Although the NFL season remains a good few months away, there is plenty approaching to rouse excitement for its eventual arrival. The NFL draft betting odds are getting increased attention, with the official fixture schedule following a few weeks after the draft has taken place.
The league will consist of 32 teams in total, split into two conferences. These are then subdivided into four geographical divisions.
Traditionally, the winner of the previous Superbowl has the honor of hosting the opening game. After clinching their second-ever championship earlier this year, the LA Rams will kick the season off at SoFi Stadium.
Betting options
Few things add extra tension and a sense of reward to a game than having an active bet on the outcome. The upcoming draft offers the perfect opportunity to start betting and get excited about the new season.
With gambling becoming increasingly legalized across the US, almost every American will soon be able to take full advantage of NFL betting.
Even at this early stage, there’s plenty to speculate on including teams, coaches, individual players and even the Superbowl.
With such a long way to go, it’s also an ideal time to familiarize yourself with some betting jargon. Some NFL bets are fairly complex and require an explanation to be fully understood and exploited.
Below some of the more technical ways are detailed to help ease you into the world of NFL betting.
Point Spread Betting
You may hear terms like ‘betting against the spread’ which means little to those unfamiliar with the NFL. The essence of point spread betting is wagering how heavily the favorite team will win by giving them a handicap.
If the favorite has a point spread of (-5) and you bet against it, they must win by more than five points. If you bet on the underdogs of (+5) they must either win, draw, or lose by less than five points.
The specific number of a given point spread is determined by the individual bookmaker. Their aim is to find a number that is fair enough to draw in bets for both outcomes.
Over/Under
Over or under-betting like betting sites Uganda is as simple as the name would suggest. Oddsmakers will determine a total score for the two teams combined, and people bet whether the actual score is over or under.
Moneyline
Moneyline is a straightforward bet on the outright winning team. The confusing element stems from how the odds are presented, which differs significantly from other countries.
If a team is a heavy favorite at -500 odds, a bettor would have to wager $500 to win $100 back. On the other hand, +500 means that betting $100 has a return of $500.
Essentially, a – shows the odds at 1/5 whilst a + shows them at 5/1. This +/- expression of odds is standard across all games.
Parlays
Parlays are one of the riskiest ways to bet on the NFL, but as a result yield expectedly high profits. Rather than betting on a single outcome, parlay wagers on two or more outcomes, all of which must be achieved.
With the amount of luck necessary to win a parlay, even a small bet can turn a very nice profit.
Teasers
Teasers are also dependent on multiple games to be won and are played in conjunction with point spreads. They allow for the set point spreads for two games to be adjusted, usually by a margin of six or seven.
For example, in one game, a team’s spread is (-8) and in different games, a separate team’s spread is (+8). With a six-point teaser, the first team’s spread can become (-2) whilst the other’s becomes (+14).
Both have adjusted by 6 points, meaning that now the first team can win by less. Similarly, the second team can afford to lose by more.
Whilst teasers increase the likelihood of a point spread bet succeeding, they don’t offer great returns.
Props and Futures
Props describe a range of bets from those associated with a game to more trivial ones. These are especially common during the Superbowl and can include who will score first or how far a player will throw.
Some of the more trivial props include how long the national anthem will last or the color of a performer’s hair. Multiple of these bets can be compounded to form parlays.
Despite the fact that the NFL season doesn’t get underway until September 8th, there is plenty of buzz surrounding it. Every fan will have their predictions for the forthcoming campaign and betting gives the fun a competitive edge, raising the stakes.
Once the season eventually commences, each game has multiple different ways to bet. With how much fun and responsible sports betting can be, its global popularity comes as no surprise.