| Football is America's favorite sport these days, so it | | | | is added so that there is no "push", or tie, on the bets. |
| should come as no surprise that wagering on football is | | | | The second most popular type of sports betting action |
| the most common sport betting activity on the | | | | when it comes to football betting is wagering on the |
| continent. Games in the National Football League, the | | | | money line. This is your standard bet, where money is |
| minor leagues, college, and even some high school | | | | placed on one team to win. Money lines are |
| games will attract thousands of bettors each week. In | | | | expressed much the same as spreads, but without the |
| this article, we are going to take a look at some | | | | points indicator. Generally, money lines cost more |
| fundamentals when it comes to betting on any football | | | | money to bet on the favorite in order to win $100 |
| game. | | | | because a victory is easier to predict than a |
| What kind of bet can you make? | | | | difference in points. |
| The most popular type of sports bet made on football | | | | Other types of wagers in football betting: |
| games is the spread bet. Spread bets include an | | | | There are quite a few different types of sports betting |
| underdog and a favorite, and a certain amount of | | | | wager placed on football games, which can add some |
| points a team must win or lose by in order for the | | | | spice to your betting life. Over/under bets are placed |
| bettor to collect. They look like this: | | | | according to the total amount of points both teams will |
| Chicago Bears -10.5 (-150) | | | | score in a game. For example, a sports book might |
| New England Patriots (180) | | | | place the combined total score of a football game at |
| Whether you are betting the money line (which we will | | | | 55. Bettors would then decide whether they thought |
| get to in a second) or the spread, the team with a | | | | the combined score would be over or under that total, |
| negative sign near it is always the favorite. Being the | | | | and place wagers accordingly. |
| favorite means that the most people are placing bets | | | | Futures, totals, squares, and parlays are all also popular |
| on this team, which may or may not indicate their | | | | in football betting. |
| chances of winning. So, in the above scenario, the | | | | How to bet on football games: |
| Bears are the favored team (haha!). This spread also | | | | Keep in mind, when betting on football, that most |
| indicates the amount of money wagered in order to | | | | sports bettors will win less than 50% of the time. This |
| win. Every bet of $150 on the Bears will collect $100 if | | | | is because the sports books really know what they |
| the Bears beat the spread. Betting on the Patriots, on | | | | are doing, and play with the odds continuously and |
| the other hand, means that you stand to gain $180 for | | | | successfully. |
| every $100 that you bet. | | | | However, a little bit of knowledge can go a long way in |
| The spread is favored in football because it carries an | | | | helping out one's football betting record. There are |
| extra element of security. That security is represented | | | | services which can be of great assistance to those |
| by the -10.5 figure. This means that in order for people | | | | interested in all manner of sports betting, football |
| to collect on wagers placed on the Bears, Chicago | | | | betting included. Sports information lines in particular can |
| must win by at least 11 points. If they only win by 9, | | | | assist bettors when it comes to finding good value |
| those betting on the Patriots will win the bet (which | | | | bets and up to date information about the team they |
| means that underdog bets will still win, even if the | | | | might want to bet on. |
| underdog team actually loses). That extra .5 of a point | | | | |