How To Bet On Games

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  • A Point Spread bet is when each outcome has a + or a - handicap applied to it. This handicap is often called the 'line'. On a 'line' of 3.5, one team will have 3.5 points added to their score, one team will have 3.5 points subtracted from their score.
  • Total A total, or over/under, is a bet on the total amount of points scored in a game by both teams combined. A bet on the over means that both teams must combine to score more than the indicated point total, whereas a bet on the under means that they must combine for less. If the teams combine for the indicated total exactly, then the wager is a push (or tie) and all bets are voided and you.
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Football is one of the most bet sports in North America and its popularity is at an all-time high, especially the NFL.Every Sunday, Monday, Thursday (and some Saturdays), people across the world are studying statistics, matchups and trends to get an edge on betting lines from various sportsbooks that offer NFL markets. It could be a single game, a player betting prop or NFL futures odds that.

If you’re new to football betting and keen to get involved
then you’ve just come to exactly the right place. On this page
we will teach you all the basics of betting on football, and
make sure that you are on the right track from the moment you
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In our opinion this is one of the most useful beginner’s
guides to football betting
you’ll find anywhere on the internet.
It covers everything you need to get started, and yet you don’t
need to worry about getting overwhelmed with detail as we keep
our explanations as simple as possible.

For those who are only really interested in wagering for a
bit of fun, you’ll be ready to go as soon as you’ve finished
reading this page. For those of you with ambitions of making
long term profits, we also point you towards a wide range of
additional information and advice that will help you to achieve
such goals. We’re not promising that we’ll make you an instant
expert, but we’ll certainly give you the chance to become one.

HowHow

If you’re simply just looking to bet on football games right now we have
listed our top recommendations for online betting sites below. These
are sites that we have found to be trustworthy with our money and
offer football bettors true value.

We recommend reading through this whole page from start to
finish, but we’ve listed the various topics we cover below if
you’d prefer to skip straight to something specific.

How to Bet on Football: Page Contents

Before You Start: Recommended Reading
Different Types of Football Bets
Where to Place Your Bets
Using Online Betting Sites
Essential Advice for Beginners
Improving Your Football Betting Skills

Before You Start: Recommended Reading

If you’re already familiar with how sports betting works, and
know a thing or two about football, then please feel free to
skip this section. If, however, you’re completely new to sports
betting and/or not much of a football fan, then there are a few
things you should learn before you start placing bets on
football games.

Firstly you really need to understand the basics of what
sports betting is all about
, and what’s involved with placing
wagers. These basics are relatively straightforward, so
thankfully it doesn’t take long to get up to speed. It’s
definitely advisable to familiarize yourself with them though.
Our beginner’s guide to sports betting is the perfect resource
for this. Here’s a selection of some of the topics it covers.

Sports Betting For Beginners

In addition to knowing the basics of betting, you should also
know at least the basics of football too. It’s likely that most
people reading this are big sports fans, and fully understand
it, but that’s not necessarily the case for all our readers. We
like to cater for everyone, so we’ve written the following two
articles explaining all about the game at both professional and
college level.

About The National Football League
About College Football



Different Types of Football Bets

One of the first things you should understand about betting
on football is the fact that there are several different types
of wagers
that can be placed. You won’t necessarily use all the
different types, depending on what strategies you employ, but
it’s still advisable to learn at least a little about each one.

Below we look at the two most popular types of wagers, some
of the other commonly used options, and the various options for
wagering on multiple games with a single bet.

The Most Popular Types of Football Bets

There are two types of football bets that are used far more
than any other. Many people who bet on football place only the
following wagers.

  • Point Spreads
  • Totals

Some readers will already know all about these and how they
work, but we’ll explain a little about them for those that
don’t.

Point Spreads

A point spread is effectively a handicap that’s used to
create a 50/50 wagering proposition. For example, a bookmaker
may offer the following point spread on a football match between
the San Diego Chargers and the Indianapolis Colts.

Point Spread
-3.5

How To Bet On Games In Iowa

+3.5

What this spread means is that, for the purposes of wagering,
the Chargers will have 3.5 points deducted from their final
score. For a bet on them to be successful, they would therefore
have to win by four points or more. The Colts, on the other
hand, will have 3.5 points added to their final score. A bet on
them would be successful if they won the game, or lost by 3
points or less.

You can read more about point spreads on the following page.

Totals

Totals are just as easy to understand. With these, the
bookmaker posts an expected total for the amount of points
scored by both sides. On the previously mentioned match between
the Chargers and the Colts, for example, they might set the
total at 48.50. You then have to decide whether to bet on the
over or the under.

A wager on the over will win if the combined score from the
two teams is 49 or over (e.g. Chargers 29, Colts 24). A wager on
the under will win if the combined score from the two teams is
48 or less (e.g. Chargers 19, Colts 17).

We explain totals in more detail on the following page.

Before we go onto explain some of the other types of wagers
you can place, there’s some very important information that we
need to mention.

The basic principle of point spreads and totals is that you
have roughly a 50% chance of winning, so technically a “fair”
return on these types of wagers should be equal to the amount
staked. However, they are usually priced up by bookmakers at
odds of -110 (1.91 in decimal odds format, 10/11 in fractional
odds format), which means for every $110 staked you stand to win
$100. You don’t have to stake as much as $110 of course, but the
point is that a successful wager will only return 90% of the
amount staked (plus the initial stake of course).

This is because bookmakers are in business to make a profit,
so they effectively charge a commission for taking wagers. This
commission is known as the vig, short for vigorish, and it’s one
of the ways that bookmakers stay profitable. They don’t charge
it just for points spreads and totals either, as it’s built into
the odds for every wager that they offer.

Further Information

If you have any ambitions of being a
successful bettor, we strongly recommend reading our article
explaining vig and how bookmakers make money.

Other Common Football Bets

In addition to point spreads and totals, there are three
other types of bets that are commonly used for wagering on
football. These are as follows.

  • Moneylines
  • Props
  • Futures

We’ll now provide a brief overview of each of these, and
point you towards some additional information on each one too.

Moneylines

A moneyline wager is very simple. It involves simply backing
a team to win a match, with no point spread involved. The odds
for moneyline wagers are based on each team’s relative chance of
winning. For example, the moneyline on a game between the San
Diego Chargers and the Indianapolis Colts might look like this.

Moneyline
-175
+155

The Chargers are the favorites here, and the odds of -175
mean that a stake of $175 is required to win $100. To put it
another way, every $1.75 staked stands to win $1 if the Chargers
win. Initial stakes are returned too of course.

The Colts are the underdogs, so backing them means the
potential for higher payouts relative to the amount staked. The
odds of +155 mean that every $1 staked stands to win $1.55 if
the Colts win (i.e. a $100 wager stands to win $155 if the Colts
win). Again, initial stakes are also returned.

For more information on moneylines, and the strategy involved
in placing them, please see the following article.

Props

Props, short for propositions, are wagers on outcomes that
are decided during a football game, but are not necessarily
directly linked to the final result. Some examples include the
following.

  • The first team to score.
  • The distance of the longest touchdown.
  • The total passing yards of a quarterback.
  • The number of field goals kicked.

These are just a very small selection of some props. Many
bookmakers offer dozens of different options, particularly on
high profile matches. Props are generally considered a fun type
of bet rather than a way to make money, but it is possible to
make consistent profits from them. We explain more about props
on the following page, where we also offer some strategy advice.

Futures

Futures are wagers on how teams, or individual players, will
fare over the course of an entire season. A wager on a team to
win the Super Bowl, placed at the start of the season, would be
considered a future. So would a wager on a team to be the
National Football Conference champions, or a wager on a player
to win the Most Valuable Player award.

There isn’t a lot more to explain about futures, and there
isn’t really much in the way of specific strategy for them
either. We do go into a bit more detail on them on the following
page though.

Betting on Multiple Football Games

A lot of people like to bet on multiple games at once, as
this can provide the potential for big payouts. It’s not
something we particularly advise beginners to get involved with,
but it doesn’t hurt to understand the options available. The
main ones are as follows.

  • Parlays
  • Teasers
  • Pleasers

Let’s take a quick look at what these are all about.

Parlays

A parlay basically combines several different wagers into
one. For example, a parlay could be made up of five point spread
wagers on five separate games. The payout for such a wager could
be very attractive, but only if ALL the wagers were correct.
Just one wrong pick would mean the whole wager failing. That’s
why these are considered quite risky. They’re a bit more complex
than the previous wagers mentioned, but we won’t go into any
more detail here. We do on the following page though.

Teasers & Pleasers

Teasers and pleasers are essentially types of parlays that
use modified point spreads or totals. With teasers, the spreads
or totals are moved in the bettor’s favor. With pleasers, they
are moved in the bookmaker’s favor. There’s plenty more to
explain about these wagers, which we do on the following pages.

Where to Place Your Football Bets

Now that you know about the different wagers you can place on
football, the next step is actually placing them. The question
you’re probably asking now is “how and where can I do this?”
There are a few options, which we list below, but please be
aware that not all of these are available in all parts of the
world.

  • Casino Sportsbooks
  • Bookmaking Shops
  • Telephone Betting
  • Online Sports Betting Sites

Casino Sportsbooks

Many casinos around the world contain a sportsbook. They
usually feature several big screen TVs showing any live sports
action currently taking place, and computerized odds boards
displaying all the latest odds. There are typically cashier
windows where you can place your wagers with a real person, but
some books have interactive machines instead. Either way, these
are great places to place some bets and watch the games at the
same time. The problem for Americans, though, is that they are
only legal in Nevada. There are plenty of sportsbooks in Las
Vegas casinos, but not in other parts of the country.

Bookmaking Shops

Bookmaking shops are mostly like sportsbooks, they’re just
not inside a casino. They also generally have lots of TVs
showing sports, and a counter where wagers are placed. These
shops can be found in many countries around the world, but
they’re not legal in the United States.

Telephone Betting

A lot of bookmakers offer telephone betting services, and
they are usually very straightforward to use. It’s a simple
matter of calling the relevant number, telling the operator you
reach which wagers you want to place, confirming the odds, and
then providing your credit card details. Some bookmakers take
other payment methods too, and some even offer credit lines to
select customers.

This is another option that’s not available to Americans. Not
legally at least, as the Federal Wire Act of 1961 made telephone
betting illegal. You might be getting disheartened by now if you
live in the US, and wondering exactly how you’re ever going to
place any wagers. Don’t worry though, as we have one more option
to tell you about.

Online Sports Betting Sites

Using an online sports betting site is far and away the best
way to bet on football, or any sport for that matter. It’s the
most convenient and accessible option, and there are several
other advantages too. Best of all, it’s legal in the United
States. There are some laws against online gambling in the US,
but these mostly apply to companies and individuals providing
gambling services. There’s no law that states it’s illegal to
use a gambling site of any kind, so Americans are at liberty to
place football bets online if they so choose. We’ve written the
following page explaining things in more detail for those
interested, or you can just keep reading for a quick guide to
getting started online.

Using Online Betting Sites

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Using sports betting sites to bet on football online is
relatively straightforward. It’s super easy to open accounts at
most sites, and the majority of them are very user-friendly.
Finding and placing wagers generally takes no time at all, and
can be done from the comfort of your own home with just a
computer and internet access. You can even use most sites from a
smartphone or tablet these days.

Please make sure that you use the right sites though. Most
places are pretty good, but there are some that are best
avoided. It’s vital that you use a safe and trustworthy option,
and you also want to use somewhere that is suitable for
football. We suggest taking a look at the following sites.

Our Top Ranked Football Betting Sites:

The CFP National Championship takes place Monday with the Alabama Crimson Tide meeting the Ohio State Buckeyes for an 8 p.m. ET kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. SportsbookWire covers the game in full with college football betting picks and predictions and below, we’ll look at how to bet the National Championship between Alabama and Ohio State.

Also see:

Alabama vs. Ohio State odds, picks and predictionNational Championship predictions with Jason McIntyre

Alabama vs. Ohio State: Betting odds, spread and lines

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Sunday at 4:38 p.m. ET.

Money line: Alabama -300 (bet $300 to win $100) Ohio State +240 (bet $100 to win $240)SportsAgainst the spread/ATS: Alabama -8.5 (-110) Ohio State +8.5 (-110)Over/Under: 75.5 (O: -110 U: -110)

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National Championship betting: Money line (ML)

The money line simply asks for which team will win the game and includes the possibility of overtime.

Favored Alabama has an implied win probability of 75% with -300 money line odds. Those odds can also be expressed as a fraction of 1/3 or a decimal of 1.33. It would take a $300 bet for a profit of $100 with a win by the Crimson Tide.

Underdog Ohio State’s +240 money line odds represent an implied win probability of 29.41%. The fractional odds are 12/5 with 3.40 decimal odds. A $100 bet would return a profit of $240 with an upset win.

National Championship betting: Against the spread (ATS)

The spread of 8.5 points carries equal -110 odds for both teams ($110 bet for $100 profit). Alabama will need to win by at least 9 points. Ohio State can cover its side of the spread by winning outright or staying within 8 points in a loss.

Alternate spreads exist for each half or exclusively the first quarter. The spread can be altered from 10.5 to 21.5 to make the result more or less likely for either team. The higher the probability, the lower the odds will be for a potential payout.

Increasing the degree of difficulty with a spread of -10 for Alabama to win by at least 11 points comes with more profitable odds of +100 or even-money. An Alabama win by exactly 10 points would result in a push and all bets on either side would be refunded in full.

National Championship betting: Over/Under (O/U)

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The Over/Under of 75.5 asks whether the final score of the game would combine to be higher or lower than 75.5 points. Any combined score of 76 or more points (i.e., 40-36) would be a win for Over bettors. A combined score of 75 or fewer points (i.e., 38-37) would be a win for Under bettors.

Just like the spread, alternate lines are available and each team’s individual point total can be bet separately.

National Championship betting: Prop bets

Props are available in the form of Yes/No questions such as “Will there be a safety in the game?” or “Will the game go into overtime?”

These can offer much higher odds on one side or the other, but remember, the more profitable the odds, the lower the probability of that result.

National Championship betting: Live betting

BetMGM has an excellent mobile sports betting app which allows users to place bets once the game is underway. Following along and placing a bet after a big play or an injury can offer great value when disagreeing with the sportsbook’s lines.

A pregame favorite such as Alabama can suddenly come with more profitable odds if Ohio State happens to jump out to the early lead.

How To Make Sports Bet

Want some action on this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.

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How To Bet On Games

Additional college sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:

How To Bet On Games Draftkings

Alabama / Auburn / Florida / Georgia / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Tennessee / Texas / USC / Wisconsin

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