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The National Football League (NFL) is the most prestigious American football organisation, and it sees a lot of action in online sportsbooks. Punters who are used to betting on soccer or rugby can sometimes find NFL betting a bit confusing, so this guide should help you to understand the basics of betting on the NFL.

The Line

The line, also known as the point spread or spread, is a bet on whether a team will finish the game within a certain number of points of the opposing side. An example of how point spread odds might look at an online betting site is as follows:

Minnesota Vikings +6 -110
Green Bay Packers -6 -110

The initial number is the number of points, with a '-' symbol indicating the team that must win by that number of points and the '+' symbol indicating the team that must lose by less than that number of points.

You can simply add the points to the losing team's final score - if the adjusted score would win, then a spread bet on the underdog would win. Often the line will be set with a half point in order to avoid the possibility of a tie on spread bets.

The second set of numbers is the odds in American style. In this example, the favourite is Green Bay and the underdog is Minnesota.

NFL betting often focuses on the point spread, as spread betting can even make stomp matches interesting from a betting perspective. You see, it doesn't matter if one team is going to dominate if you can handicap them when you're betting!

Totals

Totals are a very popular part of NFL betting. This is a bet on whether a total score (either the combined game score or the score for just one of the teams) will be over or under a set number. These bets can be especially easy to pick thanks to the incredible stat keeping of the NFL.

For instance, there can be great opportunities for NFL totals bets later in the season once it becomes clear how each team is playing. If the number for the totals is set far higher than the average the team has achieved, then it's worth looking at the under odds. If the total is set at a lower point than the average for the season, then the over odds should look good. You will have to adjust based on the style match up of the teams, but this simple comparison of stats to the totals numbers is a good first step.

NFL Prop Bets

Some sportsbooks will offer NFL proposition bets, especially for major events like the Pro Bowl or Super Bowl. These prop bets can take the form of bets on which teams will score first, what the scores will be in each quarter, which player will score first, how many passes the quarterbacks will attempt, and many more possible outcomes. Sometime NFL prop bets are even offered on commentary or the half-time show.

We don't recommend NFL prop bets unless you are only taking them to spice up the game. Most are nigh on impossible to predict with any reasonable degree of accuracy, as they depend so much on the luck of the game. They can certainly heighten the tension of an important game, though. The first good attempt at a touchdown is even more exciting when the player you bet on to do it is making the run.

If you would like to try your hand at NFL betting, then we recommend you visit our sportsbook reviews. Our review pages are filled with bookies offering generous odds on NFL betting, as well as big bonuses for new players.