Three Simple NFL Betting Lines for Beginners

Those looking to get into NFL betting will take a quick look at the betting markets, and more than likely be confused. However, this sport can be a simple betting sport if you want it to, and this is exactly the approach that newcomers should take. Don’t over complicate things, don’t get suckered in by fancy betting markets, keep things simple and you will reap the rewards in the long run.

Of course there will be a time when you decide to step things up and venture into the more complicated prop markets, but for now, here are three simple NFL betting markets (NFL for beginners) to get you started.

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Money Line betting

This is the simplest and easiest way to get involved in NFL betting, and it is the place where all newcomers to the sport should start. On the money line, you are betting on one thing, and that is who will win the game. It doesn’t matter how they win the game, it doesn’t matter if the game is won in overtime or regulation time, all that matter is that your team takes the victory at the end.

This is the most simple outcome to bet on, although because of that the odds on offer are usually very short. This is why many people quickly move on from the money line to other forms of betting, which you can do but to gain the right knowledge and to understand how things work it is vital that you begin on the money line.

The bet type you place on this line can be anything you wish, though it is common for people to place accumulators on this line as the odds on offer are short. If you are backing a favourite then they will certainly be odds-on, but by combining three or four teams together in a bet, more if you are feeling lucky, then you can give yourself a decent return from this simple betting line.

When taking your first steps into betting on the NFL, make sure you use the money line first to find your feet, before moving onto the other two markets below.

Point spread betting

Ever wanted to place a bet on a game, but you didn’t want to back either team to win because you are weren’t sure who would win the game? With the points spread, you can do exactly that, because instead of backing on the outcome of the game you are simply backing on the number of points that will be scored in the game.

This is a two way market, you only have two options in front of you, and that is to go over or under the line number. These numbers all end with .5 to ensure there is no chance of a draw on this line, you either win or you lose. For example, a total points line of 46.5 gives you two betting options. The first is to go over and bet that there will be 47 points or more in the game, while the second is to go under and bet on 46 points or less.

One advantage that this betting market has over the money line market is that the odds on offer are always better. The points line is set by the bookmakers, so they set the line to make it as even and hard to predict as possible. That means that both outcomes are equally as likely in most cases, so you will usually find them both priced up at just under evens.

Something that you should note here is that the line is created by the bookmakers. This means that each bookmaker could have a slightly different line depending on their views on the game, but the prices are more than likely going to be the same.

Although you would normally shop around for the best price, when placing a bet on a line like this one, you should shop around for the best line. For example, if you are going over you should look for the lowest available line, while if you are going under you should look for the highest line available. Just a couple of points on the line could be the difference between a win and a loss, so it is vitally important that you do this, it will enhance your betting profit.

If you are looking for a way to bet on NFL game without picking a winner, this is a good place to head after you have understood the money line.

Handicap betting

The handicap line is a slightly more complicated version of the money line, with another element involved here. Bookmakers create a fictional handicap that the favourite has to win by for them to win the game, in return they make the odds better on that team to win.

For example, if the handicap on a game is 5.5 and you are backing the favourite, they will have to not only win the game but also win by a big enough margin to cover the handicap, which is six points in this example. If the favourite wins by six points then they win on this line. The underdog has to either win the game or lose by a margin of five or less to be the winner on this line. That means you can back a team that loses but still win a bet, which is something that can confuse newcomers and why you should get to grips with the money line first.

Just like the points spread, the handicap line is created by the bookmakers so make sure when you are placing your bets you shop around to find the best line on offer, this could be the difference between a winner and a loser for you.

As you gain experience, you can use this line to back teams that you think will not only win, but will win by a big margin, and by doing that you will get bigger odds on them.

Official NFL website for more information: https://www.nfl.com/