Bet on Football

There are many factors that go into betting on American football whether it is gambling on the NFL (professional football) or the NCAA (college football). It is important to understand the types of bets so one knows how the wagering process works when betting on sports at a casino or through an online sportsbook. The most common types of bets for American football include gambling on the moneyline, the spread, the total (over/under), parlays, teasers, futures, propositions, half bets, in play betting, etc. A breakdown of these wagering concepts can be found on the Bet on Sports page.

Football Knowledge

Gathering knowledge of the game is crucial to help one in placing bets on American football. Use resources like online internet websites, books, and follow gambling experts. Some professional sports bettors allow one to see or purchase their picks, which can be very helpful as these people make a living off of betting on sports. The more you know about the teams, players, coaches, stadiums, statistics, and other factors the better your decision making when betting on American football.  

Handicapping

Handicapping in terms of betting on sports involves gathering and analyzing data, factors, and other valuable information in order to influence and make educated wagers on the American football games. Many of these handicapping factors are listed and explained below.

Motivation

There are many aspects that motivate teams to play harder or increase their chances of winning the game. For example, if the Chicago Bears are fighting to earn a playoff spot and they are playing a team that has either clinched a spot in the postseason already or has been eliminated from playoff contention the Bears will most likely do whatever it takes to win that game. Other motivating factors are a team coming off an embarrassing loss, a team who has fired their head coach during the season, a team or player trying to achieve a particular record or major accomplishment, a team that has benched a star player, etc.

Bye Weeks

Throughout the NFL season, every team will have a bye week or in other words a week off from playing a game. Bye weeks provide major advantages to that team. For instance, that team has more time to rest and recover, they have an extra week to game plan against their upcoming opponent, and that team may be able to get injured players back to playing condition after not having to play a game for about two straight weeks. It is a wise decision to look at statistics like a team’s record after a bye week over the last several seasons to determine their chances of winning a game after their bye week.

Short Weeks

Short weeks refer to a team that has played on Monday Night Football the week before and therefore has one less day to prepare for their upcoming game. American football is a sport heavily based on preparation, and one day lost can be detrimental to that team. Teams with a short week also do not have as much time to rest and recover from the beating these athletes endure during a football game so overall short weeks are a disadvantage to the teams that played on Monday Night the previous week.

Extended Weeks

Extended weeks are in reference to a team that played on Thursday Night Football, and then they have 10 days off to practice and recover before they play another game. This is a big advantage for teams that have extended weeks. They have a lot more time than their opponent to game plan and prepare for their next opponent. 

Travel

Traveling does factor into a team’s overall performance at times. Long flights like from one coast to another can be physically draining to the players that have traveled long distances, often referred to as jet lag. American football players like most athletes are creatures of habit. The change in time zones can sometimes throw off their rituals or pre-game preparations that are very important to these players. If a team travels far for an away game, they may be at a disadvantage in that game.

International Games

Every year the NFL plays at least one international game such as one in London or Mexico City. There are other factors besides the traveling that can affect the players in these games, but travel does have the biggest impact. Some of these factors are time change, altitude, unfamiliar stadiums, and different customs.

Home Field Advantage

Teams generally play better at home but keep in mind that the spreads and odds are adjusted to try and balance out the home field advantage. Certain factors like big and loud stadiums cause away teams to struggle to call plays and audibles. Cold weather can be tough for warm weather based teams to play in. Some teams play better in domes than others so doing your research on the home stadiums is important. 

Weather

Weather is always a major aspect of how certain teams perform. Rain, snow, and windy weather conditions make it difficult for teams to pass and kick in. If a team has a run the ball and defensive philosophy, they usually play better in inclement weather. Teams that pass a lot, play home games in a dome or are based in warm weather regions tend to struggle more in poor weather games.

Night Games

It is hard to say why exactly, but some teams play better than others during prime time night games. These can be Thursday night, Sunday night, or Monday night games. Check a team’s record for night games over the last several years to have an idea of how well they perform in night games if you are wagering on a team playing at night. 

Injuries

Injuries especially to key offensive players such as quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers can heavily hurt a team’s chances of winning if they play without them. If a player plays hurt, they have a high possibility of underperforming on the field. Always check the injury reports prior to gambling on an American Football game as they usually play a big part in a team’s probability of winning.

Streaks

Winning and losing streaks can indicate how a team has been playing lately, but bettor beware of this as all streaks do eventually come to an end. If a team is on a long winning streak, they may have a good chance of losing, and if a team has an extended losing streak, they will play incredibly hard to end that streak and win a game.

Field Conditions

The field conditions in a stadium are often very important to how teams play. These change from week to week depending on all sorts of things like weather, other events like concerts, the work done by the home team to provide a good playing surface, etc.

Types of Field Turf

The type of field turf is definitely something to keep in mind. Some teams play better on artificial turf while others play better on natural grass. This goes hand in hand with home field advantage. Check statistics on how a team plays on different playing surfaces.

External Links

National Football League
NCAA