American Football Odds and Betting Lines
As you enter your betting journey, you'll soon realize the importance of the football odds that you take.
We will talk about football odds in more detail, exploring the different types of NFL bets and college football bet types that are available, but also how to find the best value odds and why this is crucially important.
The Basics of Football Odds and Bets
When you place a football bet, you take the odds supplied by your Canadian sportsbook.
Sometimes, these odds will be good value – i.e. the price you take reflects the chances of the outcome happening, and other times the odds won’t be worth taking… that is, the risk to your bankroll is not worth the reward you’d get if your wager lands successfully.
Reading Football Betting Lines
If we use an NFL game as an example, you'll see NFL betting lines like New England Patriots (+125) at Cleveland Browns (-140).
The minus number reflects the betting favorite, and the lower the number the higher the chance that the sportsbooks believe they have of winning (so a -300 favorite has a higher probability of winning than a -100 shot, according to the odds at least).
Conversely, the Patriots are considered an underdog by the books. The higher the positive number, the less likely the selection is to win based on implied probability (so a +500 shot is considered a bigger underdog than +125).
How are Winnings Calculated
The basis of moneyline odds is that they show how much you would need to wager to win $100.
In our example above, a $100 wager on the Browns would see you win $100 for every $140 staked (due to their -140 odds). You can use this as a guide for your preferred stake, e.g. a $14 stake would win $10 in profit, and so on.
For positive betting odds, the number shows how much you would win from a $100 wager. So, if we backed the Patriots at +125 and they won, our payout ratio is $125 for every $100 staked (or $12.50 from $10 etc).
Important Things to Consider When Betting on Football in Canada
You should consider some general pointers when betting on football in Canada. The first is the legality of wagering in your region/province – can you legally bet on NFL? Is your chosen sportsbook licensed to operate in your area?
You should also consider the terms and conditions laid out by your sportsbook. These could pertain to any welcome bonuses you claim or ongoing promotions, or even rules on how you can bet. For example, some sportsbooks have a maximum stake you can place and payout limits.
Types of Bets You Can Find
One of the fun things about football betting is that you can wager on pretty much anything that happens out on the field.
Here are just some of the most popular football odds:
Moneyline
With moneyline odds, you are simply betting on who you think will win the game, i.e. the Patriots or the Browns. The prices offered reflects the relative chances that the sportsbook thinks each team has.
Spreads
Imagine if an NFL team started the game with a points-based head start or deficit. This is spread betting, where your job is to wager on which of the teams you think will clear their spread.
A -2.5 point spread on the Browns means they need to win by three points or more to beat their line. A +2.5 point spread on the Patriots means they can win the game, tie it or even lose by one or two points and your wager will still land.
Totals
If you add up all the points scored in a football game, you come up with a total, and your sportsbook will offer football betting lines linked to this.
You will need to decide whether the game will go ‘over’ the given totals line or ‘under’. So, in the Patriots at the Browns, the line is 43.5 – if you think there will be 44 or more points scored in the game you bet on over, and 43 or fewer would be the under line.
Prop Bets
Touchdowns, passing/rushing/receiving yards, passes, sacks, fumbles… there are dozens of different NFL prop bets that you can wager on.
These are available for teams and individual players, so whether you want to back the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to score three or more touchdowns in a game or Patrick Mahomes to make over 220.5 yards with his passing, you can with prop bets.
Future Bets
As the name suggests, futures bets are wagers attached to something that will happen further on into the season.
Examples include Super Bowl winner, regular season MVP, Defensive rookie and Offensive rookie of the year, Eastern Conference champion and so on, and you will generally find juicy NFL odds and CFL odds available given the competitiveness of each category.
Parlays
What happens when you want to bet on more than one NFL game or you want to wager on the moneyline and totals from the same game?
You would place a parlay bet, which lets you add multiple selections to your ticket. The bad news is that if one pick loses, your whole bet is over. The good news is that the odds from each selection are multiplied together, creating bigger wins when all your teams/players prevail.
Comparing Football Odds on Oddspedia Will Benefit You
When you are buying a new car, a laptop or an insurance policy, the chances are that you will compare prices in order to get the best value from your purchase.
And sports betting is no different. You can use Oddspedia to compare football odds from several different sportsbooks, ensuring you get the best value every time you bet.
Odds Comparison Increases Your Winnings
By comparing football odds with Oddspedia, you can take the best price from whichever sportsbook offers it.
The extra winnings you make could be a few cents or a handful of dollars, but when you are wagering at volume, think about how much that could add up to per week, month, and year.
It really pays to compare prices via the easy-to-use tools here at Oddspedia.
Oddspedia Provides the Best Football Odds for Today
The key thing to note about Oddspedia is that we monitor and update our odds continuously throughout the day, and so you never have to miss out on a single line movement.
Getting the best prices is a key weapon in the arsenal of any bettor, so bookmark Oddspedia to ensure you get the best football odds today.
Track Betting Lines Movement
Another important indicator for bettors is line movements, which can help to reveal a crucial piece of news you might have missed.
Maybe Mahomes has picked up an injury in training, forcing a shift in the Kansas City Chiefs’ price. Don’t worry because Oddspedia is here to track betting line movement, you can see fluctuations and alter your wagering strategy accordingly.
Find the Best Football Sportsbooks
Typically, the best football sportsbook offers the odds that give you the very best value.
So by using the comparison tools at Oddspedia, you can easily see which are the best CA sportsbooks for your needs.
To help matters further, we have also taken the time to track down the most generous sign-up bonuses and promotions around, and the best bit is that these are with reputable and high-quality sports betting apps such as bet365, BetVictor and 888sport.
So look no further: everything you need for the best football betting experience is right here at Oddspedia.
If you bet only on NFL matches, then especially for you we have prepared the top NFL betting sites, which will help you choose the most favorable betting conditions. We also have prepared for you the top sportsbooks in Canada that are suitable for betting on football:
Oddspedia also has a section where you can compare football odds and access links to sportsbook bonuses for bettors from Canada. We have also created a special section with Ontario sportsbooks and reliable Ontario sports betting apps. Here, we have compiled a list of the top 5 bookmakers that are legal for betting in Canada:
FAQ
What are moneylines?
The moneyline bets simply allow you to bet on which team you think will win a football game. You can back the favorite or the underdog, with minus odds given for the fave and positive odds for the team with less chance of winning.
Which are the best football markets to bet on?
The best football betting lines are those in which you feel you have an ‘edge’. Are you a good handicapper of games? If so, moneyline, spreads and totals could be for you.
But if you have an innate instinct or deep knowledge of individual players, then props could enable you to take advantage of your insight best of all.
Are there football markets I should avoid?
You should avoid the football markets that you don’t feel confident wagering on if you don’t have a strong opinion for example. You should also avoid football bets where the odds offered simply aren’t good value.
What does +200 moneyline mean?
The number displayed in any American football odds reveals your payout relative to $100. So, +200 odds confirm that you will be paid $200 on a $100 stake if your pick wins.
Which bookie has the best odds for football?
The important thing to know is that no single sportsbook offers the best American football odds. Instead, you need to shop around and compare to get the best price for your selections.
How does Oddspedia's odds comparison work?
When you have identified what you want to bet on, use Oddspedia’s calendar to find your game and give it a click. Scroll down and you will see a handy guide showing each sportsbook’s price, so it’s easy to secure the best odds.
Is there a betting strategy I can use for betting on football?
The only strategy you need to succeed with your American football betting is a clear and defined edge, patience and sensible staking. The rest will take care of itself!
