The NFL is getting started for what is set to be yet another thrilling season. And as everything gets into gear, it only makes sense that there are millions of fans who want to feel and be more involved by placing a wager to add to the thrill. If you are one of them, there are several basics you need to learn about football betting before you jump in. This will give you a better starting point and increase your chances of being successful.
Research is the Starting Point
Betting isn’t just about picking the favorite team or going with your gut feeling. To be successful, you have to work with more than that. What are the most likely probabilities besides what you think just because you know the teams playing? For this, you can start by analyzing the performances of the various teams involved. How many games have they won and lost, and what are their home and away records? Besides the overall performances, you can then look at the head-to-head matchups.
On top of the performances and statistics, ensure that you also look at various other factors that can tilt the chances for the two teams. Has there been a recent change in the coaching staff? Then, are there any major injuries or absences? Use this information to your advantage.
Pick Your Games
To be successful in betting, you will have to take several precautions, one of them being the games you choose to wager on. You can’t just scatter your money, hoping some of the bets will win. When starting, it’s wise to focus on teams that you are already familiar with. This is because you will be able to play into your strengths, which is what you know. Choosing teams you are familiar with will give you insights that you wouldn’t have with other games.
Besides that, it’s also good to go beyond the buzz. The game being overhyped isn’t necessarily the best one to bet on. In fact, you can often find better value in less-publicized games that you have analyzed well. And if you see an underdog that has been putting up the numbers and your analysis says that the team has a chance, you can also go for it.
There’s more than Moneyline
It’s all well and good to place your money on who you think is going to win a game. However, that isn’t the option you have. In fact, there are lots of other bets that might be easier, especially when you are betting on divisional games where the teams may be very familiar with each other. One of them is Point Spread, which involves picking the margin of victory you think the favorite is going to win with. You can also pick the underdog, and if they win the game or don’t lose by the said margin, you are in the money.
Another type of bet is Over/Under, which looks at the total points that are scored in a game. There’s then Prop Bets, which allow you to wager on a specific event within a game such as a specific player scoring a touchdown. And if you want to risk more, you can also combine several bets into a single bet in what is known as a Parlay bet.
Bet With Your Head, Not Your Heart
A common pitfall for beginners is allowing your emotions to guide your decisions. While football can be quite emotional, this is the number one enemy of success in NFL betting. As such, you need to ensure that you stay objective when placing a bet by following the evidence, not what you prefer to do.
And when you find yourself on a losing streak, do not try to angrily “win back” your money. When you try to recoup your losses quickly, chances are that you may end up losing more as you are not objective. On top of that, learn to manage your expectations and view betting as a long-term endeavor. Some bets you win, some you lose.