How To Bet On NFL Games Legally
The 103rd season of the National Football League is underway in 2022, and fans will be pleased to know that NFL betting is legal in over 30 US states and many countries around the globe. Plus, betting on the NFL has never been easier, even if you have no experience. Read our complete guide to understand how to bet on NFL games, including registering with top sportsbooks and claiming a generous welcome bonus.
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Can You Bet on NFL Games?
An average of 17.1 million people watched the NFL every week in 2021, making it one of the most watched sports worldwide. It’s no wonder there is global interest in betting on its many twists and turns. However, you can only wager on NFL games in jurisdictions where sports betting is legal. We’ve compiled a list of the top countries, states and areas where you can legally wager on the NFL.
How to Bet on NFL
There is a similar process to betting on the NFL no matter where you place your wagers. NFL betting apps try to make it simple for new bettors while also protecting your security. Our experts have broken it down step-by-step to take you from signing up with your first betting site to making your first NFL pick.
Where to Bet on NFL?
The most important thing to remember when wagering is to bet where it is legal, and only use licensed and regulated betting sites. You must check your sportsbook holds licensing with your relevant regulatory body. For example, in the US, every state has its own regulator, such as the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement in the Garden State.
Aside from this, dozens of different sportsbooks offer different betting offers, odds boost and features. Luckily, our experts have reviewed hundreds of NFL betting sites to choose the best options for you. You can rest assured every betting site we recommend is safe while offering the best opportunities to wager on the NFL.
All you need to do is click the links on this page, and you can start your sign-up process.
Signing Up to an NFL Sportsbook
Before learning how to place a bet on NFL games, you first need to provide a lot of information to sign up with a betting site, which can be pretty complicated for new bettors. However, we’ve provided a step-by-step guide to walk you through registering with an NFL sportsbook.
- Click the links on this page to visit one of our recommended sportsbooks.
- Choose the “Sign-Up” or “Register” option.
- Enter your full name, date of birth, address, email and phone number. If you are in the US, you may also need to enter the last four digits of your Social Security Number. Betting sites need this information to verify your identity and protect you from fraud and underage gambling.
- Confirm the sportsbook’s terms and conditions to complete your registration.
How to Read NFL Betting Lines
There are many different ways to learn how to be on NFL football online, and it all starts with betting lines. Every wager on a sportsbook will have odds, which tell you how much money you can win depending on your bet. There are three common types of odds: fractional odds (3/1), decimal odds (4.0), and American odds (+300). Different types of odds are popular in various jurisdictions. For example, as their name implies, American odds are widely used at USA sports betting sites.
With fractional odds, if you bet the number on the right of the ‘/’, you get the number on the left back as profit. When a team is a heavy favorite, the number on the right may be bigger than the one on the left. For example, with odds of 1/4, you need to wager $4 to make a $1.
When using American odds, there will be a three-digit number and a (-) or (+) symbol to tell you what you can earn. The (-) indicates the favorite, and the number next to it tells you how much you need to wager to win $100. For example, in a -300 bet, you’d need to bet $300 to win $100. However, with the underdog (+) symbol, the number tells you how much you can make for betting $100. With a +300 bet, you need to wager $100 to win $300.
Decimal odds show how much profit you’ll make if you bet $1 on a bet, including your stake. For instance, decimal odds of 4.0 show that you’d make a $3 profit for betting $1. Meanwhile, decimal odds of 1.33 show that you’ll make $0.33 for every $1 you bet.
How to Bet on NFL Football
Novices may ask how to bet on NFL win totals, how to bet on NFL MVP or matches themselves, but betting on the NFL is very simple, and sports betting apps aim to make it easy for beginner bettors to learn the ropes. Follow our guide below to place your first NFL bet with our recommended US betting apps.
- Log on to your sportsbook account.
- Visit the cashier/deposit section to add money for betting. You can choose from a range of trusted payment methods.
- Decide how much to deposit. If you are trying to claim any betting welcome offers, ensure you meet any terms such as minimum deposits.
- Browse through the betting site’s sports until you find its NFL wagers.
- Choose a betting market and add it to your bet slip. Decide your stake and place the wager.
- If your bet wins, return to the cashier section for instructions on withdrawing.
How to Bet on NFL Games Point Spread
You wager on the margin of victory between the two teams with an NFL point spread. The betting site will give you a minus number of points for the favorite. The team must win by more points than this for you to win your wager. For example, if the Pittsburgh Steelers has -3 on the point spread, they must win by four points or more for your wager to win.
However, the underdog will have a plus symbol and a number, telling you how many points the team can lose by. If your team loses within this points margin or wins, you’ll win your wager. For example, the New York Jets with +3 points can lose by three points or win for your bet to be successful.
How Does the NFL Moneyline Work?
The most simple type of betting is an NFL moneyline, where you predict which team will win a game. The favorite is indicated by a (-) symbol and the underdog with a (+). Most moneylines include games that go to overtime.
How to Bet on NFL Props
NFL prop bets allow you to disregard which team wins and instead bet on the performance of individual athletes or teams. If you correctly predict the statistics by the end of the game, you’ll win your bet. You can bet on whether a team will throw for 300+ offensive yards or whether a player will score a rushing touchdown. There are many player prop options, including TDs, passing yards, rushing yards, sacks, tackles, interceptions and more.
You can also find prop bets unrelated to the game for big events like the Super Bowl, such as whether the crowd will do a Mexican wave or a coach will fall over on the touchline.
How to Bet on NFL Parlays
Rather than placing lots of individual wagers on different markets, you can combine multiple bets into one wager called a parlay. Each bet, or leg, needs to come through for you to win your wager. Because of this added risk, you’ll get better odds with parlays rather than betting on each market individually. In addition, you only need to place one stake.
For example, you could bet on the Minnesota Vikings to beat the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs to beat the Buffalo Bills. If both the Vikings and Chiefs win, you’ll get your payout. However, if one team loses, you won't get anything. Some of the best NFL betting sites allow you to combine multiple bets from the same event to create a same-game parlay, including moneylines, point spreads and props.
How to Bet on NFL Win Totals
Before the start of each season, sportsbooks will set a total for how many wins each team will record, and you have to predict whether it will be over or under that total. Betting sites always choose decimal numbers, so you can never hit the exact total. For example, a sportsbook could offer a preseason winning total of 8.5 for the Cincinnati Bengals. If you pick the over, you are backing the team to get nine wins or more. If you select the under, you think the team will register eight wins or fewer. You’ll also get greater odds for making your win total wagers early.
How to Bet on NFL MVP
The NFL MVP is announced at the end of the regular season, but you can wager on which player you think will win it well before then. Futures markets for this type of wager often open after the previous Super Bowl finishes. The earlier you place your bet, the greater your odds, as injuries, form and more can vastly change the market. Quarterbacks tend to dominate, with only one non-QB MVP winner since 2007.
Countries Where NFL Sports Betting is Legal
- Australia
- Canada
- Denmark
- Ireland
- India
- Italy
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Australia Betting
- Canada Betting
- Ireland Betting
- India Betting
- Italy Betting
- New Zealand Betting
- Norway Betting
- Sweden Betting
- US Betting
US States Where NFL Sports Betting is Legal
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- Washington DC
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
- Arizona Betting
- Colorado Betting
- Connecticut Betting
- Illinois Betting
- Indiana Betting
- Iowa Betting
- Kansas Betting
- Louisiana Betting
- Maryland Betting
- Michigan Betting
- New Hampshire Betting
- New Jersey Betting
- New York Betting
- North Carolina Betting
- Pennsylvania Betting
- Tennessee Betting
- Virginia Betting
- West Virginia Betting
Canadian Provinces Where NFL Sports Betting is Legal
- Ontario
- Quebec*
- British Columbia*
- Alberta*
- Manitoba*
- Atlantic Provinces*
- Saskatchewan*
*Only legal through a state-managed operator
