How To Bet On American Football – Betting Guide 2024

Which Different Ways Can You Place American Football Bets?

Our paramount strategy on American football betting is recognising the markets available and learning which ones are most suited to you. Like aforementioned, there are plenty of betting types on the NFL, you simply have to choose the one you are most skilled at.

Outright Winner

Whether you are an experienced punter or a newbie, the most exciting part of American football betting is the outright winner. This is the team that wins the championship, and is highly anticipated throughout the entire season.

For example, if you were betting on the Super Bowl (the final game of the NFL), you would have to consider factors affecting the winner. This includes their recent statistics, as well as past winners.

YEAR	WINNERS
2023	Kansas City Chiefs
2022	Los Angeles Rams
2021	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2020	Kansas City Chiefs
2019	New England Patriots
2018	Philadelphia Eagles
2017	New England Patriots

As you can see, in the latest years, the New England Patriots won twice, and so did the Kansas City Chiefs. Therefore, these are the teams to watch for 2024 onwards.

Over/Under Betting

Over/under betting is an extension of a correct score market. If you feel it would be too complex to predict the exact score, try over/under betting.

Generally, the bookmaker would display wagers like the following:

• The Miami Dolphins will score under 20 points (with odds 7/4)
• The Miami Dolphins will score over 20 points (with odds 3/1)

It could also look like this:

• During Kansas City Chiefs and San Fransisco 49ers game, under 30 points will be scored (with odds 10/1)
• During Kansas City Chiefs and San Fransisco 49ers game, over 30 points will be scored (with odds 15/1)

Handicap Betting

A handicap bet is important when a match is played between two teams that have a disproportionate skill level. Subsequently, it balances the scales and makes for a much more interesting game. This is otherwise known as a point spread.

It may look something like this:

• New York Giants -1.5, Arizona Cardinals +1.5

The team with a negative handicap is at a disadvantage, in comparison to the team with a positive handicap, which is at an advantage.

This means that if you wager on the Arizona Cardinals to win the game, you can still win your bet, even if they lose by a point.

Odds/Evens

The odds/evens market is relatively straightforward, yet betting sites often enhanced these odds, therefore it is a worthwhile bet to make. You can bet whether the match score will be odd or even in a variety of ways:

• First half points
• End of match points

For example, if the score between two teams was 31 – 9, the total would be 40 and therefore the evens bet would win. However, if the score was 20-7, the total would be 27 and therefore the odds bet would win.

It is worth noting that a 0-0 outcome would be considered even, although this is highly unlikely.

First Scorer

A lesser-known market is the first scorer, as this can be difficult to predict. However, if a team is notorious for a specific players’ abilities, it is worth wagering.

The first scorer could be any of these categories and more:

• First touchdown
• First field goal
• First safety touch

A good method to win big in this market is by researching the team players. By checking out their statistics you can notice trends in performance.

Personal Awards Betting

In American football, there are many miscellaneous individual awards. Below is a table we have compiled of the awards and previous winners.

	2023	2022	2021
Most Valuable Player	Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs)	Cooper Kupp (Los Angeles Rams)	Tom Brady (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Offensive Player of the Year	Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings)	Cooper Kupp (Los Angeles Rams)	Cooper Kupp (Los Angeles Rams)
Defensive Player of the Year	Nick Bosa (San Fransisco 49ers)	Nick Bosa (San Fransisco 49ers)	T.J. Watt (Pittsburgh Steelers)

It is worth noting players who have won these awards multiple times. For example, Tom Brady has won MVP 5 times, more than any other player.

How Do You Profit from American Football Betting Sites?

When using betting sites to place wagers on American football, it is important to have a robust strategy in place. This way, you can make an informed decision which is more likely to pay off. Below we have listed our top tips, so that you can focus on the fun.

Choose Your Market Wisely

Above, we have listed the most popular markets used by betting sites in American football. This includes outright winner, over/under bets, handicap betting, evens/odds bets, and first scorers.

These types of wager have the highest odds because they are the most common markets. As a result, you stand to make the biggest profit when betting on them.

Learn The Basic Rules

Before you register to a betting site, deposit, or make a bet, it is vital to understand the basic rules of the sport. In this case, American football may seem a little alien, especially to Irish punters who are used to football being ‘soccer’.

• There are two teams: one defensive, one offensive
• Each team has 11 players on the field
• A game lasts one hour, made up of four 15-minute quarters
• The point scoring system is the following: touchdown (6 points), field goal (3 points), safety (2 points), try after touchdown is (can be 1 or 2 points)

Research

The only way to predict the outcome of a game is by using the information which is already at hand. In this case, this is the most recent statistics you can find. Most betting sites publish live updates every day, so it is vital to register with a bookmaker that is keeping you informed on the latest news. It could include updates like:

• Scores on the latest games in the championship
• The team selection e.g. which team players are on the field, and which are sitting out 
• Injuries which will affect the season
• Weather warnings

Also look out for any last minute changed on odds. If they drastically increase for what seems like no reason, it could be due to new information affecting the outcome.

Avoid Making Risky Bets

It’s no secret that we can get caught up in the atmosphere and will always root for our favourite teams. In a perfect world, they will always prevail! However, to earn a profit, we need to use logic and research. Unfortunately, this means not blindly betting for our favourites.

In addition, some wagers have little value. This includes the following:

• Accumulator bets made up of several individual high odds bets
• Odds that are enhanced because they are extremely unlikely

Instead, look for offers like in-play betting, acca insurance, early cash out, and other promotions.