Football brings in more betting handle than any other sport in the US. The NFL regular season presents a schedule of betting opportunities that make the league a unique venture for sports bettors.

• Betting Odds Nfl Playoffs 2019
• Betting Lines On Nfl Playoff Games
• Betting Odds On Nfl Games Today
• Betting Odds On Nfl Games This Weekend

Starting with the season’s opening weekend, the NFL plays through a 17-week regular-season schedule each year. Each team plays 16 games with one bye week, and every weekend offers anywhere from 12-16 games open for betting.

The NFL season always brings plenty of surprises, and a team that might seem like a great pick early in the season often ends up as a weekly underdog later in the year.

The Chiefs are listed at 6/1 odds (Bet $100 to win $600), while the defending champion Buccaneers are the third-betting choice at 10/1. In between Kansas City and Tampa Bay are the Green Bay Packers, who are currently at 9/1 odds. Here is a quick reference on Super Bowl odds for the upcoming 2021 NFL season. How to read NFL Las Vegas Odds. NFL betting explained: NFL odds, point spreads, and more By VegasInsider.com VegasInsider.com is the most recognized brand for the US sports betting audience, offering betting odds and quality.

Bonus.com NFL Odds Calculator

How NFL Regular Season Odds Are Calculated

• OVER/UNDER Betting. NFL Odds - Prop Bets. NFL prop bets focus on a specific event within an NFL game, but don’t necessarily relate to the result. With thousands of prop markets, you can find NFL betting odds on things like how many yards a quarterback will pass for, if you think there will be a safety, or which player will score the first.
• Single-Game NFL Bets This example NFL betting line displays the spread, moneyline, and total. When you open a site from our list of best NFL betting sites, you will see the following wagers displayed for each game: point spread bets, moneyline bets, and totals bets. These three will almost always be grouped together, appearing on a “line.

The most popular ways to bet on the NFL include moneyline, point spread, and totals betting. Online sportsbooks offer several other ways to bet on NFL games, but it’s important to understand the way fundamental football betting works.

For example, here’s a look at the odds on the Week 13 matchup between the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers from the 2020 NFL regular season. The lines on that game from DraftKings Sportsbook looked like this right before kickoff:

Point Spread

The point spread listed for an NFL game adds points to the underdog’s final score, or subtracts from the favorite’s final point total.

In the example above, the 49ers stand as a 1.5-point favorite over the Bills. For betting purposes, 1.5 points will be added to Buffalo’s score at the end of the game.

If San Francisco wins 31-30, for example, Bills bettors would win the wager. Buffalo would finish with 31.5 points to the 49ers 31 points.

Totals

Totals bets simply task the bettor with picking whether the final score will end up under or over the listed point total. For instance, the 31-30 San Francisco win we’ve talked about above would result in a win for Over 48 at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Moneyline

Moneyline bets represent a straight-up wager on what team will win the game, with no point spread involved. Winning bets on the underdog pay off at better odds than the favorite, and a big NFL upset can lead to a big payout on the underdog.

Calculating American Odds

Note that all of the lines on the Bills-49ers games offer payout odds listed in American Odds. The -110 seen on both sides of the points spread and totals line represents a bet that pays -110 American Odds.

To calculate “-“ American Odds, divide 100 by the odds number (without the minus sign) and multiply that quotient by the amount wagered.

For example, a $50 bet that pays -110 odds would calculate as (100/110)*$50, which converts to (.909*$50) and then to $45.45. A $50 winning bet on -110 odds would return $95.45 total to the bettor ($45.45 profit plus the original $50 bet).

Calculating “+” odds, like the +106 payout on the Bills moneyline bet, involves a slightly different formula. “+” payouts are calculated by dividing the odds number by 100, then multiplying by the amount wagered to determine the profit.

A $50 bet on the +106 line for Buffalo would solve as (110/100)*$50, which calculates to (1.1*$50) and then to $55.

A $50 winning wager at +106 odds would return $105 total to the bettor ($55 profit plus the original $50 bet).

What Causes Point Spread And Moneyline Odds To Change During The Week?

Suppose the Bills-49ers game showed the 49ers as a -4 favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook a week before the game, but by game day the line showed the -1.5 point spread listed above.

The lines on an NFL game can change as the week goes on, sometimes shifting dramatically. Changes can occur right up until kickoff.

If a sportsbook gets too many bets on one side of a line, the book stands to lose big if that side wins. To combat this, sportsbooks will shift the point spread and moneyline odds one way or another, in an effort to get the right amount of money (from the sportsbook’s money-making perspective) on each side of the game.

What Is An NFL Odds Calculator?

The Bonus.com NFL Odds Calculator provides an invaluable tool for researching the lines on each NFL game. We update the lines each week for all NFL regular season games and compare the odds available at each of the top online sportsbooks in the US.

The NFL Odds Calculator presents a comprehensive menu of point spread, moneyline, and totals bets for every week of the NFL season.

How To Use An NFL Odds Calculator

The toggle menu at the top left of the Bonus.com NFL Odds Calculator allows you to look at spreads, moneyline, and totals lines for all games in the upcoming week of the NFL season.

The “open” column shows the odds on the game at the beginning of the week. You can compare that to the various lines offered by each sportsbook on the right, allowing you to evaluate which way the lines have moved throughout the week.

The best odds on a chosen game are highlighted in yellow, displaying the sportsbook offering the best value on a given bet.

With many states offering multiple different online sportsbooks, research and line shopping are essential aspects of a winning betting strategy. The Bonus.com NFL Odds Calculator puts all of the research you need on one page.

Check back with the Bonus.com NFL Odds Calculator every week to see the latest lines at the top sportsbooks in the US.

Where Can I Bet On the NFL Regular Season And Playoffs?

DraftKings Sportsbook

Football bettors in nine US states can legally wager on the NFL with DraftKings Sportsbook. One of the most popular sports betting platforms in the nation, DraftKings Sportsbook offers its services in the following states:

• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• Indiana
• Iowa
• West Virginia
• Tennessee
• New Hampshire
• Virginia
• Michigan

DraftKings offers several different ways to bet on the NFL each week.

Moneyline, point spread, parlays, totals, and player prop bets represent just some of the ways to bet on NFL games at DraftKings Sportsbook. Live in-game betting, which features rapidly changing lines as the game progresses, opens up even more ways to bet on the NFL.

FanDuel Sportsbook

Another of the most popular sports betting brands in the US, FanDuel Sportsbook presents a comprehensive menu of betting options on the NFL season.

FanDuel Sportsbook consistently offers some of the most competitive weekly point spread, moneyline, and totals odds on the NFL. In-game betting options include live player props, with odds that change multiple times as a game plays on.

FanDuel Sportsbook legally operates in these states:

• New Jersey
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Colorado
• West Virginia
• Virginia
• Michigan

BetMGM Sportsbook

The BetMGM online sportsbook operates as the mobile sports brand offered by MGM Resorts. BetMGM offers legal online sports betting in the following states:

• New Jersey
• Nevada
• Colorado
• Tennessee
• Pennsylvania
• Iowa
• Virginia
• Michigan

Bettors of all experience levels would do well to include BetMGM among their options for betting on the NFL each week. The mobile sportsbook offering from BetMGM includes a robust number of ways to bet each week.

NFL Odds Calculator FAQ

Yes, as long as it’s done from a state-regulated, legal sportsbook. Bonus.com offers up-to-date information on which states have legal sports betting, and what sportsbooks are live in those states.

Some states offer both online and retail sports betting, while others are restricted to just land-based sportsbooks.

Yes. The Bonus.com NFL Odds Calculator is 100% legal, and you can rest assured that sharp bettors across the country are using a tool like this every time they bet.

If you live in a state with several online sportsbooks to choose from, you’re missing out on value and optimized betting strategy if you’re not using an odds calculator.

Spreads, totals, and moneyline. The Bonus.com NFL Odds Calculator allows you to toggle among all three of the most popular ways to bet on NFL games.

The latest lines for all three of these ways to bet are on display for the top sportsbooks in the US when you use the Bonus.com NFL Odds Calculator.

The Bonus.com NFL Odds Calculator highlights the best odds for each game in yellow. In most cases, more than one of the sportsbooks listed on the calculator will offer the best odds on a game.

The lines can shift dramatically day-to-day, however, so be sure to check back daily for the updated betting information.

Some states offer more online sports betting brands than others, and some states don’t allow any kind of legal sports betting.

Check out the Bonus.com guide to online sports betting for a comprehensive outline of what states allow legal sports betting, and which sportsbooks operate in each.

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

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

Betting Odds Nfl Playoffs 2019

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.

Betting Lines On Nfl Playoff Games

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.

Betting Odds On Nfl Games Today

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

Betting Odds On Nfl Games This Weekend

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.