NFL Football Betting Picks
According to a recent Harris Poll, 29 percent of Americans say that American professional football is their favorite sport. Not surprisingly, it is also one of the most popular sports to bet on. Every February, the Super Bowl is the most popular sports betting event of the year.
Real sports bettors looking to make consistent money are more likely to bet throughout the NFL season rather than just placing one large bet on Super Bowl Sunday, though. Those bettors want to use what they see in one week to their advantage in betting on next week’s games.
Like basketball, NFL betting offers many different types of bets for you to wager on: spreads, moneylines, parlays, teasers, and pleasers.
A spread bet is when one team is favored by a certain amount of points. For example, the New England Patriots might be a 10 point favorite over the New York Jets if the game is at New England. You could either bet on New England to cover the bet and win by 11 points or more, or you could bet that New York will cover the bet and lose by 9 points or less.
Even if a team wins most of its games, that is no guarantee that the team will fare well against the spread. The Minnesota Vikings finished 10-6 last season, but people who bet that the Vikings would cover the spread every week – whether as favorites or as underdogs – finished 6-10, meaning they probably won most of their games by close margins. A closer look at their schedule last year reveals that, not surprisingly, the Vikings won six games by a touchdown or less.
On the flip side of that coin, teams may end up with a terrible record but perform well against the spread, meaning they lost several close games. The Kansas City Chiefs are a great example of this. The Chiefs finished a lousy 2-14 last season, but finished 8-8 against the spread. A close look at their schedule shows that the Chiefs lost six games by a touchdown or less.
Some teams perform great against the spread at home and poorly on the road. The New Orleans Saints were 7-1 against the spread at home – blowing opponents out at their home stadium – but just 4-3-1 against the spread on the road. That’s a bona fide home field advantage for bettors.
moneyline bets are easier in NFL betting, but bettors must be willing to bet much on worse odds to secure a win sometimes. If you think that New England will win, but not by 10 points, you may just want to bet on the moneyline. The flip side to this is simply betting on New York to cover, and staying away from the moneyline altogether. If you think that New England will win but only by a field goal, it would make more sense to bet $11 to win $10 on New York to cover rather than $50 to win $10 on New England to win straight up.
Another NFL betting option is parlay betting. In professional football, you can parlay bet several games together, either on the point spread or the moneyline, or you can parlay two lines in the same game. For instance, if the New England-New York over-under is 44 points, you could bet New England to cover and parlay it with the over. A typical two-team parlay pays 13 to 5, or $5 won for every $13 risked. A three-team parlay pays 6 to 1 and so on and so forth. If you are feeling really daring, a 10-team parlay can pay up to 600 to 1 on your money.
Parlaying moneylines can be a great way to put some value into your NFL betting. If you think you know who will win the outcome of several games, betting them together will pay out significantly more than if you bet them individually. Of course, as is the risk with any parlay, if you win four games but lose one game in a five-team parlay, you still lose your bet, so proceed with caution.
In general, parlays are not very good values, so if you are looking to maximize your advantage, you may want to place single bets. While the true odds of a three-team parlay winning is 12.5%, or 1 in 8.5, the payoff is only 6 to 1, meaning you are giving up some value. It may not seem like a big difference for one bet, but over time that can accumulate.
There is a situation where parlay betting can become profitable, however. Correlated parlays such as the New England example I mentioned earlier, can be a good value. Some sports books do not allow you to place correlated parlays, and for good reason—it’s like eliminating the zeroes on a roulette wheel, it takes away a lot of the house advantage.
If your sportsbook allows correlated parlays, consider taking advantage of them. Statistically speaking, if a favorite covers, the score is more likely to go over the over-under. If New England wins by 14, it is probable that the score will go over the over-under of 44 points from the earlier example. Still, betting on New England plus the over pays the same as betting the spread for two separate games does. You can see why this is an attractive betting option! Similarly, if an underdog covers, the game is likely to go under. So if the Jets lose by only seven points, the total is more likely to be under 44 points.
Other fun ways to place bets include teasers, future bets and propositional bets. Teasers are a minimum of a two-team parlay where you can change the spread a minimum of six points. In football, where six points can be the difference between a win and a loss, teasers can be very attractive, and very profitable if you play them right. Future bets are wagers that you can place that occur in the future, such as who will win the 2010 Super Bowl. Propositional bets can range from if a running back will rush for more than 80 yards in a game to whether the coin flip will result in heads or tails.
One system of teasers that has been extremely profitable over the last few years is the Wong Teaser. With a Wong Teaser, you target underdogs that are between 1.5 and 2.5 points, and favorites that are between 7.5 and 8.5 points. If you take the Cincinnati Bengals at +2.5 and the San Francisco 49ers at -8, you tease them both six points to +8.5 for the Bengals and -2 for the 49ers.
The reasoning behind this is that many games in the NFL are decided by either three or seven points. If you tease based on that strategy, you are manipulating the line across both the three and seven number and getting a lot of value. From 2001 to 2005, two-team Wong Teasers won 71% of the time. If you are risking $10 to win $10 on a two-team teaser and winning 71% of the time, that is a very profitable strategy. Note that this strategy does not apply to college football!
In general, NFL betting can be very exciting and very profitable if you approach it correctly. When in doubt, go against the public – as the vast majority of bettors lose money. It may be scary to bet on an underdog to cover, or a game to go under the over-under, but in the long run it’s a winning strategy. So get out there, do some NFL betting and settle in for an exciting 17 weeks of Sunday NFL football!
You can click the link to learn more about Football Betting
Super Bowl XLVI Betting Preview- New York Giants vs. New England Patriots Pointspread: New England -2.5 Total Line: 55
NFC Championship Betting Preview- New York Giants vs. San Francisco 49ers Pointspread: San Francisco -2.5 Total line: 43.5
AFC Championship Betting Preview- Baltimore Ravens vs. New England Patriots Pointspread: New England -7.5 Total line: 50.5
Texans at Ravens Spread -7 1/2 Total 36. Moneyline Ravens -340, Texans +280
NFL Divisional Playoff Betting Previews- New Orleans Saints vs. San Francisco 49ers Point Spread: New Orleans -3.5 Total line: 47
NFL Divisional Playoff Betting Previews- New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers Point spread: Green Bay -9 Total line: 52.5
NFL Divisional Playoff Betting Previews- Denver Broncos vs. New England Patriots Point spread: New England -13.5 Total line: 50.5
NFL Wildcard Round Betting Previews- Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Denver Broncos Point spread: Pittsburgh -9 Total line: 34.5
NFL Wildcard Round Betting Previews- Atlanta Falcons vs. New York Giants Point spread: New York -3 Total line: 47
NFL Wildcard Round Betting Previews- Detroit Lions vs. New Orleans Saints Point spread: New Orleans -10.5 Total line: 58.5
NFL Week 17 Betting Previews- Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants Point spread: New York -2.5 Over/Under: 46
NFL Week 17 Betting Previews- San Diego Chargers vs. Oakland Raiders Point spread: Oakland -3 Total line: 49
NFL Week 17 Betting Previews- Baltimore Ravens vs. Cincinnati Bengals Point spread: Baltimore -1.5 Over/Under: 38
NFL Week 16 Betting Previews- Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints Point spread: New Orleans -6.5 Total line: 52.5
NFL Week 16 Betting Previews- Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers Point spread: Green Bay -13 Total line: 44
NFL Week 16 Betting Previews- New York Giants vs. New York Jets Point spread: Jets -3 Over/Under: 45.5
Monday Night Football Betting Preview- Pittsburgh Steelers vs. San Francisco 49ers Point spread: San Francisco -2.5 Over/Under: OFF
NFL Week 15 Betting Previews- Baltimore Ravens vs. San Diego Chargers Point spread: Baltimore -1.5 Over/Under: 44
NFL Week 15 Betting Previews- New England Patriots vs. Denver Broncos Point spread: New England -6 Over/Under: 46
The battered Chicago Bears invade Mile High Stadium this Sunday afternoon to take-on Tim Tebow and the high-flying Denver Broncos in a crucial inter-conference clash for both team’s playoff hopes. Game time is set for 4:05 p.m. (ET) and it will be broadcast regionally on FOX.
The Oakland Raiders will invade Lambeau Field this Sunday afternoon to take their shot at trying to knock the Green Bay Packers from the ranks of the unbeaten. Game time is set for 4:15 p.m.
The Philadelphia Eagles travel to the West Coast on a short week to square-off against the Seattle Seahawks in front of a Thursday night prime-time audience at the CenturyLink Field. The kick-off is slated for 8:20 (p.m.) and the game will be broadcast nationally on the NFL Network.
NFL Week 12 Betting Previews- New York Giants vs. New Orleans Saints Point spread: New Orleans -7 Over/Under: 51
The San Francisco 49ers will try and extend their current winning streak to nine games when they head east to tangle with the Baltimore Ravens in a Thanksgiving night clash at M&T Bank Stadium. The game is set to get underway at 8:20 p.m
The Philadelphia Eagles will try and snap a two-game losing streak this Sunday night when they tangle with the NFC East rival New York Giants at MetLife Stadium in a battle of two teams headed in opposite directions this season
The Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens clash this Sunday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium in a crucial AFC North tilt that will have an impact on both team’s playoff chances. The game is set to get underway at 1 p.m. (ET) and it will be broadcast nationally on CBS
The New York Jets travel west to Mile High Stadium to square-off against the Denver Broncos this Thursday in a matchup of two teams that desperately need a win to keep pace their division race. The kick-off is set for 8:20 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast nationally
The Minnesota Vikings head into Lambeau Field this upcoming Monday night for a classic NFC North tilt with the undefeated Green Bay Packers. The kick-off is slated for 8:30 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.
First place in the AFC East will be on the line this upcoming Sunday night when the New England Patriots and the New York Jets square-off at MetLife Stadium in the second of this season’s two-game set.
The New York Giants head out to the West Coast to square-off against the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday afternoon in a showdown between two of the top teams in the NFC. Kick-off is set for 4:15 p.m. and the game will be broadcast nationally on FOX.
The Green Bay Packers continue their quest for the top spot in the NFC this Sunday afternoon when the travel west to face the San Diego Chargers, who are just trying to hold onto the top spot in their division
The lead in AFC North will be on the line this Sunday night when the Baltimore Ravens face-off against the Pittsburgh Steelers in one of the most heated rivalries in the NFL. The kick-off for this one is set for 8:20 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers come off their bye week with a chance to take the lead in the NFC South when they square-off against the New Orleans Saints this Sunday afternoon at the Superdome.
Baltimore came in off its bye week and captured a 29-14 win over the Houston Texans as seven-point favorites, pushing its record to 4-1 ATS on the season, while going ‘under’ the total for the first time.
NFL Week 7 Betting Previews-Kansas City Chiefs vs. Oakland Raiders Point spread: Oakland -3.5 Over/Under: 41.5 The Kansas City Chiefs will try and make it three-straight wins to get back to .500 when they take-on the Oakland Raiders at Oakland County Coliseum this Sunday afternoon in this AFC West matchup. The kick-off is set for 4:05 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast regionally on CBS.
The Houston Texans and the Tennessee Titans clash in a huge AFC South showdown at LP Field in Nashville this Sunday afternoon with first-place in the division on the line. The game is slated for a 1 p.m. (ET) start and it will be broadcast regionally on CBS
The San Diego Chargers come off their bye week and change coasts for a Sunday afternoon showdown with the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The game is set to get underway at 1 p.m. (ET) and it will be broadcast on CBS.
Miami is winless and without its starting quarterback heading into Monday night’s contest with the New York Jets. The Dolphins are coming off a bye week
Cleveland comes off its bye week and will make a trip to Northern California to take on the Oakland Raiders.
Jacksonville is 1-4 on the season and bettors may be hesitant in wagering on the team, but the last seven meetings between these two have been decided by 10 points or less.
Philadelphia has lost four consecutive games and will be looking to stop the slide before dropping five straight for the first time since 1998. The Eagles are still confident
Two of the more surprising teams in the NFL will face off Sunday, as both are exceeding expectations in the NFC race. San Francisco has won three consecutive games, while also beating the number, including a 48-3 win over Tampa Bay
Carolina is 1-4 on the season but much better off than last year’s 2-14 mark due to the play of rookie quarterback Cam Newton, who is the only player in NFL history
Buffalo is a surprising 4-1 on the season and is coming off a 31-24 win over the Philadelphia Eagles as three-point home underdogs, a common opponent between these two combatants on Sunday
Indianapolis enters this game with an 0-5 straight-up record and 3-2 against-the-spread mark, dropping a 28-24 contest to the Kansas City Chiefs last week as one-point home favorites.
St. Louis is coming off its bye week and searching for its first win of the season, as the offense looks to be more productive. The Rams have scored just 46 points on the season, going three and out on 18 of 48 possessions.
The well-rested Dallas Cowboys, who are coming off a bye-week, travel to Foxborough this week for a Sunday afternoon tilt with the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Kick-off is set for 4:15 (p.m.) and the game will be broadcast nationally on CBS
The New Orleans Saints head down to Raymond James Stadium this upcoming Sunday afternoon for a crucial early-season divisional tilt against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with first-place in the NFC South on the line.
Green Bay strolled into the Georgia Dome in last year’s playoffs as one-point road underdogs and came out with a convincing 48-21 win. The Packers are the defending Super Bowl champions
New Orleans has recovered nicely after dropping a 42-34 season-opening contest to the Green Bay Packers as four-point road underdogs, winning three consecutive games entering this Week 5 matchup.
San Diego is leading the AFC West division and has avoided a slow start that has plagued the team over the past few years. The Chargers are getting it done on the defensive end, giving up just 297.8 yards per game, while allowing just 16.6 points in three wins.
Arizona is 1-3 on the season and bettors should realize that each of the team’s games have been decided by seven points or less. The Cardinals have dropped consecutive games against the Seattle Seahawks (13-10) and New York Giants (31-27) despite out-gaining both teams.
Kansas City picked up its first win of the season last week, handing the Minnesota Vikings a 22-17 defeat as three-point home underdogs. The Chiefs will now be heading out on the road for the third time this year.
The New York Jets will look to snap a two game skid when they take on the AFC East division-rival New England Patriots this Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium.The game is slated to get underway at 4:15 p.m. (ET) and it will be broadcast nationally on CBS
The Oakland Raiders will look to raise their record back over .500 when they tangle with the Houston Texans this Sunday afternoon in a matchup of two up-and-coming teams in the AFC
Tampa Bay picked up its third win of the year in a 24-17 win on Monday Night Football over the Indianapolis Colts last week, but failed to cover the 10 points. It’s a common theme for this team
Seattle is one of the worst road teams in the NFL and has already dropped both games away from the Pacific Northwest this season, falling 33-17 to the San Francisco 49ers and 24-0 versus the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Tennessee is just three points away from coming into this game with a perfect 4-0 record, coming in on a three-game winning streak that followed a 16-14 season-opening loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Cincinnati heads back on the road and will bring in the league’s No. 1 defense to face the worst offense in the NFL. The Bengals covered their first two games of the season that happened to be on the road, including a 27-17 season-opening win against Cleveland as 6.5-point underdogs.
Philadelphia is set to face its first AFC opponent of the 2011 season and hold a 6-5 series lead over the Buffalo Bills. The Eagles are looking to end a three-game losing streak
The Chicago Bears tangle with the undefeated Detroit Lions under the prime time lights of Monday Night Football this week in a classic black and blue battle of division rivals. The game is scheduled to get underway from Ford Field at 8:30 p.m. (ET) and it will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.
Indianapolis has played much better football the past two weeks, but will enter this week’s Monday Night Football contest with an 0-3 record. The Colts have been out-gained in all three games this year and it’s likely that quarterback Peyton Manning will be out the entire year.
New England had its 15-game win streak over Buffalo snapped in last week’s 34-31 loss, failing to hold onto a 21-point lead. The Patriots will now head out on the road for a second consecutive week with the league’s best offense.
Denver is 1-2 on the season and will likely drop another game against last year’s Super Bowl champion, as John Fox has had a tough go of it in his first three games in the Mile High City.
Miami has dropped all three of its games this year and will be leaning heavily on the team’s 3-1 road record against AFC West division teams to turn things around. “It’s good to be with the guys and just us out there,” commented offensive tackle Jake Long
New York is aiming to push its winning streak to three games after picking up wins over the St. Louis Rams and Philadelphia Eagles. The Giants have still been out-gained in all three contests this year.
Carolina picked up its first win of the season last week with a 16-10 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars as 3.5-point home favorites. Ironically enough, the Panthers were out-gained in a contest for the first time during the 2011 season in the win.
Minnesota has suffered three consecutive second-half meltdowns in entering this week with an 0-3 record, including a 26-23 loss to the Detroit Lions as three-point home underdogs.
Buffalo became the first team in NFL history to win back-to-back games after trailing by 18 or more points in each at one point. The Bills are also the only team in the NFL to feature three players with three or more touchdowns in 2011.
Tennessee has won consecutive games since dropping its season opener to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but lost a significant piece of its offense with a season-ending injury to wide receiver Kenny Britt.
Detroit overcame a 20-0 deficit at halftime to register a 26-23 win over the Minnesota Vikings last week as three-point road favorites, moving the team’s record to a perfect 3-0. Expectations are now sky-high for this franchise in the Motor City.
Atlanta will already be playing its third road game of the season and has dropped the first two contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (16-13) and Chicago Bears (30-12). The Falcons did manage to pick up a 34-18 win in last year’s meeting with Seattle as 5.5-point road favorites.
The New York Jets will look to bounce back from a disappointing loss last week with a huge win over another AFC power when they head to M&T Bank Stadium to take on the Baltimore Ravens in prime time on Sunday Night Football
The San Francisco 49ers travel coast-to-coast for a Sunday afternoon tilt with the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Kick-off is slated for 1 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast regionally on FOX.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will try and win their third straight game when they take on the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium this upcoming Sunday afternoon. The kick-off is slated for 1 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast nationally on CBS.
One of the best rivalries in the NFL takes center stage this upcoming Monday night when the Washington Redskins square-off against the Dallas Cowboys in an early NFC East showdown. Game time from Cowboys Stadium is set for 8:30 p.m. (ET) and it will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.
Arizona was just a point away from being 2-0 this season, dropping a 22-21 contest to the Washington Redskins as 4.5-point road underdogs. Cardinals betting are 2-0 against-the-spread this year, but have been out-gained in both contests by a combined 214 yards.
Atlanta needed a win and got it last week with a 35-31 win over the Philadelphia Eagles as 2.5-point home underdogs. The Falcons were embarrassed in a 30-12 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 1, but professional bettors are quick to point out that the team was out-gained by 129 yards last week.
Baltimore turned in a dud performance last week in dropping a 26-13 contest to the Tennessee Titans as 5.5-point road favorites, as the team was out-gained by 203 yards just a week after a convincing 35-7 home win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Green Bay will be facing Chicago for the third time in the past nine months, as the team clinched a playoff berth with a 10-3 win in the season finale in Lambeau Field, while also coming away with a 21-14 win in the NFC Championship Game inside Sunday’s venue.
New York will face a top-five rushing attack for the second consecutive week, coming off a 32-3 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars as nine-point home favorites. The Jets finished that game with an 80-yard advantage, but were out-gained on the ground by 11 yards
Houston is one of a few teams that is a perfect 2-0 straight-up and against-the-spread this season, coming off a 23-13 win over the Miami Dolphins as three-point road favorites. The Texans have won the yardage battle
Detroit enters Week 3 of the 2011 season with a perfect 2-0 record, coming off wins over Tampa Bay (27-20) and the Kansas City Chiefs (48-3). The Lions are the only team in the NFL that have covered all six games this season, which includes the preseason.
Miami is searching for its first victory of the season after dropping back-to-back home contests to the New England Patriots (38-24) and Houston Texans (23-13). The Dolphins also failed to cover the spread in both instances.
Denver heads out on the road for the first time this year after playing back-to-back home games against the Oakland Raiders and Cincinnati Bengals, coming out of the Mile High with a 1-1 record.
This game will receive plenty of media attention, as first-year quarterbacks Blaine Gabbert and Cam Newton face off in Week 3 of the 2011 NFL season. Both players were taken in the first round in this year’s draft, with Newton going with the first overall pick.
San Francisco heads out on the road for the first time this season and it will be the 14th meeting between these teams. The 49ers hold a 10-3 (.769) advantage, which is the second highest winning percentage against any opponent in franchise history.
Kansas City has been by far the worst team in NFL betting this year, failing to cover the spread by a combined 73.5 points through two weeks of action. The Chiefs followed up a 41-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills as 3.5-point home favorites with a 48-3 defeat as nine-point road underdogs
The New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles square-off in a crucial early season NFL betting showdown in the NFC East this Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field. The kick-off in this one is slated for 1 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast nationally on FOX. New York comes into this game all square after
New England certainly knows that it has won 15 straight games in this series, but nobody is talking about it, as the squad is focused on simply moving its record to 3-0 on the season. “They have a lot of good football players and they’re doing things well in all three phases of the game
Houston came away with an uneventful 34-7 home win over the Indianapolis Colts as nine-point favorites, as the team didn’t have to defend quarterback Peyton Manning, who is still recovering from offseason neck surgery
Cincinnati pulled off a 27-17 upset over the Cleveland Browns as 6.5-point road underdogs and will now seek a second consecutive road win. The Bengals are hoping that
Dallas wants to avoid an 0-2 start at all costs, as it went down the same path last year and it turned into a 1-7 record at the midway point in 2010. The Cowboys had every opportunity to win
Jacksonville made a surprising move by letting quarterback David Garrard go leading up to the season open also surprised many by picking up a 16-14 win over the Tennessee Titans as one-point home underdogs.
Arizona managed to pull off a 28-21 win over the Carolina Panthers as seven-point home favorites in the opening week, but managed to be out-gained by 83 yards in the process
Seattle is likely to start the season 0-2 after suffering a 33-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers as six-point road underdogs and now being the highest priced underdog in Week 2. The Seahawks did manage to out-gain the 49ers by 10 yards last week.
Green Bay makes its first road trip of the 2011 season when it visits the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, which will also serve as the first game at the venue since 2005. The two teams have played 10 previous times in the past 15 seasons.
Tampa Bay dropped a 27-20 contest to the Detroit Lions as one-point home favorites in its season opener and will look to run the ball more heading out on the road. The Buccaneers completely abandoned the
Cleveland is mainly a road favorite in this contest due to Indianapolis dropping a 34-7 road contest to the Houston Texans than its own defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals. The Browns fell to 0-1 on the season in losing a 27-17
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