An Expert Guide to Online NFL Football Betting

The Seattle Seahawks are -2.5-point favorites against the Dallas Cowboys.

In this instance, the Seahawks are the favorite, the Cowboys are the underdogs, and the spread is 2.5.

This would typically be stylized on a sportsbook like this:

• Seattle Seahawks -2.5
• Dallas Cowboys +2.5

In this example, if you wager on the Seahawks spread, you would need the Seahawks to win by more than 2.5 points (i.e. three points or more) in order for your bet to payout.

If you were to wager on the Cowboys spread, the Cowboys need to either win, or lose by less than 2.5 points (i.e. by 2 points or fewer).

If the Seahawks won the game 30-28, the Cowboys would “cover the spread”, because even though they lost, they did so by fewer than 2.5 points.

How are NFL Point Spreads Determined?

Point spreads vary slightly from site-to-site, but are generally quite similar. Typically, point spreads are determined mainly on two factors:

• Each team’s record and skill. If a great team is playing a bad one, expect a large point spread. If two good teams are playing each other, you may see point spreads as small as 0.5 points.
• The amount of wagers on each team. If the majority of bets are coming in on one team rather than the other, sportsbooks may alter the spread slightly to provide a more even betting field. This is important to remember, as it means point spreads can change throughout the week. The spread released on Monday morning (the line “opens”), may not be the same as it is when the game kicks off on the following Sunday (the line “closes”).

NFL Moneyline Example

The Seattle Seahawks have odds of -250 on the moneyline against the Dallas Cowboys, while the Cowboys are +200 against the Seahawks. The (-) signals the favorite, the (+) signals the underdog.

In this example, a $100 wager on the Seahawks would pay a profit of $40 if they won, while a $100 wager on the Cowboys would return a profit of $200 if they won. The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward.

Head over to our online sports betting guide to learn more about how to read odds.

NFL Over/Under Example

The Dallas Cowboys and the Seattle Seahawks have a total of 47.5 set for their game. You will often see this stylized like this:

Cowboys vs. Seahawks (Totals)

• Over 47.5 (-110)
• Under 47.5 (-110)

The numbers in brackets signal the odds of each wager. In this instance, both wagers are at -110, signaling an even bet.

The Cowboys win with a final score of 29-20. This is a total combined score of 49 points (29 + 20), which means the over would hit (49 > 47.5)

NFL Live Betting Example

It’s halfway through the second quarter, and the Dallas Cowboys are leading the Seattle Seahawks 20-10. Leading up to the game, the oddsmakers had the Seahawks as heavy favorites, meaning they were expected to win and were offering a low payout.

However, now that the Cowboys are up by ten points, they have become the heavy favourite. With live betting, you could bet on the Seahawks with their new odds if you believe they’ll come back and win, and the odds will be adjusted to reflect a higher payout for the Seahawks.

NFL Parlay Example

The Dallas Cowboys are playing the Seattle Seahawks, and the Green Bay Packers are playing the New York Giants. You place a parlay bet on the Cowboys moneyline and the Packers moneyline.

In this instance, your wager would pay out only if both the Cowboys and the Packers win their games. If they do, your payout would be your wager size, multiplied by the Cowboys odds, multiplied by the Packers odds.

NFL Game Prop Bets

Examples of NFL game props often include: which team will score first? Will the total points be odd or even? How many field goals will be kicked?

NFL Team Prop Bets

The most common NFL team prop bets are on season-long success rates: will the team win more than X amount of games? Will the team make the playoffs?

NFL Player Prop Bets

Examples of NFL game props often include: how many touchdowns/yards will a quarterback throw for? How many receiving yards will a receiver have? Will player X score a touchdown at any time during the game?

NFL Special Prop Bets

These types of prop bets are similar to the Super Bowl example above, and often have less to do with the games themselves. They may include whether or not the commentators will mention a certain topic, how many times a player is shown on the bench, if a player will wear something out of the ordinary, etc.

NFL Season Prop Bets

NFL season prop bets can vary widely. Many are similar to future bets, wherein you wager on the league MVP, Super Bowl winner, conference champion, who will be drafted first overall, etc. Sometimes, however, season prop bets can be a little wilder and include topics like whether or not any games will be cancelled due to weather.