NFL Odds, Football Spreads & Betting Lines - Week 17

NFL football is America’s No. 1 attraction for online betting — and Bookmakers Review is the place to be for top-rated NFL picks on all the upcoming games. We’re also your go-to source for all the information that you need to become a sharp bettor. This betting guide will cover how to read football game odds, what bet types are offered on the NFL and give you everything you need to get started betting like a pro.

The first thing you need to understand is how the betting lines work. When you bet on NFL games, you’ll be placing your wagers at an online sportsbook — preferably one of the online betting sites with a high grade at Bookmakers Review. The sports betting operator sets the odds for each betting event throughout the season; place your bet and the book will process your wager and pay if you win.

But how do you read the NFL lines at these betting sites? Let’s look at an example. Consider the following example Super Bowl game between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals written in American odds format:

In this example, the Bengals are the designated home team for this annual event, so they’re listed at the bottom; they are 4.5-point underdogs, meaning they could lose the game by less than 4.5 points and still "cover" the spread, while the Rams needed to win by more than 4.5 points to pay out.

That "-110" in parentheses refers to the vigorish (aka "vig" or "juice") that the online sportsbook or mobile sports betting app charges to process your wagers. Most NFL spreads come with -110 vigorish attached, meaning you bet $110 to win $100 or $11 to win $10.

There is a wide array of betting markets available when it comes to NFL betting. These betting options cover regular season game outcomes, winners of annual championship games and even individual player statistics and achievements. Now let’s take a moment to look at the different types of bets you’ll encounter when you bet on NFL football:

Betting on the moneyline is the simplest form of betting. The moneyline bet asks you to simply pick the winner of a single game or another betting event between two participants.

Consider the following example: If the L.A. Rams are playing the Cincinnati Bengals, the moneyline odds from sportsbook oddsmakers might be Rams -210 and Bengals +175. Betting $210 on the favored Rams would yield a $100 profit if they win. Betting $100 on the underdog Bengals would yield a $175 profit if they win.

Totals betting asks you to pick whether the two teams will combine to score over or under the posted number of points.

For instance, if the total for a game between the L.A. Rams and Cincinnati Bengals is set at 48.5 points, you can place a totals bet on the over (o48.5) or the under (u48.5), typically with -110 odds. If you bet on the over, the combined score must be 49 points or more for you to win. If you bet on the under, the combined score must be 48 points or less for you to win.

Football spread betting is the most popular way to bet. This popular market was invented in the 1940s to make sports betting easier by turning each game into something closer to a 50/50 situation, with the favorite and underdog teams usually offering the same -110 payout. Spread bets help to level the playing field to get sharp money on both sides of the line.

For example, if the New England Patriots are playing the Miami Dolphins, the spread might be Patriots -3.5 and Dolphins +3.5. If you bet on the Patriots -3.5 at -110 odds, they need to win by 4 points or more for you to win the bet. If the Dolphins lose by 3 points or less or win the game, a bet on the Dolphins +3.5 wins.

Prop bets is short for proposition bets and they allow you to bet on a wide variety of different options and outcomes. Prop bets are typically broken down into three distinct categories at most major sportsbooks: game props, team props and player props.

NFL game props let you bet on things other than the outcome of the game itself. Player prop bets like the over/under for Yards Per Game and bets on other individual player performances are especially popular; you can also bet on Yes/No outcomes like whether the football teams in question will go into overtime. There are also team props available to sports bettors as well.

As an example, a seasoned bettor might bet on Josh Allen to throw for over 275.5 yards in a preseason game against the Jets at -115 odds. If he throws for 276 yards or more, you win the bet. If he throws for 275 yards or less, you lose the bet.

Who will win the next Super Bowl? What about the NFC Championship or the AFC East title? Which individual players will win the various NFL player awards, such as the MVP? You’ll find these football betting odds and more on the NFL futures market, where the lines for future events are usually available throughout the year. NFL futures odds are updated all throughout the regular season with each passing game.

For example, you might place a futures bet on the San Francisco 49ers to win the next Super Bowl at +700 odds. If they win, a $100 bet would return $700. If they do not win, you lose your futures wager.

Moving on from the straight wagers to the more exotic bet type, parlays allow you to combine the betting lines from multiple football games (or multiple lines from the same game) and bet all of them at the same time. If all your picks come true, your winnings are multiplied rather than added together — but one loss and the entire parlay loses.

For instance, you might place a parlay bet with the following picks: Green Bay Packers -6.5 against the Chicago Bears at -110 odds, Kansas City Chiefs -7 against the Denver Broncos at -110 odds and Seattle Seahawks +3.5 against the Los Angeles Rams at -110 odds. If all three outcomes happen, a $100 parlay bet would win $596, but if any of these bets lose, the entire parlay loses.

Thanks to the internet, there’s a whole new category of types of bets that have taken betting on sports to the next level. Live betting action lets you bet in real-time on what the outcome of the next play will be; it could be a run or a pass or how many yards the ball will move, for example. You can also place the same straight wagers (spread, moneyline, total) that you can before kick-off, with the online betting odds updated as the game progresses.

One of the reasons live betting has grown so quickly is the crossover appeal for daily fantasy sports players. If you’re already accustomed to poring over game stats and looking for bargains, you’ll have no trouble making the transition from daily fantasy to full-on NFL betting with in-game lines.

For instance, in a head-to-head matchup between the Cowboys and the Eagles, if the Cowboys are facing 3rd and 7 on their own 40-yard line with 10:15 remaining in the 2nd quarter, you might bet on the next play being a pass at -125 odds. If the Cowboys attempt a pass, you win the bet. You lose the bet if they run the ball or the play is a sack.

Betting on NFL games online is straightforward and convenient. Whether you're a seasoned bettor or new to the world of sports betting, following a clear process will help you get started quickly and efficiently. Here's a comprehensive guide to signing up and placing your first NFL bet at a major online sportsbook.

Following these steps ensures a smooth and secure betting experience. Once your account is set up and funded, you can explore various betting options and enjoy the excitement of NFL betting.

Enhancing your success in NFL betting requires a combination of strategy, knowledge and discipline. Here are some tips and strategies to help you become a more effective bettor:

By implementing these tips and strategies, you can enhance your betting experience and improve your chances of making profitable decisions. Remember, successful sports betting requires patience, discipline and continuous learning.

NFL betting offers a wide array of opportunities for sports bettors, from straightforward moneyline bets to more complex options like parlays and prop bets. Understanding how to read and interpret NFL odds and knowing the different types of bets available, can greatly enhance your overall online sports betting experience and potential for success.

This guide has covered the essentials of NFL betting, including moneyline, totals, point spread, parlay, prop, futures and live betting. Each betting type offers unique ways to engage with your favorite teams, players and the game itself.

Remember, for those looking to take their betting strategy to the next level, leveraging our comprehensive online betting tools and resources can provide valuable insights and help you to place more well-informed wagers at your favorite sportsbooks.

The betting favorite wins straight up about two-thirds of the time and about 80-85% of the time the favorite team will also beat the spread.

If you mean the least risky wagers, you will want to bet the moneyline on the stronger team, but always betting favorites can lead to lower profits over the course of the season.

When it comes to online sports betting, to increase your chances of making better betting decisions you should conduct thorough research on team records and player records, analyze historical data, stay updated on key player injuries and team news, consider expert opinions and betting trends.

Both bet types are fine. You might be able to find more value with one NFL betting line or the other on any single game, but it's all the same for the most part.

That depends on your jurisdiction. If you're in the U.S., you have to be at least 18 years old to bet at an offshore site; most states require you to be 21 to gamble at local options like Caesars Sportsbook.