Your Guide to theSafest Betting Sites

The Complete Guide to Football Betting Sites

Football Betting GuideThere’s no more popular sport in America than football. We’ve all heard about the NFL’s television rating decline in recent years, but anyone who walks the streets and talks to American men – they know that football is as popular as it has ever been. This is why our complete guide to football betting sites will help everyone understand this amazing sport much better.

Those who choose to knock the sport will point to the long games, many stoppages, and a small amount of real action compared to other sports. In the end, all that stuff is a testament to the game’s success. Let’s just put it this way: People. Love. Football.

Do you know what they love just as much as watching football? Betting on football. That’s right. These days, few are going to their neighborhood bookie, but instead taking their gambling online.

Online football betting, or sports gambling in general, may seem complicated at first. It’s done by millions and easy to use once you get the basics down. Choosing among the football gambling sites is tough to do. You will need to pick one with competitive odds, but also one that is reputable and pays their players quickly.

More About Football Betting

Betting Basics: What You Need to Know When Betting on Football

Online football betting has grown within the past decade. The sports popularity and continued advancements in technology have expanded the markets and options for sports gamblers year after year.

With that said, it isn’t easy to navigate if you’re new to sports gambling or if you’re new to betting online. In this section, we’ll run down the basics for signing up at a betting site, find the best odds, and place wagers. In later sections, we’ll discuss the bet types and more advanced strategies.

How to Bet at Football Betting Sites

Football is a complex and competitive sport enjoyed by most Americans. With the different ways to place bets, many need some guidance on how to bet on football. Below you will find a basic guide to football betting, and the best resources to help you during the sports season.

Choosing Football Betting Sites

Choosing Football Betting Sites

This seems like a simple step, but it’s one of the most crucial. Which online football betting site you choose is vital. Not all sportsbooks pay players quickly, and a few of them are outright scams. The top priority when selecting betting sites is to make sure they’re paying in a timely fashion and their history. From there, you can move on to looking at gambling site bonuses and odds selection.

Our Safest Betting Sites sportsbook review section has every major website, plus some smaller ones. We have several top football betting sites we recommend, along with extensive reviews. The U.S. Sportsbook Payout Report is also updated monthly with cashout speeds from all the top football sportsbooks.

Signing Up

Signing Up at the Best Betting Site

Signing up at a site to bet on football is a simple process. It’s no different from signing up for PayPal or eBay, or any other eCommerce sites. You simply enter your name, address, and phone number and create a username and password. You will usually need to confirm your email address to activate your account.

If you value anonymity, many football betting sites exclusively take Bitcoin. They offer a full range of anonymity with no logins or accounts required, but some will ask to tie your account to an email address. Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies may seem daunting to those who have not used them, but they’re easy once you figure out the basics. Check out our Using Bitcoin at Online Gambling Sites: Step by Step Guide.

Step 3 - Deposit Funds

Deposit Funds at Your Preferred Site

There are many ways to make your deposit this. We recommend using Bitcoin. It comes with zero fees and is faster than the traditional fiat-methods, such as credit and debit cards, person-to-person transfers or bank wires. However, you can use all methods provided.

Step 4 - Place Bets

Placing Your Bets on Football Games

If you’re completely new to online wagering, we recommend that you read our guide on how to wager at online sportsbooks. It’s useful for placing bets on any sporting event. Whether you’re betting traditional football point spreads, parlays, or prop bets – the process of how to bet on football games doesn’t change. It’s a couple of clicks and you have your bet confirmed.

Top Football Betting Sites

There is a large assortment of sites to bet on Football to choose from, but not all are equal. As mentioned above, there is a stark contrast from the best online football betting sites and the worst options. It is the difference between collecting your winnings or not getting paid.

We review and rate every betting site that accepts Americans, as well as international bettors. Below are some of our top choices for betting on football.

bovada football betting

Soft Odds Football Betting Site: Bovada

  • Soft lines to due public line shades on football markets.
  • 50% Deposit Bonus up to $250 has just 3x rollover, plus lots of extra bonuses for football season.

You can take advantage of these soft odds when you sign up at Bovada.

betonline football betting

Plenty of Bonuses: BetOnline

  • Posts lines for the upcoming football week faster than other sportsbooks.
  • Large bonuses and promotions for football.

Join BetOnline and start placing bets on football with their free cash offers.

GTBets football betting

Free Half-Points for Football Bets: GTBets

  • 50% Up to $500 Sign-Up Bonus, plus reload bonuses and rewards.
  • Free half-points on a pro and college team of your choosing each season.

Become a member and get the best bets possible with the free half-points offered by GTBets.

Intertops football betting

Safest Football Betting Site: Intertops

  • First online betting site in history, extremely high trust level.
  • 50% Welcome Bonus up to $200 and lots of football promotions.

Place your football bets with no worries when you sign up at the safe and secure Intertops sportsbook.

Bets You Can Place at Football Betting Sites

Football odds these days go far beyond sides and totals. They’re still the primary markets of most bettors, but betting sites these days have tons of markets for both college and NFL football. Online football betting is expanding every year.

Spread Betting

Football point spread betting is the holy grail of sports betting. The oddsmakers handicap teams to produce an active betting market for gamblers. It creates action on both sides by leveling the playing field for the underdog.

We break down the history and invention of the point spread and how to make football point spread bets.

Totals

Betting a football total means wagering on the amount of points scored between both teams in the game. Unlike European football (soccer), the total in both NFL and college football games do count overtime period scoring.

Totals are also known as “over / unders.” For in-depth strategy on totals, check out our totals page.

Moneylines

Football moneyline betting is a form of wagering done without the point spread. Point spreads and totals don’t matter when it comes to moneylines. A moneyline is a bet placed on a team that must win outright. It doesn’t matter if the team wins by 30 or by a single point – if they win the game, the bet grades as a winner. If they lose, the bet grades as a loss.

Parlays, Teasers, and Pleasers

Parlays, teasers, and pleasers are all ways to bet sides, totals, and moneylines. You must wager these bets with two or more selections. Likewise, all legs or selections of the wager must win (or push) for the bet to grade as a winner.

Proposition Wagers

Proposition bets are betting markets that are not related to the outcome of the game. Instead, they focus on individuals or teams. Such as, how many yards the quarterback might throw, rushing yards by a running back, or which team will win the coin toss.

Props could be especially profitable because they’re not as sharp as other betting markets. We dive deeper into NFL propositions in our dedicated section.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Football Betting Sites

Advantage

Football Betting Odds can be Softer than Other Sports

If you stick to mostly recreational betting sites over professional level sportsbooks – you should find softer odds. Many recreational football gambling sites simply aren’t as sharp as larger bookmakers and will shade their lines in favor of public betting trends.

Betting on Football is Excellent for Bonuses

Betting sites gear up for football season. It’s the time of year where they take the most betting action, and it’s not even close. Most of the time, sign-up is the only time you will get a deposit bonus from a betting site. However, during football season, most major sportsbooks offer reload bonuses that can easily be worth thousands of dollars.

Large Betting Limits

Sportsbooks take a lot more on football sides and totals compared to any other sport. If one turns themselves into a profitable or +EV sports bettor – they will be able to get a lot more money down compared to other sports. This is particularly true when it comes to small market sports.

Disadvantage

Fewer Games to Bet on Compared to Other Sports

Just betting on football probably won’t be enough for you to take your sports betting skills to the next level. Even if you count preseason, the sport doesn’t offer nearly as many betting opportunities compared to other sports, such as baseball or basketball.

You May Spend too much time Betting on Football

This sort of builds off the last disadvantage. There are fewer games, but if you’re a fan and seriously into betting on football, then you might find yourself obsessing over odds all week. That sounds like a fun time, but it may keep you from other more lucrative activities or focusing on other betting markets.

Football Betting Site Strategy

Betting football or any sport for that matter will hinge on doing the “right things” as a sports bettor. Understanding the teams and the league is excellent. If you don’t fully grasp betting markets and finding value in the odds – you’re likely not going to make any money betting on football.

Utilize Line Shopping and Bitcoin

Line shopping is often something few sports bettors take seriously. It shouldn’t be a shock that those who don’t line shop or get the best price on their wagers are mostly losing bettors. Bitcoin has made it easier than ever to move funds around different sportsbooks. Waiting days or weeks for a check or transfer is no longer the norm. Use Bitcoin as your go-to method for betting football online and be sure to get the best available price on each wager.

Take Advantage of Site Bonuses

Almost all football betting sites offer a sign-up bonus on a new player’s first deposit. It’s crucial to make use of this sign-up bonus (deposit the maximum amount to receive the full bonus). Many also seem to forget that betting sites offer football-specific promotions. The major sportsbooks almost always have a reload bonus that coincides with the start of the NFL season. Take advantage of these promotions. They’re worth hundreds or thousands of dollars to sports betting bankrolls.

More strategy from our NFL Betting Sites Experts

Football Betting Tips and Advice

Once you have the betting basics down, use line shopping, and hunt for value through bonus offers. It’s time to learn the ins and outs of football betting. There is no substitute for hard work and putting the time in when it comes to learning the game from a betting perspective. There are a few basic tips that will point you in the direction of +EV wagers.

Tip 1 - consider underdogs and unders

Tip #1: Consider Underdogs and Unders

The betting masses love betting on the favorite and taking the over on the total. Of course, we know that the public is losing sports bettors. Fading the public isn’t a full proof strategy. Being aware of the favorites and overs you’re betting is something to think about when placing wagers.

Football is one of the few sport (perhaps the only) that public bettors or squares can influence the lines. Going against the public, especially in games with extremely high totals or where they’re heavy on a favorite in a bad spot is a strategy to consider.

tip 2 - propositions Are Weaker Than Sides and Totals

Tip #2: Propositions Are Weaker Than Sides and Totals

A dirty little secret of the betting world is that betting sites usually lose money on propositions. They’re much harder to accurately handicap than sides and totals. Which is why betting limits on these wagers are low, at least, at online football betting sites. The same is not the case for a local bookie or pay-per-head site.

It’s worth keeping in mind that profitable proposition bets will draw the attention of sportsbook management. It’s one of the most common reasons that players get their betting limits reduced.

For more tips and advice for betting on football, make sure to check out our article on 6 Tips for Profit.

Football Betting Picks

footballl betting picksSelling betting picks or “tout picks” is a multi-hundred-million-dollar industry. “Beating the bookies is hard. Buy our picks, and you will start winning.” That’s the pitch. The pitch is far from the reality.

Deadspin exposed PreGame.com. Which was supposedly a place where they tracked picks “honestly” and all of their sports betting experts verified winners. It turns out that PreGame wasn’t winning. In fact, they were losing money in almost every sport they offered picks.

Those selling picks (for the most part) are not being honest with you about their skill or profitability when it comes to sports betting. There are many fundamental reasons why a high volume, successful sports bettor would not give away his secrets. Don’t pay for picks.

We give out free picks daily with a focus on football betting picks. There are also many other options for different takes on games, such as sports betting forums or befriending other sharp bettors.

Football Betting Lines and Odds

Football betting markets are expanding each year. Not only are there more betting options for sides and totals, but the number of team and player props seems to rise each consecutive season. That’s even without counting all the extra bets that are available for the playoffs and Super Bowl.

Live Football Betting

Live Football BettingEvery football betting site has live betting options these days. Some are better than others, but no longer is the betting action over after placing a bet before the game starts or at halftime. Options for football live betting will depend on the sportsbook you use.

Some football betting sites will only have the basics. An adjusted point spread and total that will change throughout the game based on the results of the game. Others will have more options. These allow customers to bet on the outcome of each drive or play, and lots of in-game propositions.

Live betting is also where oddsmakers will vary their opinion the most when it comes to odds. There are large differences in live betting or in-play odds compared to pre-match football betting markets. Live betting football or in-play markets are excellent for sports arbitrage.

Football Betting Apps

There are a lot of applications that can help bettors track betting markets. As well as, advanced statistics that can help them evaluate teams and matchups with better accuracy. The best part is that most of these services are free.

sportsinsights.com

SportsInsights.com – Free Odds

This is one of my favorite odds services online. The odds update faster than other sites and are accurate with Pinnacle’s live feed. We don’t recommend purchasing picks or other services from Sports Insights, but their live odds and line history are an excellent way to look at the betting market. That stuff, along with their public betting percentages make a helpful tool in football betting predictions.

app store google play

footballoutsiders.com

FootballOutsiders.com – DVOA

DVOA stands for Defense-adjusted Value Over Average. The statistic is far more meaningful than traditional rankings which only account for yards allowed or points allowed. The metric excels because it compares teams based on competition and opponent quality when formulating the offensive and defensive rankings. They also have similar statistics for offense and special teams. DVOA is free and updated at the end of each week. To start using their paid app services, you need to look through their website, as well as install certain apps, like the Fantasy Football Draft Kit IQ.

app store

nfl game pass

NFL Game Pass

The NFL offers Game Pass for $99.99 a season. Game Pass doesn’t allow you to view live games but does give you access to game film for every game of the year, including preseason and playoff games. They’re also condensed to about a half-hour with no commercials, making it the ideal tool for film study.

app store google play

Mobile Football Betting Sites and Software

Football betting on mobile devices may eventually take over desktop wagering. Betting on mobile has its advantages and disadvantages, but it’s something that interest bettors are on a massive scale. You can’t analyze odds as well on mobile devices, but they’re an excellent way to use betting sites on the go. These days, sportsbooks offer full-functionality on mobile devices.

bovada mobile betting

Bovada – Top Mobile Betting Site Option

Bovada has one of the best betting interfaces online, which has translated well into their mobile product. Their betting markets are available via their mobile site. They don’t have a mobile bonus, but offer a generous 50% Sign Up Bonus up to $250 with a 3x rollover.

Bet now in-browser

betonline mobile betting

BetOnline – Awesome Mobile Experience

BetOnline has emerged from the crowd in recent years and provides an excellent experience for bettors, both on mobile and desktop. They have a ton of bonus options and offer a $50 free play on the first bet a customer makes on their mobile phone or tablet.

Bet now in-browser

Different Types of Football Around the World

NFL Football

NFL Betting: American Football

The NFL is the big kahuna when it comes to professional football and sports betting. Even though their seasons are shorter, the league garners more betting action than most other sports. The NFL point spread is what everyone is talking about at bars across the country. The NFL is football season and football season is betting season.

Learn more about NFL Betting, its season, and the best NFL betting sites.

ncaa football

NCAAF Betting: College Football

Second fiddle to the NFL’s dominance, but still garners plenty of betting attention. NCAA Football is a way of life in many areas that are absent of professional football. Like some regions of the Southern U.S. The season is shorter, but Bowl Season is one of the biggest times of year for football betting. It coincides with the end of the NFL Season and start of playoffs.

Take a look at what NCAA Football betting has to offer.

CFL Football

CFL Betting: Canadian Football

The Canadian Football League doesn’t get as much betting action as the NFL or NCAA but has increased in popularity over the last decade. It will never be as popular as hockey in Canada but has potential for international growth. Americans are watching the CFL in larger numbers than ever before. The main differences from American football are three downs versus four downs, 12 players on each team, and a wider field size.

Not as popular, but still a great competitive sports, the CFL has plenty of action you can take a part of.

soccer betting

Soccer Betting: Known as “Football” Around the Globe

Known as “American football” around the world, is the football version that Americans and Canadians know and love. What they call football is what Americans call soccer. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. Regular season matches in the English Premier League often get triple the ratings of the Super Bowl!

The English Premier League is the most soccer popular league in the world. With almost every country in the world having domestic leagues with several divisions. The Champion’s League is a yearly tournament which culminates in a final game between the two best clubs in Europe. Of course, there’s also the World Cup and Euro Cup, which are international events that pit country against country on the soccer pitch.

Test your skills on the world’s most popular sport and place a few bets on soccer.