Betting on NFL games can add extra excitement to watching football. If you’re new to sports betting, all the numbers and terminology might seem confusing at first.

Don’t worry – this beginner-friendly guide will walk you through the basics of how NFL betting works.

We’ll explain the three most common bet types (moneyline, point spread, and totals), how to read American odds (like +120 vs -150), and the simple steps to place a bet.

Whether it’s a regular season Sunday matchup or the Super Bowl, the fundamentals of NFL betting are the same. Let’s get started!

Moneyline Bets (Picking a Winner)

Moneyline betting is the simplest way to bet on an NFL game – you’re simply betting on which team will win outright. There’s no point spread or margin of victory to consider.

You’ll see each team listed with odds (American odds format) indicating the payout. The favored team will have a negative (-) odds number, and the underdog will have a positive (+) odds number.

For example, imagine a regular season game where the Kansas City Chiefs are heavily favored over the Cincinnati Bengals. A sportsbook might list the moneyline as Chiefs -350 vs. Bengals +275.

The negative “-350” for the Chiefs means you would need to risk $350 to win $100 in profit (since the Chiefs are favorites).

Meanwhile, the Bengals at “+275” would return $275 in profit on a $100 bet if they win (underdogs pay more because their chance of winning is lower).

In both cases, if your bet wins, you also get your original stake back along with the profit.

Moneyline odds can be close in a fairly even matchup or a big event.

In the Super Bowl, for instance, the odds might be Team A -125 vs. Team B +100, indicating Team A is a slight favorite.

At -125, you’d wager $1.25 for every $1 you hope to win, whereas +100 (often called “even money”) means you’d win $1 for every $1 wagered.

Whichever team wins the game outright, a moneyline bet on that team wins. Moneyline bets are great for beginners because they’re straightforward – just pick the winner of the game.

Point Spread Bets (Beating the Spread)

The point spread is the most popular NFL bet type.

A point spread is an expected margin of victory set by the sportsbook.

One team is the favorite (indicated with a “-” minus sign and some points) and the other is the underdog (indicated with a “+” plus sign and the same number of points).

The spread number shows how many points the favorite is expected to win by (and conversely, how many points the underdog is “given” or can lose by).

For example, you might see a game listed as Team A -3.5 vs. Team B +3.5.

In this case, Team A is a 3.5-point favorite.

If you bet on Team A to cover the spread, they must win the game by more than 3.5 points (in reality, at least 4 points since you can’t score half-points) for your bet to win.

If you bet on Team B as a +3.5 underdog, you win the bet if Team B either wins the game outright or loses by 3 or fewer points. Essentially, the underdog “gets” a 3.5-point head start.

Sportsbooks often use a half-point (the “.5” – also called a “hook”) in spreads like 3.5 to avoid a tie outcome.

If a spread is a whole number and the favorite wins by exactly that amount, it’s a push (tie) – meaning no one wins the bet and your stake is returned.

For instance, if the spread was exactly 3 and Team A won by 3, that’s a push (money back). By using -3.5 or +3.5, the sportsbook ensures there’s a clear win or loss (since the final margin can’t land exactly on a half-point).

When you place a spread bet, you’ll also see odds attached to it, usually around -110 for each side.

This is the “vigorish” or “juice”, basically the bookmaker’s fee. -110 odds mean you’d bet $110 to win $100 (you get $210 back total if you win – your $110 stake plus $100 profit).

Both the favorite and underdog spread bets often carry roughly -110 odds, making it close to an even money bet with a small house edge.

The slight difference in risk (bet $1.10 to win $1) is how the sportsbook makes money for facilitating the bet.

We’ll talk more about reading odds in the next section, but the key point is that with a spread, the team you bet on must “cover” the spread for you to win.

If the favorite doesn’t win by enough points, or the underdog keeps the game closer than the spread, the bet on that side loses.

Point spread betting adds a layer of excitement because the bet can come down to the final minutes even if the game’s winner is apparent.

Covering the spread can be as thrilling as the actual outcome.

For example, even if a powerhouse team wins a regular season game, it matters to spread bettors whether they won by, say, 4 points versus 3 points. In the NFL playoffs, spreads tend to be smaller since teams are more evenly matched, but the principle remains the same.

Totals (Over/Under) Bets

Another common NFL wager is the total, also known as betting the Over/Under.

Instead of picking a team, you’re betting on the combined total points scored by both teams in a game.

The sportsbook sets an estimated total points number, and you can wager whether the actual total score will be over or under that number.

For example, a typical NFL total might be 47.5 points for a game.

If you bet Over 47.5, you need the combined score of both teams to be 48 or higher for your bet to win.

If the final score is, say, 28-20 (which sums to 48 points), the Over hits.

If you bet the Under 47.5, you need the total points to be 47 or fewer – for instance, a 24-21 final (45 points) would cash the Under.

If the game’s total exactly lands on the set number (for example, if the total was 47 and the game ended 27-20 for 47 points), it would be a push and your money is refunded. That’s why, just like with spreads, totals often include a half-point “hook” (e.g. 47.5) to ensure there’s no tie.

The Over/Under number can vary widely depending on the teams and conditions. A matchup of two high-scoring, offensive powerhouses might have a higher total (it could be in the 50s) whereas a game between strong defensive teams or in bad weather might have a lower total (perhaps in the high 30s).

For instance, if the Buffalo Bills play the Kansas City Chiefs, the total might be around 55 points, but if the game is between two low-scoring teams, it might be around 38 or 40 points.

Like point spreads, total bets usually have odds around -110 on both the Over and Under.

You’ll see something like Over 47.5 (-110) and Under 47.5 (-110) in the sportsbook listing.

This means whichever side you choose, you’d be laying $1.10 for every $1 in potential profit (the payout mechanics are the same as described earlier for -110 odds).

The excitement with totals is that every score by either team affects your bet.

If you took the Over, you’d be cheering for touchdowns and field goals all game from both sides.

If you took the Under, you’d prefer a defensive battle with fewer points.

Totals betting is a fun way to engage with a game even if you don’t have a strong opinion on which team will win.

Understanding American Odds (Plus vs. Minus)

When you look at NFL betting lines, you’ll notice the odds are listed as American odds, which have either a plus sign (+) or a minus sign (-) in front of a number.

Understanding these odds is crucial, as they tell you how much you stand to win relative to your wager. The plus (+) and minus (-) indicate two things: which side is the underdog or favorite and the payout ratio of the bet.

  • Negative Odds (Favorites): A negative number (e.g. -150) means that the team is favored to win. The number tells you how much you must risk to win $100 in profit. For instance, odds of -150 mean you need to bet $150 to win $100 (and you’d get $250 back total – your $150 stake plus $100 winnings). If you see -200, that means bet $200 to win $100, and so on. A larger negative number indicates a heavier favorite (you have to risk more to win a given amount).

  • Positive Odds (Underdogs): A positive number (e.g. +120) means that the team is the underdog. The number tells you how much profit you’d win on a $100 bet. So odds of +120 mean a $100 bet would win you $120 in profit (and you’d get $220 back total – your original $100 plus $120 winnings). If the odds are +250, a $100 bet would net $250 profit, and so forth. Bigger positive numbers signify a bigger underdog (higher reward because the outcome is considered less likely).

All American odds are indexed to a $100 baseline to make understanding easier.

You don’t have to bet $100 on everything – the ratio scales up or down for any bet size.

For example, at +120 odds, a $10 bet would win $12 profit, and at -150 odds, a $50 bet would win about $33.33 profit (because $150 wins $100, so $1 wins ~$0.667).

Sportsbooks will calculate the exact payout for you when you enter your wager, so you don’t need to do the math manually every time.

The important takeaway is minus = favored (risk more to win less), plus = underdog (risk less to win more).

You’ll typically see these odds not only for moneyline bets but also attached to point spreads and totals.

As discussed, a spread or total will often have -110 odds on each side, meaning you risk $1.10 for every $1 of potential gain. Sometimes the odds can vary (like -105 on one side and -115 on the other, or other splits) if the sportsbook adjusts the “juice” based on betting action. But as a beginner, just remember the plus/minus rules above.

One more note: when your bet wins, the sportsbook will credit you both your profit and your original stake.

For example, if you bet $20 at +150 and win, you gain $30 profit plus get your $20 back (total payout $50).

If you bet $20 at -150 and win, you gain about $13.33 profit plus your $20 back (total ~$33.33). Understanding odds will help you gauge potential risk and reward for each bet you consider.

How to Place an NFL Bet (Step by Step)

Now that you know the main bet types and how to read the odds, let’s walk through placing an NFL bet from start to finish.

Placing a bet is a straightforward process that can be done at a physical sportsbook or, more commonly nowadays, via an online sportsbook or betting app.

The process is the same whether it’s a regular season game or the Super Bowl.

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

In an online sportsbook interface, each NFL game will typically display the three common betting options side by side: the point spread, moneyline, and total for that matchup.

For example, a betting line might look like this for a game:

In the example above, you can see the New York Giants are +5.5 underdogs with a +150 moneyline, and the Dallas Cowboys are -5.5 favorites with a -200 moneyline.

The total is set at 49.5 points (with -110 odds on the over “O” or under “U”).

This is how sportsbooks present the options you can bet on for each game. Now, here’s how you would place your bet:

  1. Find the game and market: Log in to your chosen sportsbook and navigate to the NFL section (or the specific league/event). Locate the game you want to bet on. You’ll see the odds for the spread, moneyline, and total as shown above – decide which type of bet you want to make. For instance, maybe you like the Cowboys to win outright (moneyline), or you think the Giants +5.5 points is a good bet, or perhaps you want to bet the Over 49.5 points.

  2. Select your bet: Click on the odds for the bet you’ve chosen. If you’re on a mobile app or website, tapping the line (for example, clicking “Cowboys -5.5 (-110)” or “Over 49.5 (-110)”) will add that selection to your bet slip. The bet slip is usually a sidebar or pop-up that keeps track of what you’re about to bet. You can add multiple bets to a slip (for parlays or multiple single bets), but as a beginner, you’ll likely stick to one bet at a time.

  3. Enter your wager amount: In the bet slip, there will be a field where you enter how much money you want to wager (your stake). When you type in an amount, the slip will automatically display your potential payout for that bet based on the current odds. For example, if you selected a +150 underdog and entered $10, it might show “To win: $15” (meaning $15 profit, plus your $10 back). If you chose a -200 favorite and enter $10, it might show “To win: $5” (meaning $5 profit, plus your $10 back). Make sure the amount is correct and that you’re comfortable with the risk (you can always start with a small bet).

  4. Confirm the bet: Double-check everything – the game, the team or total you’re betting on, the type of bet, and your wager amount. Sportsbooks will show you a confirmation screen or button (often “Place Bet” or “Confirm”). Once you’re happy, hit the confirm/submit button to place the bet. After confirming, your bet is officially placed, and you’ll typically get a brief confirmation message or screen.

  5. Watch and wait: Now, just enjoy the game! Once the game is over and the outcome is decided, the sportsbook will settle the bet. If you win, your account will be credited with the winnings (profit + your stake). If you lose, the amount you staked is lost. You can always check your open bets or bet history in the app to see the status. For big events like playoff games or the Super Bowl, sportsbooks often settle bets immediately at the final whistle, and you can then withdraw your winnings or use them for another bet.

That’s it – you’ve placed an NFL bet!

The first time can be a little nerve-wracking, but online sportsbooks are designed to make the process intuitive.

Just remember to only wager an amount you can afford to lose, and keep it fun.

Now that you know how to read NFL lines and place bets, you’re ready to participate in the action in a responsible, enjoyable way.

Happy betting, and good luck with your NFL wagers!