Gambling Websites > Betting > Sports > How to Bet on NFL Games - Types of Wagers and Tips

How to Bet on NFL Games - Types of Wagers and Tips

The world of NFL betting can seem challenging to navigate, but if you want to know how to bet on NFL games, the reality is that doing so is much easier than you might think. We aim to help with this by showing you how to bet on NFL games, detailing where you can make those wagers, providing insight for getting the most bang for your buck at online sportsbooks and then close out by reviewing some frequently asked questions regarding how to bet on the NFL.

by Gambling Websites Editorial Team | Gambling Websites

Updated Mar 13 2026, 11:57AM EDT

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How to Bet on NFL Games Online

There are many factors to take into account when looking at the best way to bet on NFL games online. These include the expected win rate for that wager, payout levels and ease of placing these bets. Your betting strategy can be adjusted accordingly, so you can go with a low-risk/high-percentage approach, a high-risk/low-percentage tact or meet those in the middle as events warrant.

To help you figure which betting mindset is best for you, we've put together a list of nine of the most common wager types. This can help you determine your NFL picks and how to bet money on NFL games in a way that fits both your personality and betting budget.

Moneyline

This is the most basic of bets, as a moneyline wager is a bet on which team will win the contest. Because this wager type relies solely on a win or loss, it tends to have the widest variance in terms of NFL odds. Favorites are listed with minus odds, such as -250. That reflects how much you must wager to win $100. Underdogs are shown with a plus sign, such as +250. That shows you how much you will win on a $100 wager.

Spread Betting

This is the archetype for football betting, as it designates the perceived point difference between each club and balances odds - typically at -110 for each. This can range from small point totals when team are considered of equal talent (e.g., when the Eagles were listed at -1 over the Chiefs in Super Bowl 57), or double-digit point totals when one club is thought to be much better than its opponent (e.g., when the Cowboys were listed as 17.5-point favorites over the Giants in Week 10).

The idea here is to balance the odds so that bettors can feel comfortable making a wager on either side of the spread, as the point spread is applied to the final score and the winner determined based on the outcome of that adjusted total.

Over/Under

An over/under bet is a wager on how many total points will be scored in a contest. For example, an over/under of 45 means that if you wager on the over, the teams must combine for 46 or more points in order for your wager to win. This is a good wager type to make if you have an inkling that a game will be higher or lower scoring than generally expected and is often part of a same-game parlay wager.

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid celebrates on the podium with tight end Travis Kelce after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Feb. 12, 2025. (Michael Chow/The Republic / Gambling Websites NETWORK)

Futures

An NFL futures bet is one where you are betting on a particular achievement to occur in the future. It can be something like who will win the NFL MVP award, which team will win the AFC North or if Josh Allen will throw for 4,000 yards.

Perhaps the most popular futures bets are on Super Bowl odds, which become available even before the previous Super Bowl is even played. It gives fans a rooting interest throughout the season and rewards savvy bettors who take a can spot value on an unlikely contender.

Parlays

A parlay is when you combine two or more wagers together in a single bet. The upside for this type of wager is that it has high payouts. The downside is that you need every wager in a parlay bet (which are known as legs) must win in order for your parlay to be successful.

This can be a good change of pace wager type, but it isn't the type of wager to rely on if you are looking to generate a solid win rate. You can parlay bets from different NFL games, different sports or combine bets from a single game in what is known as a same-game or one-game parlay.

Prop Bets

Prop bets are wagers within a game but not on the outcome of the game itself. They can be either player props or team props. A good example here is a player prop bet is a wager that Patrick Mahomes will throw for 300+ yards in a game. A team prop might be that the Eagles defense will register more than three sacks in a contest. Odds can vary on these props from -110 to lucrative payout.

Prop bets are listed on the player, team and game level and can be a great bet mixer if you have some insight as to how a player or team will perform in an upcoming matchup. Among the most popular prop bets are first TD scorer and anytime TD scorer.

Alternate Lines

Every contest has standard game lines for point spread and total points, but if you want to know how to bet on NFL game action in a different way, alternate lines may be for you.

Let's use Super Bowl 57 as an example. The standard point spread was Eagles -1, but NFL betting apps also had alternate lines where the Eagles gave more points and some in which the Chiefs were listed as the favorite. These alternate lines have different odds levels than the standard lines, so pay attention to the payout levels when placing these bets.

Live Betting

Not only do online sportsbooks have odds listed before the game, they also have "in-game betting," known as live betting, with continually updated odds during the contest.

For example, if a favored team falls behind 10-0 after the first quarter, they could be listed as +7 points. So, if you pick that club to win against the spread at that moment, you are now getting points as opposed to giving them - which you would have had to do pre-game. This is a way to for bettors to hedge bets that are going south, pile on to a successful bet or just stay involved in the action with continually updated props and more, which is why live in-game betting is so popular.

Rules and Regulations for NFL Betting

There are rules and regulations and best practices for NFL betting that you need to keep in mind before placing wagers. The first is to make sure you are betting at legal, licensed sportsbooks. This assures that you have the protections that come with those operators, and it gives you peace of mind that you will be able to access your winnings if your bets are successful.

Two other important rules are that you must be located in a state where that legal, licensed sportsbook operates and be of legal sports betting age in that state.

When to Bet on NFL Games

When determining when and how to bet on the NFL, just know that some types of NFL wagers are available all year long. Early in the offseason these will be NFL futures available in which you can bet on some achievement to occur in the upcoming season.

The volume of these futures wagers typically increases after the NFL Draft and includes win totals, NFL Week 1 matchups, player awards, Super Bowl prop bets, odds, division winners and more. Once the teams hit the start of training camp, you will then be able to place more wagers and begin to bet on weekly matchups beyond Week 1. Futures odds fluctuate throughout the season, providing bettors with buy-low opportunities on wagers they believe in and rewarding bettors who were in early on certain developments, such as the Jaguars winning the division at -155 before the season when the price is currently -500.

Once the season kicks off, you will normally find that the upcoming week's matchups will be posted shortly after the completion of the current week's games. Sharp bettors often like to jump in early, as those game lines will often get adjusted as injury updates are posted throughout the week. It is a variable that can make betting early or later in the week more beneficial depending on your wagering strategy.

Where to Bet on NFL Games

There are many online sportsbooks that you can wager at, and they each have specialty areas that can make placing certain types of bets more beneficial. With the market growing each year, bettors in states that haven't legalized sports betting can also keep an eye out for changes in the legal landscape such as in the Tar Heel State, where bettors can soon sign up for North Carolina betting apps to have the chance to place bets on NFL games as well.

Here are six of the top sports betting apps in legal states, along with the promo or bonus code you can use to sign up for each.

BetMGM

The BetMGM bonus code provides new users with $150 in bonus bets as soon as you make an opening wager of at least $5. Those bets will arrive in your account in the form of six $25 bet credits. BetMGM has an Easy Parlay system that makes it one of the best online sportsbooks to place parlay bets.

Caesars Sportsbook

The Caesars Sportsbook promo code delivers a first-bet offer of up to $1,000 after using that code or our BET NOW link below. Signing up also means all your bets will earn you Rewards Credits in the Caesars Rewards program. Caesars Sportsbook has an unrivaled volume of odds boosts and provides some of the strongest ongoing promotions for existing customers.

Fanatics Sportsbook

The Fanatics Sportsbook promo code gives new customers who establish an active account up to $1,000 in bonus bets – up to $100 a day for the first 10 days after you open your new account. To participate, you must place a qualifying wager of $5 or more on any market with odds of -200 or longer each day. Once that bet settles, you will receive a bonus bet equal to the amount of your wager, up to $100.

DraftKings

Signing up for the DraftKings promo code gives you $150 in bonus bet once you make a first bet of $5 or more. DraftKings has a huge array of sports betting markets and a comprehensive selection of prop wager types.

FanDuel

The FanDuel promo code awards you $200 in bonus bets if you win your first bet of at least $5. A standout element here is that you can break up the bonus credit into smaller increments. FanDuel also typically has a dozen or more ongoing promotions and may have the largest set of NFL betting markets and bet types.

BetRivers

Using the BetRivers promo code gives new customers a second-chance bet of up to $500 (the amount varies depending on which state you are located in). The bonus bet has a reasonable -200 odds requirement. BetRivers has a selection of NFL betting markets and bet types that can go toe-to-toe with just about any other online sportsbook.

Steps for Betting on NFL Games Online

It should only take you a few minutes to sign up for any of these deals, as they each have similar guidelines for signing up. Here are the six steps they all have in common.

Choose which sportsbook promo code(s) you want to sign up for from the ones we have listed on this page and then click the BET NOW button next to that offer to bring up the sign-up page for that site.
Fill out the general registration information requested, such as name, address or email address. Where applicable, type the specific code into the promo or bonus code box (e.g., BetMGM bonus code).
Confirm that you are located in a state where that online sportsbook operates and are legally old enough to place a sports bet in that state.
Download the appropriate sports betting apps if you plan on using your mobile device to make wagers.
Make the required minimum initial deposit.

Bet on NFL Games Now

The best way to bet on NFL games now depends on your wagering strategy and betting budget, but with so many sportsbook promo codes available, you should be able to augment your profit levels on multiple occasions with these powerful promos we've discussed.

How to Bet on NFL Games FAQs

Yes, you can wager on NFL games online, as there are multiple sports betting apps and websites that allow you to make wagers from your phone or laptop computer. It's just a matter of creating an account with these online sportsbooks, downloading the app if you are using a phone, making a deposit and then placing your wagers.

It is legal to wager on NFL games in the 38 US states where sports betting has been legalized. Kentucky launched sports betting in September and both Vermont and North Carolina are expected to have legalized sports betting early in the new year.

Placing a bet on NFL games is as simple as signing up for a legal, licensed sportsbook (many of which we detail above), depositing some funds into your account and then choosing an NFL game to wager on through the sportsbook's website or app.

You can bet on NFL games online in more than two dozen states, including Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia and Wyoming. Kentucky, Maine, Vermont and North Carolina are all pending. You can wager on NFL games online on your phone or your laptop computer as long as you are physically located in a state where online sports betting has been legalized.

How to wager on NFL games online can depend on your individual betting strategy. Some bettors choose to go with a "chalk" strategy, which means they are typically wagering on heavy favorites, often in a parlay to boost their odds. Others go with a more aggressive approach that has higher payouts but also has lower win rates. The first step on how you bet on NFL games, though, is signing up for one of our recommended NFL betting sites.

The best NFL betting site in large part depends on the bettor, though our experts rank BetMGM as the best overall site, as well as one of the best NFL sites for parlay wagers. Other top sites include Caesars Sportsbook, which provides a tremendous amount of odds boosts, FanDuel and DraftKings, which is a leader for those who love NFL prop bets.

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Gambling Websites Editorial Team spent five years working at William Hill before becoming a journalist in 2009. He began working as a sports writer and professional tipster in 2014.