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How To Bet On NFL Games - 2023/24 Guide

The NFL is the most popular sport in the US by a country mile, but how do you bet on NFL games? This guide will teach you everything you need to know!

Guide to How to bet on nfl games

Learn How To Bet On NFL Games

When it comes to betting on NFL games, you have three primary wagering options: the moneyline, total points (over/under), and handicap (spread) markets.

But it's important to note that NFL betting offers a wide array of wagering opportunities beyond these three main bet types.

Our comprehensive, step-by-step guide on how to bet on NFL games will equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to embark on an exciting journey into the world of NFL betting!

Before You Start - NFL Betting Checklist

Ian Rutherford

Before you can start betting on NFL games, make sure you meet the following requirements to ensure that you're eligible to wager on the NFL this season.

  • You are at least 21 years old.
  • You are located in a state with legal online sports betting.

States with legal NFL betting

StateOnlineIn-Person
AlabamaXX
AlaskaXX
Arizona
Arkansas
CaliforniaXX
Colorado
Connecticut
DelawareX
FloridaXX
GeorgiaXX
HawaiiXX
IdahoXX
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
MainePendingPending
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
MinnesotaXX
MississippiX
MissouriXX
MontanaX
NebraskaXPending
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New MexicoX
New York
North CarolinaPending
North DakotaX
Ohio
OklahomaXX
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South CarolinaXX
South DakotaX
TennesseeX
TexasXX
UtahXX
VermontPendingX
Virginia
WashingtonX
Washington D.C.
West Virginia
WisconsinX
WyomingX

How To Bet On NFL Games - Step-By-Step

Betting on the NFL is super fun and easy to do, follow these steps and you'll be well on your way to betting on NFL games this season!

1

PICK A SPORTS BETTING SITE THAT OFFERS NFL BETTING

The first thing you need to do in order to start betting on the NFL is to find a betting site that offers NFL betting. If you aren't sure which betting sites offer NFL betting, take a look at our list of our favorite NFL betting sites below!

🏈 NFL Betting Site⭐️ Key Feature
Caesars SportsbookExclusive NFL live streaming
FanDuel SportsbookBest NFL Same Game Parlays
DraftKings SportsbookGreat NFL promos & daily pools
BetMGMGreat for NFL parlays
Bet365Best NFL live betting
UnibetRegular NFL odds boosts
BetRiversGood NFL odds and live betting
2

CREATE YOUR BETTING ACCOUNT

Next you'll need to create your account with the betting site you've chosen. This step usually takes anywhere between 5-10 minutes to complete and you will need the following personal info ready to provide:

  • Full name
  • Date of birth
  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • US mailing address
  • The last 4 digits of your SSN (used to keep your account safe and secure)
  • Proof of identity (Government-issued ID, utility bill, etc.)

Learn how to create a betting account ↓

3

PLACE A BET ON AN NFL GAME

Once you've created your new betting account and have deposited funds to wager with, navigate to the NFL section of your sportsbook and find the game you want to bet on.

In NFL betting, you have three primary bet types to choose from: the moneyline, total points, and handicap (spread) markets.

  • Moneyline Market: This is a straightforward bet where you wager on the game's outright winner.
  • Total Points Market: This bet involves predicting whether the game will result in a total score that goes over or under a specific points threshold.
  • Handicap Market: In this market, one team is given a point advantage to even out the odds, making the bet more competitive. The handicap market often sees significant action in NFL betting.

Learn about the different ways to bet on NFL games ↓

Best NFL Betting Bonuses

21+. Bet Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

  1. First Bet up to $1,000 on Caesars

  2. Bet $5, Win $200 in Bonus Bets

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  5. Bet $5, Get $150 or
    $1,000 First Bet Safety Net

    Get $150 in Bonus Bets After Your First Real Money $5 Wager or Up to $1,000 Back in Bonus Bets if Your First Wager Loses
    21+. New customers only. Limit one bonus per user.
    Offer available in AZ/CO/IA/IN/KY/LA/NJ/NC/OH/VA.
    First online real money wager for both offers. $10 first deposit required within 30 days.
    Minimum wager of $5 required to claim the $150 bonus bets.
    Loss refunded as bonus bets up to $1,000 with Safety Net Offer.
    Bonus issued as non withdrawable bonus bets that expires in 30 days.
    See full T&C at Bet365. #ad

  6. Second Chance Bet up to $500

  7. Second Chance Bet up to $500

  8. Get $105 on Fred
    if your first bet loses

  9. First Bet Reset up to $250 in Bonus Bets

NFL Betting Tip

Promotions are a great method to get more value from a betting site, but don't feel like you have to stick to just one! You may open an account with as many sports betting sites as you like and receive the welcome bonus from as many of them as you want!

So go ahead and try a few different betting sites out if you're not sure which one will be the best for you and your personal betting needs.

Types of NFL Bets

If you're brand new to betting on the NFL you might be wondering what are the different ways to bet on NFL games. Well, luckily for you we've taken the time to break down the most popular ways to bet on the NFL, including:

NFL Moneyline Betting

Betting the Moneyline (ML) is the most straightforward type of bet to place on NFL games. Moneyline betting is where you are just betting on the winner of the game. Nothing more, nothing less.

Betting the Moneyline is a great way for new sports bettors to start betting on the NFL as not much experienced is required to understand how betting on the Moneyline works.

How to bet on the Moneyline

Follow these 4 simple steps to place a Moneyline bet on an NFL game:

  1. Simply pick a team to win
  2. Tap on that team's 'Moneyline' odds
  3. Enter how much you want to bet on them
  4. Tap the 'Place Bet' button to place your wager

In this example, we are placing a Moneyline bet on the Week 1 matchup between the San Francisco 49ers (-305) and the Chicago Bears (+240).
We are betting $100 on the San Francisco 49ers to win at -305 odds.

What is the difference between plus odds and negative odds?

Ian Rutherford

When comparing odds, it's crucial to understand that when a team has negative odds that means they are the favorite to win. When a team has plus odds, they are considered the underdog.

In the example above, the San Francisco 49ers' odds to win the game are -305, meaning you would have to wager $305 to win $100. The Chicago Bears' odds to win the game are priced at +240, meaning you would win $240 if you placed a $100 bet.

NFL Spread Betting

Spread betting is another one of the most common ways to bet on the NFL because unlike the lop-sided odds typically associated with moneyline betting, you can get great value out of betting on the spread of a game.

Most NFL games have a clear favorite and a clear underdog, which can make it difficult to find value in betting on the moneyline in many cases. However, with spread betting, you can get much better value betting on either the favorite to cover the spread or the underdog to cover the spread.

What does cover the spread mean?

The 'spread' in betting is effectively a points handicap that the bookmakers/odds makers set for a game.

To cover the spread in sports betting, a team must overcome the point spread set by a sportsbook. Each game has a predetermined favorite and an underdog, and if a bettor bets on the favorite to win by more than the point spread, or on the underdog to at least lose by less than the point spread, they will win their bet.

Let's look at a quick example.

  • San Francisco 49ers -7 (-110)
  • Chicago Bears +7 (-110)

In the Week 1 matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears the point spread (also known as the betting line) is set at -7 for the 49ers and +7 for the Bears. This means that the 49ers need to win by at least 8 points or more in order to 'cover the spread', whereas the Bears need to either win the game or lose by no more than 8 points to cover the spread. If the 49ers win by 7 points then the bet will be considered a 'push' and there will be no winner or loser, meaning any money wagered on that bet will be returned.

How to bet on the Point Spread

Follow these 4 steps to place a bet on the point spread of an NFL game:

  1. Start by picking which team you think will cover the spread
  2. Tap on that team's 'Point Spread' odds
  3. Enter how much you want to bet on them to cover the spread
  4. Tap the 'Place Bet' button to place your wager

In this example, we are placing a bet on the Week 1 matchup between the San Francisco 49ers -7 (-110) and the Chicago Bears +7 (-110).
We are betting $100 on the San Francisco 49ers to cover the spread (win by at least 8 points in this case) at -110 odds.

For NFL spread betting we recommend:

21+. Bet Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

  1. High value odds

  2. Adjustable spreads

Over Under

Over Under betting, also known as betting on the 'Total' of a game is where you are betting strictly on the combined amount of points scored in the game by both teams. When betting the over/under (or points total), the winner of the game has zero effect on the outcome of the bet. When betting on the Over or the Under, either team can win the game and you can still win your bet as long as the points are either over or under the set total amount.

How does over under betting work?

Over/Under betting is a type of sports betting where you are betting on the total number of points scored in a game. Before every game, bookmakers set a predefined line for the total points of the game, on which you may wager whether the total number of points will be above or below that amount.

Let's look at a quick example:

  • The Over/Under for the NFL Week 1 matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears is set at 41.5 points.
  • If you bet on the Over, the final combined score of the game needs to be at least 42 points in order for the bet to win.
  • If you bet on the Under, the final combined score of the game needs to be at most 41 points in order for the bet to win.

How to bet on the Over Under

Follow these 4 steps to place a bet on the point spread of an NFL game:

  1. Find the game you want to bet on
  2. Tap on the odds for the Over or Under depending on how many total points you think will be scored in the game
  3. Enter the amount of money you want to wager
  4. Tap the 'Place Bet' button to lock in your wager

In this example, we are placing a bet on the total points for the NFL Week 1 matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears, where the O/U is set at 41.5 points.
We are betting $100 on the Over (which means we need at least 42 combined total points in the game for our bet to win) at -110 odds.

For Over Under betting we recommend:

21+. Bet Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

  1. Early lines

  2. Good alternate lines available

NFL Parlay Betting

Parlay betting, explained in the most straightforward way, is a special type of wager that consists of multiple bets that are combined into one singular bet with multiplied odds. Parlay betting offers an increased payout for bettors, as the individual odds for the selections that make up the parlay are multiplied by each other to create the odds for the parlay. To make things a little easier to understand, let's look at an example of a parlay bet.

Parlay Bet Example

  • San Francisco 49ers -7 (-110)
  • Buffalo Bills -2.5 (-110)
  • Philadelphia Eagles -4 (-110)
  • Jacksonville Jaguars ML (+140)
  • 4 leg parlay at +1570 odds

In this example above, we took 4 individual NFL bets and combined them into a 4 leg parlay, essentially turning 4 smaller bets into one larger combined bet with a higher payout. As you can see, you can combine different types of bets from different games to create a parlay. The only restriction on creating a parlay is that you can't have two conflicting bets in the same parlay. For example, if you had the Jaguars ML in your parlay, you could not add their opposition's ML to the same parlay. With parlay betting, all legs of the parlay need to win in order for the parlay to be a successful bet. Because of this, parlay bets are considered high-risk, high-reward bets.

How do parlays work?

In betting, parlays work by selecting multiple individual bets and combining them into one larger, singular bet. The draw of parlays is that they offer large odds that can potentially win large sums of money with relatively little money that needs to be wagered. However, they are statistically some of the riskiest bets to make as you need every single leg of a parlay to win in order for the parlay bet itself to win. That's why they are considered high-risk, high-reward bets. In essence, you don't need to wager a lot of money to win a lot of money, but they are statistically difficult to win more often than not.

In general, betting on parlays works as follows:

  • You choose at least two separate (and non-conflicting) bets to combine.
  • Add as many different bets (some bookies may limit the number of "legs" a parlay can be) to your bet slip to create your parlay.
  • Enter how much you would like to wager, and then confirm the amount by tapping/clicking on "place bet"

How to Parlay bet

Create your bet slip

To create and bet on an NFL parlay, start off by finding the games you want to bet on. Once you've done this, follow these steps:

  1. Tap on the odds for the individual betting markets you want to wager on

For this example, we are creating an NFL parlay that consists of the following picks:

  • San Francisco 49ers -7 (-110)
  • Buffalo Bills -2.5 (-110)
  • Philadelphia Eagles -4 (-110)
  • Jacksonville Jaguars ML (+140)

Wager on your parlay

  1. Enter the amount of money you want to wager
  2. Tap the 'Place Bet' button to lock in your wager

For Parlay betting we recommend:

21+. Bet Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

  1. Best parlay betting markets available

  2. 'Parlay Plus' profit boosts

NFL Same Game Parlay Betting

A sub-category of parlay betting, same game parlays are a special type of wager that consists of multiple bets on the same game that are combined into one singular bet. NFL Same Game Parlays can be comprised of any type of game or player prop bet as long as they are not overtly conflicting, such as picking the over and the under for points total, or for both teams to win for example. To make things a little easier to understand, let's look at an example of an NFL Same Game Parlay bet.

Parlay Bet Example

  • Josh Allen over 1.5 passing touchdowns (-174)
  • Matthew Stafford over 274.5 passing yards (-103)
  • Stefon Diggs over 67.5 receiving yards (-111)
  • 3 leg Same Game Parlay at +390 odds

In this example above, we took 3 individual NFL bets from the same game and combined them into a 3 leg Same Game Parlay. As you can see, you can combine different types of bets, such as game bets and player props from the same game to create a Same Game Parlay.

How do Same Game Parlays work?

In betting, Same Game Parlays work by selecting multiple outcomes from one game and combining them into one larger, singular bet. By combining multiple outcomes, the odds of each outcome of multiplied by each other, creating a singular bet with larger odds. The advantage of Same Game Parlays compared to regular parlays is that the different legs of a Same Game Parlay can be somewhat intertwined and boost the implied odds of your bet winning. For example, if you believe that Tom Brady is going to have a big game where he throws for 300+ yards and over 2.5 touchdowns, then you can bet on his primary receivers to have a lot of yards or touchdown scores as well. Essentially, if you are correct about your prediction for a game's narrative, you can cash in big on that by creating a winning Same Game Parlay.

How to bet Same Game Parlay

Create your Same Game Parlay bet slip

Follow these steps to create and wager on a Same Game Parlay:

  1. Find the game you want to create a Same Game Parlay for
  2. Navigate the betting markets to find the Same Game Parlay tab
  3. Tap on the picks you want to add to your Same Game Parlay

For this example, we are creating an NFL Same Game Parlay that consists of the following picks:

  • Josh Allen over 1.5 passing touchdowns (-174)
  • Matthew Stafford over 274.5 passing yards (-103)
  • Stefon Diggs over 67.5 receiving yards (-111)

Wager on your Same Game Parlay

Once you've added your picks to your Same Game Parlay, follow these steps to place your wager on your newly created SGP.

  1. Enter the amount of money you want to wager
  2. Tap the 'Place Bet' button to lock in your wager

For Same Game Parlay betting we recommend:

21+. Bet Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

  1. Offers the most SGP betting markets

  2. 'Parlay Plus' profit boosts applied to SGP's

NFL Live Betting

Live betting is an entertaining and popular way to bet on the NFL. Once an NFL game kicks off, the pre-game markets officially close and the live betting markets open. Depending on which NFL betting site you use, the live betting markets can be just as deep as the pre-game markets, however, as the game progresses the price of the odds changes as well.

How does NFL live betting work?

Functionally speaking, live betting on the NFL works in a very similar manner to pre-game betting on NFL games. You will find many of the same betting markets such as moneyline, total points, player props, etc. The key difference between pre-game wagering and live betting is that the odds for each market change as the game progresses. When it comes to live betting, speed is key. While you can live bet on final result stats such as the winner of the game (moneyline) and total points (O/U), you can also bet on special live markets such as the result of the next drive or what type of play the next snap will be (run or pass).

Let's look at a quick example of when live betting can be more valuable than pre-game betting:

  • Let's say the Green Bay Packers (-333) are heavy favorites over the Atlanta Falcons (+265), and even though you are confident the Packers will win, you don't want to bet on such short odds.
  • What you can do in this situation is wait for the game to start and see if Atlanta comes out and scores first. If that happens, that will swing the odds in Atlanta's favor, thus giving you the chance to now take the Packers moneyline at more valuable odds.

How to live bet NFL games

Follow these 4 steps to place a bet on the point spread of an NFL game:

  1. Find the live game you want to bet on in the NFL section
  2. Tap on the live betting market you want to bet on
  3. Enter the amount of money you want to wager
  4. Tap the 'Place Bet' button to lock in your wager

For Live Betting NFL we recommend:

21+. Bet Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

  1. Best NFL live betting markets

    Get $150 in Bonus Bets After Your First Real Money $5 Wager or Up to $1,000 Back in Bonus Bets if Your First Wager Loses
    21+. New customers only. Limit one bonus per user.
    Offer available in AZ/CO/IA/IN/KY/LA/NJ/NC/OH/VA.
    First online real money wager for both offers. $10 first deposit required within 30 days.
    Minimum wager of $5 required to claim the $150 bonus bets.
    Loss refunded as bonus bets up to $1,000 with Safety Net Offer.
    Bonus issued as non withdrawable bonus bets that expires in 30 days.
    See full T&C at Bet365. #ad

  2. NFL live streaming

Other Types of NFL Bets

NFL Player Props

Betting on individual player props is another way to bet on NFL games that is rapidly growing in popularity. Considering many NFL bettors have/still play fantasy football, it's not hard to understand why so many people enjoy betting on an individual player's performance rather than a team's performance. In many ways, it's easier to predict how a single player will perform versus an entire team. As a bettor, you might feel much more confident betting on Cooper Kupp to score a touchdown in a game compared to the result of the game itself.

You can also use player prop bets when creating parlays/same game parlays, making them a versatile and useful way to bet, especially if you are a regular watcher of the NFL.

My personal favorite way to bet on the NFL is to bet on anytime touchdown scorer player props!

NFL Future Bets

While betting on NFL futures doesn't necessarily fall under the category of betting on 'NFL Games', it is still a worthwhile way to wager on the NFL. You can bet on things such as which team will win the Super Bowl, who will be the regular season MVP, DPOY, OPOY, Division winners, Conference winners, etc.

These types of bets are long-haul bets that can be a bit trickier to accurately predict given all the small things that can happen in a season than can change the trajectory of a team's success, however you can usually get very valuable odds when betting on futures. So if you feel like you know who will be lifting the Lombardi trophy this year, get your wager in early!

How to Create a Football Betting Account - Step-By-Step

For this example, we will show you the step-by-step process of creating a sports betting account with Caesars Sportsbook.

The exact sign up process can vary from betting site to betting site, but generally, you will need to provide the following information to create your account successfully:

  • Full name
  • Date of birth
  • Email address
  • US mailing address
  • The last 4 digits of your SSN (used to keep your account safe and secure)
  • Proof of identity (Government-issued ID, utility bill, etc.)
  • Establish security questions
1

Choose a football betting site and claim your bonus!

First things first, before you can bet on NFL games you need to have a registered account with a betting site that offers football betting.

You can use our list of football betting sites and/or football betting promotions to claim your welcome bonus and begin the process of registering your new betting account.

2

Register your new football betting account

Once you've decided which betting site you want to sign up with, it's time to create your new betting account!

In this first step, you will need to enter the following general information:

  • First and last name
  • Email address
  • Gender
  • Date of birth
  • Cellphone number
3

Provide additional information

After entering your general info, you will need to provide some additional information that is used to protect your account and keep your identity safe and secure.

You will be asked for the following:

  • Establish security questions
  • Enter the last 4 digits of your SSN (this information is securely stored and only used to verify your identity)
  • Enter your US mailing address
4

Verify your identity

The last step before you can deposit funds into your new betting account and start betting on NFL games is to verify your identity by uploading a government-issued photo ID.

5

Deposit funds into your account

Congrats, at this point your new sports betting account should be registered and verified!

The only thing that's left to do until your account is 100% ready for you to use to bet on NFL games is to deposit some funds that you can use to place wagers.

How to bet on NFL games FAQ

How do you bet on NFL games?

You can bet in a variety of ways on NFL games. You can wager on bet types including the point spread, totals (also known as OVER/UNDERS), and moneyline while betting on the NFL. NFL futures, game and individual props, parlays, teasers, and live betting are among more common NFL wagering options.

For a more in-depth and step-by-step explanation on how you can bet on NFL games, check out our section on how to bet on NFL games.

How old do you have to be to bet on NFL games?

In most states with legal sports betting, you must be at least 21 years old to place a bet on the NFL.

What is the best betting site for NFL betting?

While there are many good NFL betting sites in the US, we recommend using Caesars Sportsbook for betting on the NFL.