games and the Chiefs' run defense isn't great. But a longshot bet on the tight end who's been more of a focus in the postseason feels like an underrated bet.
3 Super Bowl MVP
Steven: Patrick Mahomes (+100)
No need to overthink this. Although if you're looking for a Chiefs alternative, Kelce is your man.
Charles M: Patrick Mahomes (+100)
Sorry, I'm boring. I know.
Charles C: Travis Kelce (+1000)
Obviously it's going to be Mahomes if the Chiefs win. But if Kelce has a BIG night? I'm willing to wager on that.
4 Patrick Mahomes passing yards (O/U 329.5)
Steven: Over (-120)
Mahomes nearly hit this mark in the first half of the Week 12 game. And I don't think the Chiefs are going to be running the ball much against that Bucs defense. This is pretty much a lock.
Charles M: Over (-120)
The Chiefs are going to air it the hell out. Their offensive line is banged up and they're going against the toughest rushing defense in the league. Last time they played, Mahomes threw the ball 49 times. I would expect something similar.
Charles C: Over (-120)
I don't love the odds, and the fact that Mahomes last went over 329 against the Dolphins back on Dec. 13 might tempt you to go under. But the Chiefs are going to be throwing A LOT on Sunday.
5 Tom Brady pass attempts (O/U 44.5)
Steven: Over (+270)
This is going to be a shootout and the Bucs are not going to keep up running the ball. Brady might throw 50 passes on Sunday night.
Charles M: Over (+270)
Gotta throw to keep up with, and bury, Mahomes. Any game against the Chiefs is automatically a shootout, Brady is going to need to throw the ball over and over again.
Charles C: Over (+270)
The Chiefs have always been pretty good at designing read and option plays for Mahomes near the goal line. They scored on one last year in their Super Bowl win against the 49ers and they aren't afraid to use his athleticism when space gets tight.
Charles C: Darrell Williams (+1600)
I'm eyeing the Patrick Mahomes odds at +2200, but it feels like Andy Reid will lean on Williams to run early on, so I'll back the RB to find the end zone first.
2 Buccaneers: First touchdown scorer
Steven: Rob Gronkowski (+1800)
Those odds are too good to pass up, and Gronk had a good game in the first matchup. I think he'll be a big part of this week's gameplan given the personnel the Chiefs defense trots out there. He'll have some mismatches and Tom Brady will look to exploit them.
Charles M: Mike Evans (+1200)
I like how the Bucs wide receivers match up against the Chiefs cornerbacks. Evans is the Bucs best, healthiest receiver entering the game and they should feed him early and often.
Charles C: Cameron Brate (+1600)
Leonard Fournette at +600 is good — he's found paydirt five times in his past six games and the Chiefs' run defense isn't great. But a longshot bet on the tight end who's been more of a focus in the postseason feels like an underrated bet.
3 Super Bowl MVP
Steven: Patrick Mahomes (+100)
No need to overthink this. Although if you're looking for a Chiefs alternative, Kelce is your man.
Charles M: Patrick Mahomes (+100)
Sorry, I'm boring. I know.
Charles C: Travis Kelce (+1000)
Obviously it's going to be Mahomes if the Chiefs win. But if Kelce has a BIG night? I'm willing to wager on that.
4 Patrick Mahomes passing yards (O/U 329.5)
Steven: Over (-120)
Mahomes nearly hit this mark in the first half of the Week 12 game. And I don't think the Chiefs are going to be running the ball much against that Bucs defense. This is pretty much a lock.
Charles M: Over (-120)
The Chiefs are going to air it the hell out. Their offensive line is banged up and they're going against the toughest rushing defense in the league. Last time they played, Mahomes threw the ball 49 times. I would expect something similar.
Charles C: Over (-120)
I don't love the odds, and the fact that Mahomes last went over 329 against the Dolphins back on Dec. 13 might tempt you to go under. But the Chiefs are going to be throwing A LOT on Sunday.
5 Tom Brady pass attempts (O/U 44.5)
Steven: Over (+270)
This is going to be a shootout and the Bucs are not going to keep up running the ball. Brady might throw 50 passes on Sunday night.
Charles M: Over (+270)
Gotta throw to keep up with, and bury, Mahomes. Any game against the Chiefs is automatically a shootout, Brady is going to need to throw the ball over and over again.
Charles C: Over (+270)
I have a feeling the game will be close in the first half before Mahomes and Co. take off in the second. That means Brady will have to throw a lot, and he'll get to 45 before the night is over.
6 Travis Kelce receptions (O/U 7.5)
Steven: Over (-135)
Way over. Kelce might break the record for receptions in a Super Bowl on Sunday. If the Bucs are content to sit in their soft zones, he'll feast over the middle.
Charles M: Over (-135)
This is an easy one. Kelce is a mismatch against every defender on the Bucs and he averaged seven catches per game during the regular season. Kelce had eight catches on eight targets the last time the Bucs and Chiefs played.
Charles C: Over (-135)
He had at least eight receptions in nine of his last ten games. The Bucs allowed 86 catches to opposing tight ends this year, seventh-most in the NFL. This is easy money.
7 Mike Evans receptions (O/U 4.5)
Steven: Over (+100)
Brady really looked to target Evans in that first game. And I don't think the Chiefs will be afraid to leave him one-on-one. With the Bucs needing to throw a ton, Evans could get to this number in the first half.
Charles M: Over (+100)
This one seems a bit low to me. Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown are both a little banged up entering the Super Bowl. This seems like a prime time for a heavy dose of Mike Evans, especially considering his size advantage over the Chiefs cornerbacks.
Charles C: Over (+100)
It can be boom or bust with Evans — I'll happily bet on him finding the end zone, but betting on this can be tricky given the receiver's low volume. But if I think the Bucs will be playing from behind, it means Evans will end up with five or six catches.
8 Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushing yards (O/U 26.5)
Steven: Under (+115)
The Chiefs rotate their running backs and I don't know if there are enough carries to go around. And with how important blitz pickup could be against the Bucs defense, the rookie might not see the field a whole lot.
Charles M: Over (-140)
As good as the Buccaneers run defense is, this is a pretty low bar to clear for CEH. Bell and Williams will eat into his workload, but CEH is talented enough to hit the over here.
Charles C: Under (+115)
It feels to me like Williams will get the call in the Super Bowl, CEH will have maybe seven or eight carries, and against that tough Bucs run defense, he's not going anywhere. Can you win at draftkings.
9 Tyreek Hill longest reception (O/U 26.5)
Steven: Over (-125)
He might be the greatest deep threat in the history of the game. Mahomes will find a way to get him the ball deep.
Charles M: Over (-125)
Andy Reid and Eric Bienemy are going to figure out a way to get Hill open for at least one deep shot. He had a couple in the first meeting between these teams.
Charles C: (Over -125)
Lock this one in — he's gone over that total nine times in 2020.
10 Chris Godwin total receptions (O/U 5.5)
Steven: Under (+105)
The Chiefs defense does a good job of defending slot receivers — especially the one who run deeper routes over the middle — and that's where the Bucs deploy Godwin. Bruce Arians will scheme some easy catches for Godwin with screen passes and whatnot, but it's going to be hard for him to get targets organically.
Charles M: Over (-130)
Godwin has a pretty favorable matchup against the interior of the Chiefs pass defense. Unless he gets stuck with Tyrann Mathieu following him around the field, Godwin should be able to clear this reception mark.
Charles C: Under (+105)
Surprise! Brady likes to spread the ball around, so Godwin will end up with five and frustrate you.
11 Pick a parlay
Note: BetMGM lists a bunch of ready-made parlays to bet on. We each picked one.
Steven: 10+ points scored in each quarter (+240)
Usually, Super Bowls get off to slow starts. But both quarterbacks have been here before and I'm expecting big performances from both offenses.
Charles M: Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, and Chris Godwin all over 100 receiving yards (+900)
Go big or go home. Let's have a shootout.
Charles C: Patrick Mahomes to record 300+ passing yards, Leonard Fournette to record 50+ rushing yards and Chris Godwin to record 80+ receiving yards (+450)
Today's Best Bet
Love the odds, love how simple this seems, definitely going to lose some money on this one.
How To Bet Today's Games Basketball
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