Best Football Betting Sites

Choosing a football betting website is not necessarily the easiest thing to do with so many options out there. You need to consider a wide range of factors, and there is also the case of personal preferences which will also define your choice. Are you more interested in in-play betting or pre-match wagering? Do you want to bet on a site that prioritizes prop bets or smaller league games?

There are many things that come into play. We have used several universal factors to assess each sportsbook to help you find a website that scores high on our ranking list by virtue of meeting these criteria. Ultimately, we look for the best well-rounded service in a website and use several time-tested reviewing practices.

Market Variety

It’s ideal if the sportsbook provides you with an array of betting options. There are numerous possible markets a regular seasonal game can offer, and that is why we make sure that they are covered by the sportsbooks we recommend. Moneyline, Totals, and Spreads are the most popular markets, but there are many Props where you can truly let your NFL knowledge guide your wagers.

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Having a quick and proven way to deposit and withdraw your money is always welcome. That is why the sportsbook we list always has impeccable banking service that allows you to cash in and out on your NFL winnings without any unnecessary hassle. Deposits and withdrawals should always be quick, and that is precisely what you get at a leading sportsbook. We’ve made sure that all of the football betting sites listed here also offer cryptocurrency banking such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Binance, and more.

Reputation & Licensing

Reputation plays a key factor when looking for a sportsbook to bet on football. You want to bet at websites that have been approved by the community and have a proven track record of paying and honoring bets. A license definitely helps, as it’s a clear signal to customers that the sportsbook operates as a registered business, and bettors’ funds are safe. It’s always our aim to provide players with football betting sites that they can play on with high stakes without worrying about their funds.

Competitive Odds

Next on the list, we have the competitiveness of odds. Now, no two sportsbooks are exactly the same, and there are some differences in the odds they offer. The important thing here is to get good fixtures that allow you to place a wager that justifies the risk. You can often combine different sportsbooks and shop around for potential value betting opportunities as some sportsbooks may offer slightly better odds on occasion. You’ll likely find that offshore football betting sites usually offer more compelling odds.

Player Support

Not least, you want to know that customer support is there for you if issues arise. That is why you will always want to make sure that the sites you choose offer top-notch customer support where you can get in touch and discuss anything, from your account management to promotions to odds, in a timely and efficient way.

To get started, all you need to do is choose a sportsbook, or perhaps a few at a time, so you can always compare the odds and place the most worthwhile wager available to you.

Once you have chosen a football betting site from the list we have provided you here, you will want to get started by registering your account. We recommend always reading through the registration step carefully.

Most bettors tend to get a little too excited, skipping some steps or failing to provide real information about themselves, which may backfire in the future. Sportsbooks have specific rules they must follow in regard to their AML and KYC practices, to authenticate that you are the person whom you claim to be in the registration form.

This is why when you register, you must provide accurate information in the account form. Once this is out of the way, you are ready to get started. Sportsbooks have a very intuitive user interface where you can select a game or a bet type and then enter the amount you are willing to wager.

An automated piece of software known as the Bet Slip will then display your bet amount and the potential gain you stand to score if your wager turns out successfully.

Usually, there are three main football verticals you can wager on. Today, people will bet on either the National Football League (NFL), daily fantasy sports, or college betting (NCAA). All three verticals are popular in the United States, but they usually feature different teams and winning conditions. We will briefly talk about each of the three now.

NFL Betting

The NFL is played over the course of 18 weeks, making it the focal point of betting interest during regular-season games. All 32 teams play a total of 17 games with the Byes in the 2021/2022 season, starting in Week 6 and Week 14. Teams will compete for a chance to make it to the playoffs and then progress to the Super Bowl. The National Football League is very popular, and it draws the majority of online football betting activity, especially during regular seasons.

College Football Betting

The actual numbers placed on college football are hard to pinpoint, but a study in 2013 argued that Americans wager between $60-$70 billion on offshore markets. Fast-forward to 2021, and things have been improving with more states allowing licensed sports betting websites to operate on their territory. Popularity for legal betting has only increased over the years, and today both the NFL and college betting market is going at full steam.

Daily Fantasy Betting

For a while there, US residents could only bet on daily fantasy sports football legally with all other options off the table. Well, things have changed, and you can place a bet on any aspect of football you want to. However, DFS is still a huge part of the offer, and it is estimated that the fantasy sports betting market in the United States have reached over $8.48 billion based on data by Statista.

To bet on football, you would need to be familiar with the available wagers. There is a number of possible markets you can bet on, and they are equally exciting. Some of them will give you better odds, and others will be a better fit for specific situations. All wagers can be adjusted to match your expectations, and choosing the correct type is important. So what bets are there?

Moneyline

The moneyline bet is the simplest type of wager you can place. Essentially, you are betting on one party winning the game. Whether this is the Seattle Seahawks, the Pittsburgh Steelers, or Washington Football Team, you are the one who decides what teams are more likely to win. A moneyline bet is successful if your team wins by at least one point.

Under/Over

Here, you are betting on whether the total points scored in a game of football will exceed or fall short of a certain pre-determined number. Under/Over betting is not so much a bet on the skill of individual teams as much as it’s a wager you place on the expected score. This wager type is actually very popular with bettors.

Spread

Spread betting postulates an interesting wagering condition where one team gets a bonus to their final score, and the other receives a small “penalty” to the final score. These values are only added to the final score of the game for the purposes of the bet but never to the actual game score. In other words, a sportsbook treats the final score by adding or detracting +5/-5 points. If your team wins within a 5-point difference, you win your wager.

Props

Proposition, or “prop” bets, are one of the busiest markets in football. Essentially, you are betting on some unique condition during a game. Is the quarterback for one team going to put in as many rushing yards as the bet suggests? Which team will win the toss coin? Basically, oddsmakers will take some unique conditions, calculate the probability, price them, and ask customers to bet on those.

Parlays, Pleasers, and Teasers

Not least, there are bets that are unique to football, and they are a great way to get involved and put your knowledge to the ultimate test. These bets are always placed on multiple selections, and they have unique win conditions that can still generate a hefty return if you get the outcomes right. However, keep in mind that the winning conditions are more challenging here, to begin with.

In-Play and Live Betting

Live NFL betting or in-play betting is quite popular in the United States and not least because technology has made it possible to bet on the go. For a while, there, pre-match and future bets were the most preferred options since the in-play infrastructure couldn’t support the split-second decisions that needed to be made in order to place a successful wager.

This has been solved, and placing wagers in real-time is no issue at all. In fact, all evidence points to the fact that American football fans are now keener to place these types of in-play bets over any pre-match or future wager, as it adds to the level of engagement.

Football is a social activity that brings people together. When sports betting first started, many football fans started going to land-based betting lounges where they could share in the excitement with fellow sports fans.

Mobile technologies, though, have made it possible to place real money wagers remotely, and 85-90% of the overall activity today takes place online. There are many upsides that online sportsbooks bring to the table, not least the time-saving convenience.

Excellent Promotions

Unlike brick-and-mortar establishments, online sportsbooks have numerous perks, and one of those is the great cash bonus options you enjoy. It does not just deposit bonuses, though. Many sportsbooks will offer you a free bet or zero-risk wagers, which are returned to you if your first bet fails.

Most such bets allow you to wager up to $50 on a game or selection and have a second shot if you miss your wager. There are countless promotions to explore, and some will be awarded exclusively to your account, while others will be available to the general public.

Convenient and Quick

More importantly, online football betting is quick and easy. You don’t have to go to a physical location to place a wager, something that was the norm in the past. Today, it’s enough to download an Android or iOS betting app or just visit the website and place your wager once you have logged in with your account.

You can bet on football while commuting or just by watching the game at home. The convenience of the service is a great advantage and one that you will quickly come to enjoy if you are new to football wagering.

Always Find the Best Odds and Lines

You will be able to quickly go through all available odds and lines out there. Because online football betting websites are easy to access, you can always shop around for the best possible fixtures. There is no need to pick from one sportsbook only.

It’s recommended that you always keep an eye out for what lines competing oddsmakers are posting because this is how you guarantee that you will be able to find the best odds. Surely, it may be a little more hassle, but if you are in the habit of betting on football regularly, the slight difference in the odds will pay off in the long term and help you win more, at least bet to the optimal conditions you have at your disposal.

Winning your next football bet means that you need to know what you are betting on. There are 272 games in the regular season alone, and you will want to make sure that your bets are placed on the teams that stand the best chance of winning. Below is a list of important tips we believe would help you make better-informed decisions on your next wager.

1. Don’t Bet in Week 1

Many sports fans can’t wait to get started, but experienced bettors will take at least one game to assess the season, the teams’ strength, and what some of the dark horses may be. While you are welcome to place a wager right at the start of the NFL season, it may help you to know that giving yourself some time is usually what the best football bettors do.

2. Manage Your Money Smartly

Even the most knowledgeable sports fans will win in around 60% of the cases. It’s standard to see most good bettors win around 52-55% of their selections. There is definitely a big error margin there, so the smart management of your betting money will help you stay in the game and never go over budget. Betting at a well-paced rate is what will allow you to explore more betting opportunities.

3. Utilize the Bonuses

A popular football betting adage is that skilled bettors do not need to use bonuses. This is theoretically true, but with the season bringing you some 15-odd games a week. This means that even with a bonus, you would have plenty of opportunities to cover the wagering requirements. Some offers will ask you to bet at specific odds, which may not be ideal, so it’s always best to read the T&Cs before claiming a bonus. Usually, risk-free wagers are a great way to start.

4. Prioritize Quality over Quantity

Just because there are so many games available doesn’t mean you have to bet on every one of them. Study the field and players and try to understand where each team’s different strength lies. That will give you a good idea of what teams and players are worth betting on. With this in mind, you would benefit from focusing on fewer games that you have studied closely rather than betting on numerous options just because you have them.

5. Bet Simple Until You Have a High Success Rate

While variety is surely fun, the most successful football betting handicappers will tell you that they are good not because they place different types of wagers but rather because they bet based on reliable information. Therefore, you want to focus on simple selections, such as moneylines, until your success rate approaches that of most professional sports bettors.