NFL Betting Explained: How to Bet on NFL Games

5 Stats to lean on for betting NFL Football

Using negative stats to your advantage while betting the nfl

The NFL Spread, NFL Moneyline and NFL TOTAL

You've come to the right place to have NFL Betting explained. Like all major sports, American football betting is built around the straight bets - the spread, moneyline and total. The spread is a point differential between the two teams that indicates a favorite being handicapped against an underdog. This is to account for the strengths of either team. If you were to wager on Team A at -6.5 against Team B, you would need Team A to win by at least seven points to clear the wager. Inversely, Team B could win outright or lose by up to six points in order for your bet to cover.

The moneyline is a bet on the outright winner, while the total is an over/under wager on the total number of points scored the game itself.

The natural home line for NFL and NCAAF betting is -3.0, while the total will begin at 44.5. From there, the odds are adjusted to account for the disparity between the two sides. Action generated from the betting public can also influence the odds in a game.

American football uses American odds, but you can also adjust the system at TwinSpires Sports to view decimal or fractional odds if you prefer. Wagers with a minus-sign will indicate how much you have to bet in order to win $100. An example is a -135 favorite ($135 bet to win $100). Underdogs will have a plus-sign in front of their odds, indicating how much you would win if you bet $100. An example is +275 ($275 return on $100 wager).

Parlays and straight bets both apply to American football betting and gain extra traction because most of the games all happen on the same day. You can also enjoy teasers, if-bets and round robins. TwinSpires Sports offers the full menu when it comes to football betting every weekend!

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NFL Information and History

When it comes to sports betting in the United States, nothing is bigger than NFL football.

The National Football League was founded in 1920 and has survived many years of instability and competition from rival organizations to become the strongest American professional football league. The NFL completed a merger with the American Football League (AFL) in 1970 to create a 26-team circuit. Since then, the league has expanded four times and added six new franchises to create today’s modern NFL with 32 teams.

The NFL is governed by a commissioner, and the schedule consists of a 17-game regular season with each team playing 16 games and having one bye week. The regular season runs from September through December.

Following the regular season, six teams from each conference qualify for the playoffs with each division winner plus two wild cards participating. The winner of each conference plays in the Super Bowl for the league’s top prize, the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

The NFL has the highest average attendance at their games of any professional sports league in the world. Attendance averaged more than 67,000 fans per game in 2017. You can learn more about the NFL at http://www.NFL.com.

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Where Can I Bet on NFL Games Legally?

Residents of Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylavania can bet legally on NFL games at our sportsbook. You'll find a wide selection of odds, props, and futures to wager on throughout the NFL season and beyond! And don't forget to visit The TwinSpires Edge regularly for the best NFL betting advice from our team of experts.

NFL Betting Strategy

TwinSpires Sports is your one-stop source for the best NFL betting strategy on the Web. Check out our weekly betting guides, discover Super Bowl betting trends, and learn how to bet on the Super Bowl with expert tips and tricks from our fetured columnists.