Best NFL Betting Sites & Apps in 2025

Top 5 Best Football Betting Sites & Apps: Summary

1. BetMGM - Best for overall NFL betting experience. Superb live betting options while games are in progress with a comprehensive base of NFL markets and competitive odds. All this plays out on a great app.

2. Caesars - Best for consistently delivering top NFL odds. Caesars is great for boosts which begin from the moment you sign up to its top-class app. NFL boosts then run regularly. 50% boosted NFL parlay odds are particularly appealing at Caesars.

3. FanDuel - Best for NFL prop bets. With a wealth of player, game and team markets, FanDuel’s customizable parlay prop options give you greater control than ever before even when a game has gone crazy.

4. DraftKings - Best for NFL same game parlays - both pregame and live. The original SGP innovator, DraftKings makes combining a host of options into one bet a breeze with its easy to use parlay tools.

5. Fanatics - Best for new and inexperienced NFL bettors. The swish yet simple, modern and appealing Fanatics app looks great and is so easy to find what you want to bet on.

Best Football & NFL Sportsbooks Reviewed

Fans are spoiled for choice when it comes to NFL betting with some of the best sportsbooks in the entire world competing for your dollars. Each of the biggest books delivers its unique take on football betting and it pays to shop the lines in the hunt for wagering value.

1. BetMGM

Why BetMGM is the Best NFL Sportsbook

BetMGM is one of the most popular and comprehensive sportsbooks operating across the US. The famous black-and-gold MGM branding adorns its smart-looking sports betting app. The depth of markets and consistently top-end odds make BetMGM the overall pick of the bunch for NFL betting. Everything you’d expect from the best app for NFL betting is here along with a smattering of cool unique ways to wager. 

NFL Parlay and live betting options are a particular strength for BetMGM. Odds boosts at the more generous end of the market make betting on football with BetMGM more rewarding if your wager hits. Regular parlay and SGP insurance deliver less of a punch if a favorite blows an entire combo bet.

Lions Boosts are the brand’s prime odds boost offering and they appear daily and are most often available for big NFL weekends or Thursday and Monday Night Football. BetMGM’s Lions Boosts can also be found on a state-specific basis so you can uplift the price of your favorite NFL team.

Making NFL bets is quick and slick on BetMGM’s powerhouse of an app with available markets easy to find. BetMGM’s revamped bet slip means you can get a wager on in a blink when on the go or watching a big game live. BetMGM probably doesn’t have the stack of NFL stats that some others present you with, but if you don’t want to be overloaded then its neat summary sections will be usable for you.

2. Caesars

NFL & Football Betting at Caesars

A long-established brand in the US, Caesars has built its reputation on the pillars of its casino glamour and solid all-round sports betting experience. Whatever metric you use to measure the worth of its odds - ‘edge’, ‘overround’, ‘juice’, ‘vig’, ‘value’, etc - Caesars usually appears near the top of the standings for good NFL prices. That’s especially true for its football (and specifically NFL) odds.

Caesars has always been strong for traditional bets such as the moneyline and futures. You can build top-dollar parlays from the Emperor's lines as a result. Season-long futures are also up earlier than almost everyone else at Caesars. 

They have every other bet type you’d expect including some top proposition options. A dedicated NCAAF betting menu will also appeal to college football fans.

Caesars is one of only two betting providers to have NFL streaming. You only have to run an active Caesars account that a wager has been made from in the past 12 months to access its official live league broadcasts. 

That, combined with its dynamic live betting markets, makes Caesars a worthy option for in-play NFL betting. The Caesars app is one of the cleanest there is and delivers a frictionless, smooth betting experience. It might not be as flashy as some but that won’t matter to many.

3. FanDuel

NFL & Football Betting at FanDuel

FanDuel is another behemoth in US sports betting. One of the biggest sportsbooks in the nation, FanDuel has become something of a go-to for many football fans keen on a wager. FanDuel has more NFL betting options than most.

Often one of the first to market for NFL odds, FanDuel’s neat betting app is a must for anyone comparing NFL lines ahead of the biggest game days. You’ll find enhanced pricing in the form of NFL odds and profit boosts. Boasting some of the best odds for NFL underdogs, if you’re looking to cover the spread on a road dog then check out FanDuel when betting against the favorite.

FanDuel’s stats features are also some of the best in online content - not just for betting - for delving into the numbers to analyze matchups. Because FanDuel’s sports betting product is tied in with its massive DFS presence, it might be the only account you need to do both. The big blue book handles superbly too with fantasy sports-like gameplay continuing the theme.

4. DraftKings

NFL & Football Betting at DraftKings

DraftKings is at the pinnacle of sports betting options and is another sportsbook with a massive slate of NFL betting markets. A clean and clear app enables ease of browsing odds, placing bets, and keeping a watch over them.

Live NFL wagering is a supreme experience at DraftKings. Partnered with the league, DraftKings in-play bets use official NFL stats that ensure the live lines are sharp. In-game prop bets reflect what’s going on in the field of play, while near-flash bets pop into game events such as the next touchdown or field goal scorer.

As the pioneer of same game parlay betting, DraftKings still delivers. You can edit bets that are in-running, giving users who are watching games a decent level of control. Profit and odds boost tokens feature regularly. DraftKings is also a good option for NFL teasers. The Teasers+ functionality makes building them easy, and you’ll even find an Octopus wager option for big games when conditions allow.

5. Fanatics

NFL & Football Betting at Fanatics

A new(ish) kid on the block, Fanatics Sportsbook has made a few waves as it spreads across the US. The simple appearance of the Fanatics sports betting app will appeal to those not already seasoned in the scene, but there’s a lot more going on too. The Fanatics app is one of the best for navigating to just where you want to be with its smooth performance.

Fanatics is one of the only sportsbooks to have live NFL streaming. If you’re watching football and betting on a handheld device or casting a stream, it’s a great place to make your wagers. You only need to have a Fanatics Sportsbook account to access NFL streaming.  That elevates Fanatics to being one of the best for live NFL betting too and it has a lively selection of prop bets available.

Pre-match betting is equally easy and Fanatics doesn’t do a bad job at all with its NFL odds. The sportsbook has partnerships with a selection of league teams that can enhance its NFL promos for specific franchises. What might have you keep on returning to Fanatics is FanCash though. That’s the Fanatics rewards program that can get you up to 10% cashback on wagers to use at its online retail store.

6. ESPN BET

NFL & Football Betting at ESPN BET

ESPN BET has something of a built-in competitive advantage for blending sports media with betting. Leveraging the power of ESPN’s iconic broadcast brand, it provides users with an immersive betting experience that integrates live odds, personalized insights, and promotions directly linked to ESPN’s content.

This cross-platform integration gives bettors the unique advantage of getting real-time expert NFL analysis, odds boosts, and tailored offers tied to ESPN’s vast sports coverage. All this makes ESPN Bet a top choice for avid NFL fans looking for a comprehensive sports and betting experience.

The actual ESPN Bet app might not have as much to it as some other sportsbooks but it's intuitive and makes making wagers straightforward. All the NFL markets and bet types you’d probably expect are there. You’re unlikely to have any complaints about the odds, parlay options, and straights plus prop bet availability.

7. BetRivers

NFL & Football Betting at BetRivers

BetRivers is consistently something of a middle-of-the-market player for NFL betting. That’s not to say it’s not a strong sportsbook because it is. BetRivers has a loyal army of users for several good reasons. Most of all, everything is easy to see and easy to use.

Extensive listings on its straightforward app mean moneylines, points spreads and totals are BetRivers’ mainstays. Solid odds for straights are usually to be found and you can combine parlays from a multitude of options. 

A separate prop bet section adds to this flexibility. It’s always worth taking a look at the alternate lines at BetRivers to wring more value out of any NFL wager. Another top reason for signing up with BetRivers is that it has more NFL profit boosts than several of its rivals. On top of that, you can also find free to play games from time to time to bolster your NFL betting bankroll if you get lucky.

8. Resorts World Bet

NFL & Football Betting at Resorts World Bet

Resorts World Bet is something of a specialist but only that it’s only available in the State of New York. It’s also a sportsbook that has the feel of a simple sports betting app. Some might even call it a ‘throwback’ as it lacks the polished, flashy feel of others as if one of the bigger providers hasn’t moved forward much. If that doesn’t matter to you, then dive in.

The odds provider for Resorts World Bet doesn’t provide pricing for anyone else in NY so there can be value to be found if you line shop for an edge. Fast, live odds are also available for in-play NFL games with plenty you won’t find elsewhere. 

Daily odds boosts are also available for the NFL during game days. Resorts World Bet has a good rewards program too, so all of the above factors are a good reason to download and try it out.

9. Bally Bet

NFL & Football Betting at Bally Bet

Having gone through a couple of versions, if your primary betting interest lies with betting NFL singles -  moneylines, futures, points spreads, and totals, then Bally Bet is a good choice. It’s still easy to combine multiple legs for parlays, same parlays and teasers though. Bally Bet just does it all in a simple, streamlined manner.

The Bally Bet app rarely has anything you may be unlikely to be interested in for the NFL and that should be a good thing, and there are promos to tempt you in.  BallyBet was built with one of the best integrated social offerings too, so whether you have a pool of buddies to share wagers with or figure there’ll be like-minded NFL fans onboard, you’ll find both.  

The BallyBet app runs fine on iOS and Android and the lack of clutter makes NFL lines really accessible once you’re in.

How We Rate & Review NFL Sportsbooks

Our sportsbook ratings are all based on detailed reviews; our review process involves thoroughly testing and using the particular sports betting app. From the review, we assess sportsbooks against defined criteria to devise a rating.

Our review criteria is formulated from research into what matters most to actual sportsbook users, combined with our industry expert considerations. That means our top-rated NFL betting apps are ranked by a weighted score. They take into account what’s really important for betting on football and specifically wagering on the NFL.

We’re transparent about the methodology we use to complete this process which means you can be sure you’re reading a review and rating that can be trusted. Our rankings and evaluations comprehensively take into account what really matters to NFL fans - from preseason to the Super Bowl to the postseason and every game in between.

Choosing a Good NFL Betting App

The betting app that becomes your favorite will often come down to personal preference and the one you find easiest and most enjoyable to use. When you’re browsing the options for finding the best sports betting app consider the following factors:

🔐 Legal & Secure

You should only consider using a sportsbook for NFL bets that is legal in the jurisdiction in which you’re located. Simply, that’s the law and not doing so opens you to certain risks. If a sports betting provider is legal where you’re using it, it means it’s licensed by the relevant state gaming commission.

Being licensed means that the sportsbook has to adhere to certain regulations, that they are monitored for compliance, and that they can face action if they don’t adhere to the rules. Gambling regulations include those related to fairness, transparency, and security among many others.

Using a legal sportsbook also gives you assurance that your personal and financial details are secure. If you use a non-licensed betting provider (often known as ‘offshore’ operators) you have no guarantee of the security measures they implement. You also have no recourse to complain to the authorities if something goes wrong, or be certain they’ll even payout. And that often matters most.

💵 Welcome Bonus & Customer Promos

Welcome bonuses and ongoing promos are some of the major reasons that users choose a certain NFL betting app in the first place and then keep using them. They provide extra value and enhance the overall experience of using a sportsbook.

Welcome Bonus: Getting off to a good start on your journey using a sportsbook app is great. Welcome bonuses give new users a reward for opening an account, depositing funds, and making opening bets. You can try out the sportsbook or new markets without much risk. Usually, new customer promos hand you extra funds or bonus bets. You can sign up with multiple sportsbooks to max out the welcome offers available where you are.

Customer Promos: The best sportsbooks run ongoing promos throughout the NFL season. Typical recurring deals can boost your winnings, give you bonus bets, or reward certain types and patterns of wagering. In the NFL calendar, sportsbook promos often peak around the top events such as the Super Bowl.

Referral Bonus: Almost all sportsbooks have referral schemes. These usually provide bonus funds when you ‘recommend’ a new user signs up for an app you’re using. Sportsbook refer-a-friend programs vary in their value but the best can be pretty lucrative, for both you and a buddy.

Loyalty Schemes and rewards: Much like retail or hospitality programs, sports betting loyalty schemes give you rewards for placing bets. Some are tiered where you earn points to reach certain thresholds and get a reward while some hand you a percentage of wagers made in return for virtual funds or perks.

🏈 NFL Betting Market Coverage

NFL betting is the most popular form of sports wagering in the USA. Tens of billions of dollars are bet on NFL games each year. For that reason, sportsbooks go for it big time. That said, some offer greater coverage than others. You might find that Sportsbook A only offers the main bet categories for certain games, while Sportsbook B will offer a multitude of wager types for every game played.

The depth of market coverage is important as it opens up more opportunities to win (so long as you know what you’re doing). Not all NFL bet types are created equally. Some have a greater chance of a return, an upset, or following a trend than others. You might develop your own strategies for identifying these or use a tipster service.

Depth of coverage also increases the enjoyment of making wagers on NFL events. You might settle on a few specialist bet varieties or only want to place a casual wager on your favorite team. Greater coverage brings higher chances to do these things.

📈 NFL Odds & Prices

NFL odds reflect an implied probability. Market prices reflect what the sportsbook thinks are the chances of an outcome. They also illustrate the risk of getting a payout or not. Odds are the price offered by a betting provider and determine how much you could win.

For example, odds of -110 equate to an implied probability of 52.38%. Once you understand what that means to you, you can start browsing odds to find the best value and maximize your returns.

You might think that the difference in payout between a wager at -110 and -105 is less than 50 cents but a successful betting strategy depends on profitability. After all, you can’t win them all so you want to magnify the payouts for those that do.

Odds between sportsbooks can vary significantly. But even minor variances reflect better returns. Over time, ‘little wins’ can markedly increase your NFL betting profitability. Comparing odds at different sportsbooks should therefore be one of your routine NFL betting strategies.

Also, sportsbooks can’t always get their odds right, so line shopping for opportune markets will allow you to spot what could well be a good value football bet. While you’re at it, be sure to look for odds and profit boosts that apply to a bet you want to make as they can make a significant difference too.

📱 Usability & App Interface

Usability and the quality of a sportsbook app interface are crucial for selecting the best for NFL betting. High levels of usability mean it’s easy to manage your account, find a market you want, place a bet on it, track the wager, and all the stuff that comes after should you win, including payouts. Fast loading speeds are essential as is the stability of the app.

The best app interfaces for betting on the NFL can vary quite markedly. Design elements like menus, navigation buttons, and additional features should be intuitive, immersive, enjoyable to use, and minimize user frustration. 

The best NFL sportsbook apps should be visually appealing but also have inbuilt accessibility options for those who might need a little extra assistance.

💳 Payments, Withdrawals & Support

Fundamentally, sports betting is about money. You need to be able to make quick and secure payments to your account and have the choice of several methods to do this. After all, time can be of the essence when it comes to making wagers, especially if it’s on a live NFL game.

The same is true for withdrawing winnings. No one wants to wait days and days for a withdrawal to appear in their bank or e-wallet, so fast processing times add much to the enjoyment of NFL betting. The best sportsbooks for NFL bets have rapidly developed their ability to action fast withdrawals, but some still have a way to go.

It’s also important that the sportsbook has great support options to aid you in deposits and withdrawals if something goes awry or simply to answer any queries. Some sportsbooks have excellent customer support resources, while others can be poor and frustrating in this area.

Best NFL Sportsbooks By Category

We rank, rate, and review sportsbooks by the most important factors for users. Let’s take a closer look at which sportsbooks perform best in a range of major categories so that you can identify which will enhance your experience and enjoyment of betting on the NFL the most.

Best NFL Bonuses & Promotions: 🏆 BetMGM

BetMGM consistently scores highly for NFL betting bonuses and promos. When it’s available, BetMGM’s welcome offer is usually the biggest around in terms of value. You’ll also like their ongoing promos, particularly boosts and other competitions that reward you for betting with them. BetMGM’s refer-a-friend scheme is also the most rewarding you’re likely to find.

An honorable mention goes to Fanatics Sportsbook too. The rise of the Fanatics Sportsbook owes much to FanCash, its loyalty scheme. FanCash hands sports fans rewards they’ll value. No other sportsbook will hand you a Miami Dolphins jersey for making a certain number of wagers.

Best NFL Odds: 🏆 Caesars

Admittedly, it’s a close one, but Caesars still rates as having the best NFL odds across the board. Caesars also has a consistently good range of price boosts too. You won’t go far wrong with BetMGM, FanDuel, or DraftKings either for top NFL odds.

We’d also recommend having one of the smaller sportsbooks in your locker for line shopping. That’s because their odd setting mechanisms are often different from the bigger books, enabling you to spot value. BetRivers or Resorts World Bet will do a good job here if they’re available in your state.

Best Range of NFL Betting Options: 🏆 FanDuel

Fanduel has awesome coverage of the NFL with a ton of betting options, making it our top pick here. DraftKings isn’t far behind. 

Both sportsbooks excel at offering markets beyond the standard. This includes a range of player and team performance prop options that you won’t see at many other sportsbooks plus both continue to innovate with the NFL bet types they have.

Best for Live NFL Betting: 🏆 BetMGM

BetMGM takes the top spot as our best rated app for live NFL betting. Its interface makes for easy in-play wagering, and BetMGM’s range of live betting options available during a game is right up there in the top tier.

Fanatics and Caesars also have to get a nod for having live NFL streaming. Both offer broadcasts in an accessible way and you don’t have to have a live bet in place to watch their NFL streams.

Best for NFL Prop Bets: 🏆 FanDuel

Another close call, but FanDuel is about the best there is for NFL prop bets. FanDuel’s prop lines are pretty sharp and their size means the book avoids having ‘novelty’ prop options at below-par prices.

Best for NFL Parlays: 🏆 DraftKings

DraftKings is a superior experience for making NFL parlays. DraftKings pips the rest for its consistency of handling parlay building whether they’re made of multiple matchups or of the same game variety.

Best NFL Sportsbook Interface & Experience: 🏆 BetMGM

We rate BetMGM as producing the best overall sportsbook experience for NFL betting, and this is in part down to the design and usability of its app. As well as looking the part, BetMGM’s app is enjoyable and easy to use. It’s also perhaps the simplest there is for quickly spotting NFL markets.

Fanatics is also a great app to use that feels modern and responds well. Caesars is perhaps the cleanest looking to use, while Resorts World Bet is also worth a mention as the simplest sportsbook app to quickly get in on the action.

Best Payment & Withdrawal Options: 🏆 DraftKings

All sportsbooks operating in the major US markets support a range of payment and withdrawal options. Instant deposits are available at all our best NFL sportsbooks. DraftKings is notable in this category though for its payout speeds, with the majority pushed through within 24 hours.

Best Customer Support: 🏆 BetMGM

BetMGM scores highly for customer support owing to its availability of options. BetMGM has dedicated resources in each state in which it operates. Caesars also features in the top sportsbook customer service standings for the ease of contacting an agent 24/7 and fast response times.

How To Start Using NFL Betting Apps

It’s easy to get started using NFL betting apps. The best sportsbooks for NFL wagering will have you up and running in minutes.

The first step is to download your chosen betting app and register an account. During the signup process, you’ll be asked to provide some personal details, and contact information and set up your account security.

At what stage a sports betting provider will ask you to provide some identification documents can vary but you will be asked at some point so be sure to enter your details accurately when registering as they will need to match your ID.  If required, be sure to enter any welcome bonus promo code to avoid missing out.

You’ll need to add at least one payment method before you can bet on the NFL. Then you can deposit some funds and browse the available markets. 

Don’t just jump straight in if you’re new to betting on the NFL or if this is a new app to you. Take a look at what’s on offer and read some guides to inform yourself so that you don’t just lose from the off.

How To Bet On Football: NFL Bet Types

All of the top sportsbooks for NFL betting have a lot of markets available to make a wager on. If you’re not familiar with an NFL bet type, take a look at how each broad category works. Not doing so means your wager is nothing more than a punt, and random punts rarely pay off.

NFL Point Spread Bets

One of the most popular NFL bet types, a point spread wager sees the sportsbook set a number of points that the favorite is expected to win by. 

The bet is whether the favorite can cover the point spread or if the underdog can either win the game outright or lose by a margin less than the given number of points. 

For example, the NY Giants were -5.5 favorites at the Bengals in preseason meaning they would have to win by 6 points to cover the spread. Standard odds of -110 are applied to this wager.

💡 Pro Tip: Pay attention to key numbers like 3 and 7, as many NFL games are decided by field goals or touchdowns. If the spread is close to these numbers, consider buying a half-point to improve your chances.

NFL Moneyline Bets

Moneyline bets are the most straightforward way to bet on NFL games. A moneyline wager is a bet on which team will win a match. 

For instance, in their annual preseason tussle, the Jets were -125 favorites against the Giants at +100 in 2021. Betting $120 on the Jets as the winning side returned a $100 profit.

💡 Pro Tip: Shop around at different sportsbooks for the best moneyline odds; small differences can add up over the season! Favor underdogs in matchups where they have a realistic chance to pull off an upset for better value.

NFL Live Betting

Sportsbooks that offer live betting on NFL games display odds as the action unfolds. You’ll usually find in-game wagering opportunities on the moneyline, the spread, totals, and props. 

When the Eagles staged one of the biggest comebacks of recent years in the game that became known as the ‘Miracle at New Meadowlands’, late in the tie their probability of a win was rated at around 1 in 250. Placing an in-play wager at that point would have made a big profit.

💡 Pro Tip: Look for momentum shifts and key game situations, like turnovers or injuries, that can create valuable live betting opportunities. React quickly, but don’t chase losses with impulsive bets.

NFL Parlay Betting

A parlay bet ties together two or more wagers for increased odds, but all the legs must win for the bet to pay out. For NFL fans that could mean placing a parlay with the Jets, Giants, and Bills all to win their games. 

If they were all rated as favorites with standard odds of -110, should all three be victorious a $100 wager would pay out just shy of $265. Betting on them all with three individual moneylines at those odds with a total of $100 would return just a little over $90 profit.

💡 Pro Tip: Avoid adding too many legs to your parlay; while the payout increases, so does the risk. Stick to two or three well-researched picks to maximize your chances of winning.

NFL Futures Betting

A futures bet is a wager on the outcome of an event at some point further ahead in time. In the NFL these will often be a series or season-long bets, such as the winner of either Conference or the Super Bowl.

You’ll find Super Bowl odds available right after the latest edition has concluded and they then alter drastically as the year progresses. For example, as soon as the Philadelphia Eagles had won Super Bowl LIX, you could bet on them doing it again the following year with odds of +600 for the 2026 edition.

💡 Pro Tip: Place futures bets early for the best value, but hedge your position later in the season if your team is in contention to lock in a profit or minimize risk. Keep an eye on injuries and trades that can shift the odds dramatically.

NFL Prop Bets

Proposition bets are so-called because they pose a question and offer you odds on the answer (usually ‘yes’ or ‘no’). An NFL prop bet is not necessarily directly linked to the outcome of a game (though it might have a bearing on it). Prop bets can be made pregame or live once play is underway.

There are masses of prop bet types available at the best sportsbooks for the NFL. Some examples include the next player to make a touchdown, the number of passing yards a quarter-back will make, and over/under rushing yards.

💡 Pro Tip: Focus on player props where you can find an edge, such as matchups against weak defenses or recent performance trends. Research team tendencies and injury reports to make smarter prop bets.

What Can You Bet On in the NFL

The best football sportsbooks typically offer a wide range of options for betting on the NFL. Let's take a look at some of the most popular types of wager.

Game Winner

Betting on the game winner (the moneyline bet), is the simplest and most common way to wager on an NFL matchup. Simply pick which team you think will win a specific game, regardless of the margin of victory. 

Points Scored in a Game

A bet on the number of points scored in a game is known as a total or over/under wager. This includes all points scored from touchdowns, field goals, conversions and safety points. The oddsmakers at a sportsbook will pick a total for every NFL game and accept bets on whether the final score will be higher or lower. 

One of the highest ever in Super Bowl history was for edition XLII when the NY Giants were expected to lose big time to the Patriots with a total set at 55 points. Ultimately, in one of the finest Super Bowls of all time, the Giants won by 17-14 which was a big margin under the total points predicted.

Number of Touchdowns

A bet on the specific number of touchdowns to be scored in a game could be the total number by a certain team, by both teams combined, or how many an individual player will get. 

You’ll also find bets advertised for how many touchdowns a player will score in an entire season and for passing touchdowns made by a quarterback. Ahead of the 2024 campaign, you’d get odds of +750 for Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions to achieve the highest number of passing touchdowns, for example.

Total Field Goals

A bet on the total field goals to be scored in a game is exactly as it reads. As an example, a wager on Bengals rookie kicker Evan McPherson to hit over 1.5 field goals at Super Bowl LVI was one of the most popular prop bets ahead of the game at odds of -130.

Winner of an Award

One of the most popular types of player bets during the NFL season is who will win the MVP award. Handed to the ‘Most Valuable Player’ following completion of all league games, ahead of the 2024 season, eventual winner, Bills star Josh Allan was installed as the favorite with odds of around +500.

Betting on the NFL Draft

Betting on the NFL draft has become increasingly common in recent years. Not all states allow such wagers though. However, if NFL draft bets are legal where you are, the most popular include who will be the #1 pick, the first players drafted at each position, and the first non-quarterback to be selected.

Super Bowl Betting

Who will be crowned Super Bowl champions is the biggest bet in the sporting calendar. You can either wager on the Super Bowl winner months ahead of the occasion, in the immediate build-up, or even live once the game is underway. 

For example, in the fourth of their consecutive run of Super Bowl finals between 1991 and 1994, the Buffalo Bills were +1000 to win the contest ahead of the season while by the time the final rolled they were +10.5 underdogs on the spread.

As well as wagering on who will win the Super Bowl, there’s an astonishing array of bet types ahead of each year’s contest. The expected moneyline, total, and point spread bets will of course be available, but  there will also be bets on offer for all manner of events that happen in the game. 

You can bet on who will be the Super Bowl’s MVP, how many passing yards each quarterback will throw, which players will score a touchdown, and even the result of the pregame coin toss.

How to Read NFL Lines & Odds

Understanding how to read the odds and lines is important for betting on the NFL. Even if you’ve never bet on a football game before it doesn’t take long to get a handle on what the numbers mean.

The most common odds and lines you’ll find at a sportsbook will refer to the moneyline, the over/under total, and the point spread. Let’s take an example of how each looks for the week 1 game between the NY Jets and the 49ers in the 2024 season:

• Moneyline - Jets at +200, 49ers at -245. This tells us the 49ers were favorites as denoted by the minus (-) sign ahead of the odds and the Jets were the underdog. You’d have to bet $245 on the 49ers to gain $100 profit and a bet of $100 on the Jets would put you up by $200.
  
  

• Point spread - 49ers as -5.5 favorites. This means the 49ers would need to win by 6 points or more for a spread bet on them to win. Alternatively, if the Giants lost by less than 6 points a wager on them at +5.5 would hit.
  
  

• Over/under - this was set at 44.5 points. The game finished with the score at 32-19 in favor of the 49ers so winning bets were those that went for the over. On the previous point about the point spread, a winning margin of 13 points meant the 49ers ‘covered the spread’.
  
  

When are NFL Odds released?

When the season schedule is published and the game set, sportsbooks will begin posting odds for the opening games. Odds and lines are then usually released week by week once each game day is completed.

Typically, the biggest sportsbooks also have the biggest trading teams that set odds. This means they’re usually first to market with their odds. 

You can usually expect to find Caesars, FanDuel, BetMGM, and DraftKings being the earliest to release lines. Other sports sometimes follow their lead and match the big books’ opening odds.

Why Do NFL Odds Change?

NFL odds and lines move regularly once they’re published. There are several factors directly related to a game that can influence. This might include news emerging of an injury to a key player or a media story about team morale or a coach’s comments on how they see the game playing out.

As well as this, odds are manipulated by sportsbooks to balance out the amount of money placed on both sides of a bet. If a book considers that too many wagers are being placed on the favorite or the underdog, or one side of the point spread and the over/under, then it might boost the odds on the opposite outcome to encourage more money to be bet on it.

NFL Teams to Bet On In New York

New York has three NFL franchises in the NY Jets, NY Giants, and Buffalo Bills. Who is the most popular football team in New York is subject to much debate. The Jets and the Giants actually play their home games in New Jersey despite having New York in their names, while the Bills are residents in the Buffalo metropolitan area of NY state.

NFL Venues in New York

The Giants, the Jets, and the Buffalo Bills dominate the football action in New York and so too the stadiums in which they play.

MetLife Stadium

Everyone knows that the NY Giants and the Jets share both a rivalry and a venue. The intra-city battle for supremacy only catches light once in a while with the pair playing in different conferences. 

The Metlife Stadium both teams call home is the largest in the NFL. Admittedly, Metlife has its detractors although that may be as much due to the lack of postseason success of its inhabitants as its lack of architectural appeal. 

Regardless, when 80,000 football fans are inside, the place rocks just as it does when doubling as a concert venue. The Metlife may mean a trip across to New Jersey but once there its incredible sight lines and fantastic facilities make for an excellent venue in which to watch football.

Highmark Stadium

Home to the Buffalo Bills since 1973, the Highmark Stadium may be something of an aging relic in NFL venue terms but it’s the fans who make the place a spectacle on game days. 

The legendary Bills Mafia is as much a movement as it is a collection of football supporters. Their Highmark Stadium residence holds nearly 72,000 spectators and though it lacks the frills and fancy features of other top NFL locations, it’s a raucous place that’s filled with energy, particularly for Sunday showdowns.

Responsible Betting On The NFL

Sports betting can be enjoyable but there are risks and it can get out of control for some people. There are so many NFL games every year and so many betting options that it’s therefore important to be familiar with the principles of responsible gambling.

• Firstly, know your limits and only gamble what you can afford to comfortably lose. 

• Tracking how much you spend, win, and lose on NFL betting will be helpful for achieving this.

• Chasing gambling losses in a bid to restore what you’ve lost is a bad idea. 

• You can set deposit limits at all sportsbooks.

Gambling can become a problematic habit so be aware of how much time you’re spending every day, week, or month on placing bets. 

You can always choose to implement a cooling-off period with sportsbooks you have an account with and self-exclude. Betting can also be an emotional experience so be cautious of partaking if you’re stressed, anxious, or depressed.

Importantly, don’t be afraid of seeking support if gambling is becoming a problem. There are free and confidential services across the US to enable you to do this. The National Problem Gambling Helpline (1-800-GAMBLER) is operated by the National Council on Problem Gambling and operates in all US states.

The Best NFL Sportsbooks: Final Tips

While betting on the NFL is a fun way to add interest to watching games, most bettors also have an eye on making a profit. With that in mind, consider the following NFL betting tips:

1. Shop around for the best odds

Not all lines are created equal and while sportsbooks will keep an eye on the odds their competitors are offering, they largely act independently which means comparing prices for better value can pay off, especially over the course of a season.

2. Know your key numbers

There are a handful of stats that play a key role in determining NFL odds and should be used to inform your selections. You’ll find that most point spreads are set in three and seven-point increments as they’re the number awarded for a field goal and a touchdown with the extra kick converted. 

Also, teams that have a higher number of pass yards per attempt tend to score more. Likewise, turnovers play an important role with poor teams consistently posting a high amount of giveaways and strong ones a healthy amount of takeaways.

3. Assess the matchups

Every NFL game has several key matchups. The most obvious is the teams competing against each other.  Look beyond the favorite and the underdog in the odds. Some teams consistently perform well against individual opponents so you might want to weigh up the offensive and defensive capabilities of both when pitted against each other. 

Consider divisional and local rivalries plus the acumen of either coach and how they manage a game. Individual player head to heads during a game also play a big part in the outcome.

4. Eye up the middle ground

The NFL draft system is set up to level the playing field and balance out each league. Each season there will typically be half a dozen strong teams and a similar number of weak ones. The sides in the middle typically win a decent number of games but can be underrated in the betting markets which provides an opportunity to find value bets.

5. Brush up on rhythms and timings

Each week during the NFL season has its own tempo and often follows a pattern that you can get to know. For example, if you’re going to back a favorite, bet early as more money flows onto that side of a betting market as gameday approaches. 

Injury information should be considered late in the week as it can change and affect the outcome markedly right up to kickoff. Know that some prop bets are OK to make early in the week but many more should wait until game day due to so many late to call factors influencing them.

6. Set your strategy

All of the above are simply examples of NFL betting tips and strategies. Entire books, websites, podcasts and even academic theses exist to outline a good NFL wagering strategy. 

Unless you have huge resources, you can’t adopt more than a handful. Select a scheme that you think will work for you and brush up on it. Once you’ve a good knowledge of a few NFL betting strategies with tips to boot, you’ll soon become adept at implementing them.

Finally, if your strategy isn’t working, or one element is failing, don’t be afraid to ditch them. You’ll only end up losing more.