NFL Odds, Football Spreads & Betting Lines

If you’re betting on the NFL, understanding how to read NFL odds is critical. Whether you're checking the NFL Vegas odds for this week or the latest futures odds, you’ll run into a few common terms — NFL point spreads, moneylines and totals.

Spreads show how many expected points separate two teams. You might see:

This means the Chiefs are the favorites by a negative spread of 6.5 points. They need to win by more than 6 to cover. The Eagles have a positive spread, so they can lose by fewer points than 7 or win outright for that bet to pay. Sometimes, a half point makes all the difference.

This type of line helps balance the action. A consensus line may shift based on where more wagers are going.

A moneyline bet just asks you to pick the winner. The odds tell you how much you’d win based on risk:

Negative numbers show the favorite (American odds), so you’d need to bet $150 on the Raiders to win $100. A positive number like +130 means a $100 bet on the Bears would pay $130 if they win.

Totals let you bet on the points scored by both teams combined. A book might list:

Betting the over means you think the teams will combine for more than 44.5 points. If you're expecting a slower game with fewer points, under might look better.

Not all books use American-style odds. You might also run into:

Different sportsbooks may show odds in American, fractional or decimal formats, but the idea is the same — odds reflect a team’s chances to win and how much you stand to make.

You won’t always find the same NFL odds everywhere — checking a few sportsbooks can help you get better value on each bet. Books use their own models and betting action to set lines, so prices often vary slightly from one site to another.

A line at +105 instead of +100 might not seem like a big deal, but those small bumps add up over the course of a season. Odds comparison sites and apps can help you spot those differences faster by showing real-time updates across sportsbooks.

There are plenty of ways to bet on football, from regular NFL season games to Super Bowl winners and player stats. Here’s a quick look at the most common National Football League bets:

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

If the Cleveland Browns are playing the Cincinnati Bengals, the moneyline odds from top sportsbook oddsmakers might be Rams -210 and Bengals +175. Betting $210 on the favored team, the 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 American football teams will combine to score over or under the posted number of points.

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

Spread betting is the most popular way to bet on football. It evens the matchup by giving points to the underdog, usually offering the same negative odds at -110.

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, they need to win by 4 points or more to cover the spread. If the Dolphins lose by 3 points or less or win the game, a bet on the Dolphins +3.5 wins.

Prop bets allow you to bet on a wide variety of different in-game events and outcomes. You can usually find three varieties of NFL props at most major sportsbooks: game props, team props and player props.

NFL game props are bets on anything other than the winner of a game. NFL player props like the over/under for Yards Per Game, points scored and bets on other individual player performances are especially popular; you can also bet on things 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'll win.

Who will win the next Super Bowl? What about the NFC Championship, divisional champions, NFC West 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 NFL lines for future events are usually available throughout the year. NFL futures odds are updated all throughout the season.

For example, you might place a futures bet on the Philadelphia Eagles 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.

Parlays let football fans combine betting lines from multiple football games (or multiple lines from the same game) and bet all of them at the same time. If each individual bet hits, your winnings are multiplied rather than added together, but miss one and you lose your whole stake.

For instance, you might build a parlay that looks like this: 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 is a bust.

In-game betting lets you bet in real-time on how the next play could unfold; 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) as before kick-off, with the online betting odds updated as the game progresses.

For instance, in a head-to-head matchup between the Cowboys and the Eagles, if the Cowboys are facing 3rd and 7 on their 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.

Whether you're a seasoned bettor or new to sports betting, NFL betting online is easy to pick up. Here are the steps to place your first bet:

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:

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, our comprehensive online betting tools and resources provide valuable insights for all bettors.

NFL favorites win straight up about 66% to 70% of the time. However, they only cover the spread roughly 50% to 52% of the time, making spread betting more balanced.

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

Compare odds across sportsbooks, look for line movement and avoid blindly betting favorites. Stick to a budget, track your results and learn to spot when public betting is skewing the lines. Sharp bettors win by making smart, disciplined plays — not chasing every game.

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.