How To Place A Football Bet Online Average ratng: 3,6/5 4276 reviews
  1. Understanding how online sports betting works can be a challenge, but the right mix of skill and discipline can make it a very profitable endeavor for both casual and experienced bettors alike. Here is a handy guide to betting online, filled with tips and important things to remember before placing your bets online.
  2. NFL Live Betting and In-Game Wagering. Many bettors and oddsmakers alike believe that live betting and in-game wagering is the future of sports betting on the whole, and with football betting being the biggest piece of the sports betting pie, live betting football games can be quite thrilling and profitable all at once.
  3. The odds on online sportsbooks will shift throughout games and sometimes it won’t be possible to place a live bet until a team finishes their current drive and the odds can solidify. This can be a very effective method for the experienced sports fan.

Betting on football is quite easy on the basics, which are point spreads, totals and moneylines. A point spread is a number that a sportsbook designates not to project a winner or loser by a certain score but to draw the most action possible on both the favorite and the underdog.

The sports betting industry is on a meteoric rise in this country and we’re approaching one of the first NFL seasons where it will be possible to legally wager on most games outside of Nevada. Even in a largely illegal market, the American Gaming Association estimated that bettors wagered over $4.3 billion on Super Bowl LV alone.

With ample time between games and a wealth of strategy to consider, football is an understandably popular sport for mainstream bettors. Using analytics to gain an edge in predicting how games will unfold can help the savvy bettor go against the grain to earn big paydays. Conversely, the popularity of NFL betting can help bettors isolate a potential winner by piggybacking on research conducted by the masses.

This page can serve as a reference for residents of states that have legalized online betting. It will break down the basics of NFL betting, from various types of bets, to strategy, to tips on how to predict trends and think independently. If you heed this advice and weigh your options and bankroll carefully, you could turn a consistent profit throughout the 2020 NFL season.

NFL team betting guides

Division
AFC EastBuffalo BillsMiami DolphinsNew England PatriotsNew York Jets
AFC NorthBaltimore RavensCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsPittsburgh Steelers
AFC SouthHouston TexansIndianapolis ColtsJacksonville JaguarsTennessee Titans
AFC WestDenver BroncosKansas City ChiefsLos Angeles ChargersLas Vegas Raiders
NFC EastDallas CowboysNew York GiantsPhiladelphia EaglesWashington Football Team
NFC NorthChicago BearsDetroit LionsMinnesota VikingsGreen Bay Packers
NFC SouthAtlanta FalconsCarolina PanthersNew Orleans SaintsTampa Bay Bucs
NFC WestArizona CardinalsLos Angeles RamsSan Francisco 49ersSeattle Seahawks

Where is NFL betting legal?

When the Supreme Court overturned PASPA in May of 2018, it opened the door for individual states to legalize sports gambling. Beginning with New Jersey (the original plaintiff in the PASPA case), several states quickly moved to legalize and regulate the industry within state lines. Betting on the NFL and other professional sports is still not federally legal, but residents of the following states can place bets at live sportsbooks:

Nevada
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
Delaware
Mississippi
West Virginia
Rhode Island
New Mexico
Arkansas
Iowa
New York
Oregon
Indiana
Illinois
Montana

Most other states in the US have introduced some sort of bill that would legalize sports gambling. Of course, some states are far closer than others to legalizing the industry. Visit our state betting pages at TheLines.com to get a look at the status in each state.

Best NFL betting sites and apps

There are a number of apps available for sports betting in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Indiana, West Virginia and Nevada. Some of the best:

The top players in the industry are DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, BetMGM, Caesars, PointsBet, and SugarHouse.

How does NFL betting work?

There are several ways to bet on NFL action. We’ll begin with the most simple type of bet: The moneyline. Taking the Moneyline means you’re betting on the winning team regardless of the margin of victory. Underdogs will get plus-odds on the moneyline and the favorites will have negative odds. For example, if a team is heavily favored they will be listed as Patriots (-230), meaning that a successful $230 bet on the Patriots pays out $100.

This differs from betting on the point spread, which accounts for the expected margin of victory. If the Patriots are heavily favored at home, they might be listed as -13.5, meaning a bet (likely at something close to -110 odds) on the Pats would only pay out if they win by 14 points or more.

Gamblers can also target the overall betting total of a game, which is usually listed as a number around 48.5 with the proposition of taking the Over or Under on a point total. Some sites offer the opportunity to bet on the expected point total of one team (23.5 points for example).

Then, there is often an extensive number of betting props (or propositions) where gamblers can wager on the individual performance of a player, the type of score to open a game, and the specific margin of victory. These options are often more expansive in prime time and playoff games.

Gamblers can choose to combine multiple propositions on a game, or multiple bets on different games, into a parlay. This wager is an all-or-nothing proposition which only pays out if all (anywhere between two and a dozen) bets are successful. The more bets added to a parlay, the greater the potential payout.

A teaser is a form of parlay that involves a combination of two to ten wagers in which you can adjust the point spread or total to your specifications. These bets are therefore more likely to succeed, but the payouts are smaller than in a parlay.

Finally, there is an option to bet on NFL futures. Rather than betting on an individual game, Futures offer gamblers the opportunity to bet on the eventual Super Bowl champion, divisional champion, or the number of wins that a team will accrue during the regular season. There are also futures bets available on postseason awards and other ongoing storylines.

Super Bowl odds 2022

NFL live betting

Another method of wagering on the NFL is live betting, also known as in-play betting. No longer are gamblers required to place their bets before opening kickoff and ride out the storm. Now users can watch a game unfold for one, two, or three quarters and place their bets based on updated odds.

The odds on online sportsbooks will shift throughout games and sometimes it won’t be possible to place a live bet until a team finishes their current drive and the odds can solidify. This can be a very effective method for the experienced sports fan. Those who can read how a game is unfolding in the opening minutes can target a line aggressively.

For example, the most recent Super Bowl between the Patriots and Rams turned into an offensive quagmire where neither team appeared poised to rack up many points. Those viewers that read into game flow and placed a bet on the Under (even as it shifted lower) were rewarded by a comfortable payout in a game that ended 13-3.

NFL betting trends

There are several free sites that will disclose information on where the public is betting in terms of the moneyline, point spread, and point total. These trends can lead to a shift in the lines as sportsbooks try to adjust when too much money is coming in on one side or the other.

These trends can also indicate which side of the line is a better bet based on the sheer number of bets coming in. However, the percentage of bets coming in on one side or the other is often not as telling as the percentage of money coming in on one side of the line.

A ton of bets indicates that the reactive public expects a favorite to roll, but a ton of money on one side indicates that experienced gamblers or “sharps” have found something in their research to inspire confidence.

Following the money usually profits, but there is a high level of risk and reward in “contrarian handicapping” by going against the public and backing an underdog at plus odds.

NFL line shopping

With so many sportsbooks and platforms competing for your wagers, there’s no reason not to shop around for the best deal. Some sites might have a team with a line of -4 (-110) on a particular game, but another site could have the same team at -3.5 (+120). There is generally an industry standard, but even a sleight differentiation can lead to huge changes in dividends in the long run. It’s vital for bettors to shop lines on multiple sites even if they don’t have a huge bankroll. If that’s the case, simply decrease the amount you’re betting on each game.

You can also shop lines by timing when you place your bets. Oddsmakers will set an Opening Line early in the week, but that could change based on how the public bets the game. Sometimes it makes sense to hammer an Opening Line right away so that you get the best odds possible. For example, the Packers could open at -7 at home against a poor opponent, but after 90% of bets come in on Green Bay, that number could rise. Conversely, the underdog might become appealing late in the week if the spread rises to 13 or even 14 points. Waiting for the right line can create the perfect opportunity to bet against the public at even better odds.

NFL Betting Tips

Finding a betting formula

Consistent success in NFL betting is hard to come by, since sportsbooks are often eerily accurate in how they set Spreads and Point Totals. In order to turn a profit, bettors have to find their own formula for determining value and potential winners.

It’s possible to “follow the masses” by betting on favorites that are seeing a huge percentage of wagers, but it is far more reliable to analyze trends and look for value based on those raw numbers.

As the season progresses, it can become apparent which teams have a tendency to “play down” to their opponent. Certain teams tend to play better when going up against heavy favorites, and many teams tend to play better or worse in prime time games. Analyzing a teams’ recent travel schedule, results on the road vs. at home, and tendency to rebound after a loss (see Bill Belichick’s Patriots) can help bettors find a winning formula.

There are certain analytics available for free on many sites that can help you predict how a game will unfold. Here are some of the key analytics that we use to predict game flow:

  • Pace (the average number of plays a team runs per game) – This can primarily help you identify fast-paced games that are likely to go Over the total, or slow-paced games that will go Under.
  • Offensive efficiency – Especially in the red zone, offensive efficiency can serve as a great indicator for which teams are capable of finishing drives with touchdowns and therefore covering the spread. Pass yards per attempt is another indicator of which teams are successful on offense in terms of controlling possession and creating points.
  • Turnovers – On the other side of the ball, teams with great defensive efficiency in the red zone may help games stay under the point total. Teams that have shown an ability to create turnovers are far more bankable in terms of hanging close in games and potentially stealing a game when they’re underdogs.
  • Win Probability – This is an advanced tool that can help tremendously with live betting. Algorithms can provide the likelihood of a team holding on for the win and that makes for a very safe bet.
  • DVOA – There are comprehensive numbers on how defenses perform against specific position groups. There are also numbers on how an offensive line performs in terms of creating space at the second level and whether defensive lines are stronger on the right or left side. Match up the numbers from each team to consider whether star players will have more of an impact and sway the outcome.
  • Home Field Advantage – Teams such as the Packers, Chiefs, Saints, and Patriots have a tremendous home-field advantage for several reasons. Lofty point spreads in those venues should be considered with more weight than a lofty point spread for a team like the Bengals, for example.

Each game brings its own criteria in terms of analytics and there is almost always ample time to crunch the numbers and find an edge.

NFL betting mistakes to avoid

Sports gambling can be a destructive force and should not be taken lightly or considered as a main source of income for anyone but the most experienced handicappers. Here’s a list of a few of the pitfalls that can turn a harmless habit into a money-draining problem:

  • Chasing your losses: Gamblers can be overcome by a need to be “made whole” after losing their initial bet. This can be problematic during NFL Sundays since there is a new wave of games starting at 4 p.m. EST and two prime time games providing the opportunity to go “double or nothing” after an unsuccessful run in the early games.
  • Managing bankroll: Again, the spreads and totals assigned by sportsbooks are often extremely accurate in terms of the final result, which means that few bets are a “sure thing.” Gamblers need to manage their bankroll wisely and avoid betting big on too many games regardless of their confidence level.
  • Emotional betting: While gambling on NFL games should be fun, it’s not fun to lose your money because you were afraid to bet against your hometown team. Gamblers should always bet based on data, trends, and their gut feeling, rather than by their allegiances as fans.
  • Hoping for longshots: It’s important to get good odds on a wager, but taking a bet that has little chance to come to fruition is not a reliable method. A horse with 50/1 odds would certainly pay out handsomely in the Kentucky Derby, but there’s a reason nobody expects that horse to have a shot at winning the race.
  • Banking on favorites: Conversely, it’s unwise to always follow the public and take the more popular team with your wagers. Things change on a weekly basis in the NFL and teams always find a way to surprise. Remember that the other guys get paid too, and they’ll fight to the final whistle to post a more respectable score and potentially get under a lofty point spread.
  • Betting while impaired: Again, NFL Sunday is a time to relax and enjoy a few adult beverages, but don’t get carried away while intoxicated. Accept losses when they come and avoid becoming overconfident because you’re feeling loose and unafraid of losing a few hundred dollars.

Online betting vs. retail sportsbooks

Few states have legalized online betting within state borders because it’s so difficult to regulate. But if you’re in a state with legal online betting, there are clear benefits to that platform. While retail sportsbooks will only accept bets before a game kicks off, online betting sites allow users to bet throughout the contest and adjust to live odds. The convenience of betting from your phone or laptop is hard to beat. That’s why live sportsbooks will offer promotions and try to enhance the in-game experience in order to draw in more numbers.

How to watch NFL games

Every Sunday select NFL games are broadcast on local TV. Viewers can watch any game by purchasing the Sunday Ticket through DirectTV, or the scoring highlights and exciting finishes compiled by the Red Zone channel. There are also options to stream NFL games through various online platforms. During the 2019-2020 season there will be Thursday Night Football games from Week 1 to Week 15 that will be broadcast on FOX and NFL Network. Sunday Night Football games are broadcast on NBC and ESPN carries Monday Night Football games.

We know you want to bet on college football. That’s what landed you on this page. Don’t bet through a bookie, they may never pay out. We are guessing you don’t have time to fly out to Vegas and bet in the Sportsbooks.

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The list below shows current top-ranking sites for college football betting. You are only moments away from making a bet. Just click on a site below and start winning!

The best sites for betting on college football stand out above the rest for many different reasons which we discuss in more detail on this page. We only recommend these online betting sites because we’re confident that they will payout and provide excellent opportunities for placing wagers on NCAA football games.

If you already know that you are going to be placing bets on college football then you can be sure you’re in good hands with any of the NCAAF betting sites above. If you are still unsure and want more information then we suggest taking a look through the rest of this page.

When we talk about the best sites to bet on college football, we must take many factors into consideration. Is our money safe? Is the site easy to navigate? Does it offer all the games we are looking for? These are all things we consider when ranking our sites.

Reliability

We would not wager our money on a site we didn’t trust. We wouldn’t ask you to either. With so many sites out there, it’s nearly impossible to guarantee every single one of them is run with integrity. The sites listed above provide the customer with security knowing their money is safe. We go through a detailed process to determine the top sites.

The Experience is Fun

In today’s world, we like fast, we like easy. We only mention sites that meet those demands. Depositing money is safe, secure, and quick. Everything is in plain view and you will feel protected. Picking the correct winners however, that is going to be up to you!

How To Place A Football Bet Online Sites

When we mention fast and easy, we of course are talking about the process of placing the bets. To see for yourself click any of the sites above and you will be making bets before you can finish the rest of this article. There are no secrets, no hidden fees or messages. Just deposit money, and start picking your winners!

They Offer a Wide Range of Games to Bet

Not all the best bets are the most popular games on ESPN and ABC. In fact, trying to find edges in the smaller market games where less information is known can be profitable. The sites listed offer a wide range of teams and games to bet on. Whether you are interested in point spreads, the over/under, or money-line bets-you will be in the right place if you click on any of the sites we have listed.

If you want to make some money betting on college football, you better be on the right side of the line. That means if the underdog is +4.5 on most sites but is +5 on one site, you better be getting the +5 number. Lines fluctuate throughout the day as bets come in. These sites ensure you won’t miss a line change if one of your underdogs happens to get an extra half point!

Deposit Bonuses

That’s right, who doesn’t love free money. By signing up on any of our recommended sites you can in some cases earn up to 100% back from your initial deposit. Say you start with $100 deposit, as you bet games the site will start to add funds into your account. As you can see, some sites will match the amount of your initial deposit dollar for dollar.

About the Top College Football Betting Sites

Now that you know a little about how we go about selecting the best sites for NCAAF betting, it’s time to learn more about the sites themselves. Here are some brief details on each of our recommended college football betting sites.

One of the sites that we can heartily recommend as one of the very, very best is BetNow.

This site offers a wide range of college football betting options, including futures on teams, the Heisman Trophy winner, and propositions galore. Best of all, they offer a 50% sign-up bonus which is a great way to get some extra value from your real money wagers.

MyBookie

It’s impossible to have a serious conversation about the best college football betting sites without mentioning MyBookie and their 100% welcome bonus.

How To Place A Football Bet Online

MyBookie place an emphasis on the customer experience, with 48-hour payout processing and service agents available on a 24/7 basis.

You bascially can’t go wrong betting college football online at SportsBetting.ag.

This sportsbook has been featured on major networks like Fox Sports and CNBC, and that speaks volumes about their cred. These guys come correct with welcome bonuses, and they provide a 25% cash infusion when you reload your account.

XBet

Another top site for college football wagering is XBet. They provide a very straightforward, intuitive environment, and they have a generous bonus structure.

Initial deposits get rewarded with a 100% match, and existing customers get a 50% reload perk up to a maximum of $250.

We have to include the good peeps at BetOnline.ag to round out the list. They know what players value in an NCAA football betting website, and they deliver the goods.

At BetOnline.ag the lines are posted early, the payouts are swiftly processed, the bonuses are robust, and the customer service is extraordinary.

Why Bet on College Football?

On Saturdays, who doesn’t like watching college football and making a little money at the same time? If you are reading this article then clearly you do!

We Watch College Football, Let’s Make Money at the Same Time

As football fans, we can’t get enough of the action. On Saturdays, college football games are basically being played from the time we wake up until we go to bed. The sites listed above allow you to place bets from the comfort and convenience of your own home. Imagine waking up and making a bet on your favorite team before you even brush your teeth. Or how about getting a bet in on your lunch break right before a game kicks off. It is all just a simple click away. Join these sites and you will see how easy and real it is.

Click on a site and you have the option to choose from well over 40 different college games every week. Much more choices than the NFL’s standard 13-15 game slate.

The larger selection of games means there are more opportunities for you to find a spot you like. Dig deep and do the research on the less popular games and you may be surprised to find some advantages that other bettors are unaware of.

How To Place A Football Bet Online Live

What Else Is Different Between Betting on College Football and NFL?

Most of you are probably much more familiar with betting on NFL games. Fortunately, the betting process for college football is exactly the same. There’s more to it than just a larger selection of games, a lot more actually.

Looser Lines

Yes, this is true. Think about how popular the NFL is. Only 13-15 games per week, Everyone knows every team. The news about each player’s injuries or troubles is accessible to anyone who wants to know. Type in a player’s name on a popular social media platform and all the information is right there. Oddsmakers are very aware and sharp when it comes to predicting outcomes in the NFL.

But what about in college when Savannah State is playing Bethune-Cookman? Or how about when the Towson Tigers take on Elon University? There simply is not enough information out there to come up with as complete and dependable projections.

This is a fun one. Who doesn’t love seeing a powerhouse team like Alabama or Oklahoma as a 41-point favorite? This happens week in and week out on the college football betting board. This is because of something that is much more common in college football than in the NFL- large talent gaps.

How To Place A Football Bet Online Games

More Really Good Teams and Really Bad Teams in College

There are 32 teams in the NFL. Players get to the NFL by standing out in college and continually outworking the people around them. The point being, NFL players are all professionals that get paid big bucks to perform at a high level. Of course, some players in the NFL are better than others, but the gap between them is much smaller than the great college players and the……… not so good ones.

How To Bet Nfl Football

In college football, there are 128 Division-I teams alone. Throw in another 169 Division-II programs. You get the point. The kids getting recruited to play football at Florida State and University of Texas are dedicated and aspiring football players. They want to play at the next level. The majority of the members on the football teams at Yale University and Tennessee Tech are much less likely to go on and pursue a career in the NFL.

This means that we will see matchups that look like this. One team is ranked 2nd in the country and had 9 players drafted into the NFL last year. Their opponent maybe hasn’t won a game in two seasons and hasn’t had a player drafted into the NFL since 1976. Therefore, we see college teams favored by forty points regularly. It is extremely rare to see a line in the NFL get above 15 or 16 points.

This is the fun part because it will be personal to you. We can certainly recommend the best sites in terms of overall quality, safety, and ease of use, as we have in the list at the top. But you might be someone who is only interested in which site has the largest first-time deposit bonus. Or maybe you want the site that has three ways to withdraw your money instead of just one. Find out what is important to you and meets your specific needs and demands.

Compare Different Sites

How To Bet Online Football

When we are buying a car, we don’t typically buy the first one we see. We like to look at options and compare not only prices but the pros and cons of each car. Which has better gas mileage, which car is more spacious, is one newer than the other, is one faster? These are all valid questions we want to ask and have answered before choosing the car.

Why should betting on college football games online be any different? There are so many sites out there, look at all your options first. See if some are easier to use than others or if certain sites offer better promotions than others. If finding the perfect fit for you is important, then do not skip this step.

Play on Multiple Sites

We encourage you to join more than one site and be active. We talked about finding the best line. If a team is +4.5, we won’t know if they are +5 on another site unless we are actively scanning multiple sites and checking the lines.

Take Advantage of the Deposit Bonuses and Cash-Back Rewards

This is another important reason to play on multiple sites. Many sites offer significant deposit bonuses, but only on your first and initial deposit. Say you want to deposit $200 and start betting. Instead of using one site, put $100 into 2 separate sites, or even put $50 into 4 different sites.

Because each site will have unique reward programs, depositing on multiple sites will potentially earn you more money back. Make sure you are taking full advantage of all the cash-back rewards. Read through the information before depositing to make sure you are using the right promotional code to earn you the most possible cash back.

Another great thing about this is after some sampling you will begin to realize which sites are better suited for you. You may notice some are much faster than others getting your money withdrawn. Some sites may lag in updating line movements and therefore you don’t trust them entirely. The more sites you experience the more you will be able to weed through the ones that don’t satisfy you.

College Football Is That Exciting

Can You Place A Bet Online

When you don’t pay the players, they are playing simply for pride and to win. They leave it all out on the field and it is reflected in the final product we see.

How To Place A Football Bet Online Betting

Watching the game becomes even more exciting when you are financially invested into it. We want to bet on the games, we just need to know the best place to do so.

As mentioned, we took into consideration multiple factors to choose the best sites. Whether it is that fat juicy deposit bonus or the speediness of the transactions, we covered all the bases for you. The sites recommended ensure the user the best betting experience the internet has to offer.