Making it Count: 5 Tips for New Football Gamblers

The 2021 National Football League has already begun, but there’s a long way to go between now and the Super Bowl in February. Whether Tampa Bay can retain its championship title remains to be seen. But one thing’s for sure: there will be plenty of action and drama before the playoffs come to an end.

Not only do millions of Americans watch the NFL games each year. Many also like to engage in betting. If you’re a first-time gambler and you’d like to wager on this year’s NFL, here are five tips to help you on your way.

1. Understand Each Betting Option

Before you place a bet, you need to understand what your different betting options are. There are lots of different types of NFL wagers to choose from. Some of the most common bet types are:

•   Moneyline, in which you bet on a team to win a game.
•   Point Spread, in which you bet on points.
•   Parlays, which allow you to combine bets to reduce your risk.
•   Live Betting, which is ideal if you don’t like the odds that are offered before the game but see an opportunity as the game progresses.

2. Use Multiple Sportsbooks

Once you have a good understanding of the different types of bets you can make, you can improve your edge by making bets at different sportsbooks, depending on which one offers the best payout rate.

It can take time to compare different online sportsbooks, but it’s more than worth it if you can take advantage of a better payout rate for the type of bet you wish to make. Also, by signing up with multiple sportsbooks, you can take advantage of welcome bonuses. Furthermore, remember sportsbooks aren’t only online.

You’ll also find some land-based casino establishments that provide excellent NFL betting opportunities. For instance, if you’re located in Detroit, you can visit the Greektown Casino and Hotel. Check out the Greektown casino sportsbook review from betting.us for more information.

3. Understand Key Numbers for Point Spreads

Not all points in a Point Spread are created equally. Because football has a unique scoring system, such as six for a touchdown, there are some numbers in NFL Point Spreads that you need to be aware of.

The big key numbers in NFL betting are 3 and 7, due to them being the most common margins in NFL victories. Around 30% of all football games end up with a difference in score of either 3 or 7. Other key numbers to be aware of are 10, 6, 4, and 14. Those numbers, in that sequence, are the most common victory margins in the NFL from the past 15 years.

Once you have knowledge of numbers and stats, you will be much better informed to place a successful bet.

4. Don’t Place Bets Solely Based on Last Week’s Results

Speaking of statistics, to make a more informed betting decision, you should always keep an eye on each team’s full-season stats and their past histories of playing each other. It is much better to do that than just looking at last week’s results. In fact, one of the biggest mistakes first-time gamblers make is basing their betting decisions on the previous week’s results.

Using last week’s results as part of your betting strategy is a bad choice for a couple of reasons. 

Firstly, the bookmakers know the public often makes bets based on the previous week’s results and adjusts the odds accordingly, in which case you end up with unfavorable odds.

Secondly, when one team is bombarded with the press and the bookmakers saying they are going to fail, it’s often enough to spur the team on and to come out fighting. Meanwhile, the other team may not put as much effort into training because it thinks it has the upcoming game sewn up. So, look at stats from a much wider perspective and use old stats to help you determine your optimal betting option.

5. Keep Track of Your Betting Outcomes

To measure how successful your wagers are over the whole season, you need to make sure you keep track of the bets you make and what the outcomes are. Many sportsbooks have dedicated apps that allow you to easily track your past bets, though you may prefer to simply write them down.

By being able to look over all of your bets at the end of the season, you’ll be able to identify how successful you have or haven’t been in predicting wins. You can then identify your strengths and weaknesses and be ready for the 2022 NFL.