Introduction to NFL Betting
| Updated: November 10, 2025
Unsurprisingly, American Football is the favorite sport of 35% of Americans, so, naturally, the NFL is one of the most popular sporting events. It receives more media coverage than any other sporting event. It has had a profound effect on American culture, and many fans love to bet on the games. Most do it for the excitement it adds to watching, but some are serious bettors. If you wish to join their ranks, this guide will help you place informed bets on the next NFL game.
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The Basics
The basics of NFL betting are mostly the same as those of any other sport. You need to be unbiased in order to make the best possible betting decision. For instance, being loyal to a certain team or player will make you less likely to predict the outcomes of all games accurately. We hear you all the way from there: “But they’re my favorites, they’re the best, they can’t lose!” Well, maybe and maybe not. There are too many variables to expect a single team to always win.
On the other hand, not being a die-hard fan could also be a major disadvantage. You need to be fully familiar with everything about the sport, the NFL, the teams, the coaches, the players, and more. There are many details to watch closely. A single fact from a player’s medical history may be the difference between a huge win and a devastating loss.
So, to place successful bets on NFL games, you need to be an experienced bettor and an engaged fan of the league. With the help of our guide, we hope you will come a little closer to that ideal.
Understanding the Odds
If you want to start placing NFL bets, you will need to acquaint yourself with the American betting odds or, if you are new to sports betting, with how odds work in general. Odds basically tell you how much money you will make if you win. They can be odds-on or odds-against. Odds-on give you a better chance to win, but the profit will be smaller than your stake. Odds-against are riskier but pay more. There are also even-money odds, in which case you would double your stake if you win.
Now, when it comes to American or Moneyline odds, they can be either positive or negative, and they are centered on the number 100. There are several ways to calculate what your payout would be with such odds. We have dedicated a separate article to help you fully understand every type of odds you might encounter when betting on the NFL.
Betting on the NFL
There are two ways to place a bet on the NFL, as with almost any other sporting event: at a land-based location or online. In the United States, you can place bets in person almost exclusively in Las Vegas, Nevada and in a few other states that have begun offering sports betting since the recent lifting of the federal ban. They are just getting started, so Las Vegas is still your best option. There, almost every casino has a floor specifically for sports betting. The downside is that not everyone can reach such a location. If you are not in the United States, you may not be able to place a bet in a shop at all.
Online sports betting is a different story, though. It is accessible to far more bettors, and it does not require you to travel to a specific location just to place a single bet. This also depends on where you live, as some countries and states do not allow sports betting, including online wagering. So, the first thing you need to do once you decide to bet on the NFL or any sport is to make sure it is legal in your jurisdiction.
NFL Bets
When it comes to betting on NFL games, you will find just about every betting option because the events are so popular. This includes basic bets such as point spreads and totals, as well as alternative bets like moneylines, futures, props, and more. You will find these betting options at every online sportsbook.
You may not have as many options in a betting shop, though. You will most likely encounter only the basic wagers, and the experience will be very different from what you find online. It is far more intense and exciting than online betting. If you enjoy the social aspect of betting, then you are more likely to prefer land-based sports betting shops to online ones. The crowds of energized fans are intoxicating, and you are bound to have some fun with fellow supporters of your team. Of course, things can get heated if fans of the opposing side are present, but disputes rarely escalate in betting shops.
We will go into more detail about the different types of bets you can place on NFL games, both in land-based venues and online, later in the guide. You will have the chance to learn exactly which type of wager suits you best.
Betting Strategies
There are many ways to be a sports bettor: you can be a casual player, you might place bets only when your favorite team is playing, or you could be a pro. For that, you will need to use a betting strategy. There are both basic and advanced strategies, depending on your understanding of the sport and of sports betting itself. We will delve deeper into them later on.
What is important to note from the beginning is that you need to set some ground rules for yourself. You must decide whether you will be playing for fun or trying to make a profit. If you are playing purely for entertainment, you likely have a substantial bankroll, because otherwise it would be unwise to bet without a strategy. If, on the other hand, you aim to turn a profit and become a respected sports bettor, you probably already know the importance of money management.
Money management in any form of gambling is probably the hardest part. It is difficult to decide in advance how much you will wager and how large your bets will be. It is even harder to stick to that plan when you are losing. However, if you cannot do this, we recommend you stay away from gambling altogether. Sticking to a budget is essential, and if you are at risk of wagering all available funds, you are at risk of developing a gambling problem, which is not something to take lightly.
Conclusion
This is only the introduction to what you will need on your journey to becoming a successful NFL bettor. We will carefully guide you and provide all the information required for you to start making successful bets both in land-based betting shops and online. The purpose of this guide is to educate those who are already interested in sports betting, and we cannot promise that all of your bets will be successful once you have followed our instructions. Gambling in all its forms involves the risk of losing your stake every time. Please, play responsibly.