NFL Betting Guide: How to Bet on NFL Games in 2025

If you want to learn how to bet on NFL games, we’ve got you covered!

Even better, we’re going to teach you all there is to know about winning real money NFL bets. Our experts have countless years of experience in this field and will be hitting you with some golden knowledge in this NFL betting guide.

From where to find the best NFL odds online, to advice on making the right bets, you’ll be up and running in no time. Whether you are new to betting football for real money, or simply looking to sharpen your skills, the following advice will help you improve your NFL betting game!

Ready to go? Strap in and let’s get to it!

Knowing how to bet on NFL games the right way is the best method of beating the bookies. 

Naturally, the first place to start is by understanding what stands between you and online NFL sportsbooks — betting odds and lines. The aim of the bookies is, of course, to separate you from your money. So, understanding the best ways to bet on NFL online will help your chances of winning your wagers.

If we’re giving a class on football betting 101, it makes sense to start with the most basic betting options at your disposal.

Understanding how betting odds work will help. But mastering the different types of bets you can place on the NFL is paramount to finding the best odds. This one, right here, is the bread and butter wagering option for those learning how to bet on the NFL online. 

To be completely honest, this is the simplest of the wagers you can place on NFL matches. All you need to do is choose the team you think will win and hit that button. Boom! You’ve just placed a moneyline bet on a football match. Still, make sure to read the rest of this beginner’s guide to NFL wagering as there is more to learn!

In the example above, a successful $100 bet on the Packers to win nets you $270 returns which includes a profit of $170 as well as your stake! If that sounds good, you can learn more about how to bet on football with moneyline wagers, below.

The moneyline is the go-to wager for some and an obvious stopping point where our guide to betting on NFL football games for beginners is concerned.

Believe it or not, spread betting is the most popular way to bet on NFL games online. Again, the science behind this type of wager is not difficult at all. In essence, oddsmakers will provide NFL point spreads in games where two teams are mismatched. Here’s an example to help you understand things better.

The Rams are coming into this hypothetical matchup with a record of 10-2 while the Steelers have posted 6-5. To balance things out, the Rams will start with a -4.5 handicap. If you are to win your bet on the Rams, you will need them to close out a victory by 5 points or more. Hence, covering the spread.

If you’re betting on NFL odds for the Steelers, you’ll need them to win or lose by less than five points to cash in.

One of the most common side questions people have when learning how to bet on an NFL game online is how over/under bets — also known as totals — work. The good news is that it takes little to no time to explain in this NFL betting guide.

An easy example for understanding how totals bets for NFL games work is the over/under on the total points scored by both teams. Let’s say a bookie sets the total number of points scored between the New England Patriots vs. Carolina Panthers at 68.5. Your job is to guess whether the combined scores of both teams are over or under that figure. 

If you place a successful bet of $100 on the final score being under 68.5 at odds of -110, you will receive a profit of $90.91. Combined with your stake, your total returns — no pun intended — will come to $190.91!

When we were outlining the important stuff to cover in this NFL betting guide, we were keen to pack in as much crucial information as possible.

One of the things we wanted to cover was the range of top NFL bets you can place outside of the basics. In other words, online NFL wagers that you can target to increase both your enjoyment of the game and, more importantly, your chances of winning real money on football. These bets are common in every gridiron league or game that you can bet on. 

No NFL betting guide worth reading will underplay the importance of wagering online. 

For sheer convenience, betting on football online is uncontested. Whether you are placing wagers on the Super Bowl from your phone or picking the best parlay for NFL Week 1, the options at your disposal are incredible. Of course, with every upside, there is a pitfall. Therefore, it is necessary to stress the importance of playing it safe before you even dare think about placing a bet online.

First things first, you should only use the safest NFL betting sites when wagering on the games. Period.

We take safety and security very seriously and so should you. Check out our reviews to find your sportsbook of choice and focus on getting your hands on the top best football odds, markets, and bets. Furthermore, it’s always a good idea to use more than one of the top NFL sportsbooks, as this means you can find betting value and shop for lines easier.

Looking to get stuck in right away? You can find our recommended NFL betting sites and apps, below!

Compared to the early days of online betting, opening an account with an NFL betting site is a cakewalk.

All you need to do is fill in your personal details, choose a banking method, and you’re pretty much there. Naturally, some folks are uncomfortable giving information away online. With our recommended NFL betting sites, they need not be. All of the sportsbooks we rank are 100% safe and secure. Furthermore, the information you provide is protected by the latest SSL encryption and firewall software.

Typically, the information that is required when registered for an account with legal NFL sportsbooks is as follows.

You will need to meet the eligibility criteria of a site before you can play. But you can always read the terms and conditions or speak to customer support if you are uncertain if you will be eligible to bet.

When you have chosen the top NFL betting app or sites you want to play with, it’s time to consider your bonus options.

Our recommended NFL sportsbooks come with a wide range of welcome offers and promotions for new players. Sometimes, you will need to enter a bonus code to avail of an offer. With other sites, this is not required; instead, you will need to opt-out before you sign up.

Typically, the following offers will apply.

You don’t have to accept a bonus when signing up with the top NFL betting sites and apps. 

Top Tip

If you are keen to get your hands on multiple welcome offers, signing up with more than one site or app is typically the best way of doing so.

It is not obligatory to take any offer. If you would prefer not to avail of the top NFL betting bonuses, you can either reject this at the sign-up process or speak with customer service to ensure that it is removed before you open your account.

Before you can place your real money NFL bets, you will first need to make a deposit.

The sites we recommend tend to offer a wide range of deposit methods including debit cards, Bitcoin, e-wallets, and much more. The range of payment methods available will be down to the site, so again, make sure to check these out before you register.

There are other things to think about before choosing your payment method. You can find some questions to ask customer support if you cannot find answers to the following questions on the site.

While most players might not even need to ask one of the guide questions above, it’s a good idea to know what to expect before you make a deposit!

In a matter of minutes, you should be ready to get down to betting on NFL markets!

From here, you can browse the latest odds for NFL matches, or look over the futures bets for the Super Bowl. It’s really up to you what you want to bet on. Here is a quick look at a few of the most exciting events to target.

At the risk of repeating ourselves, make sure you have a solid strategy for gambling real money on NFL before you hit the bet button! Keep reading and we will explain what you need to know!

Want to know how to bet on NFL games the right way? Strategy. Yup, we said it.

Without a solid betting strategy, you’re limiting your chances of winning real money on NFL games. And although it might seem like too much effort, spending just a little bit of time honing your craft will pay dividends in the future. Here are a few excellent pieces relating to NFL football betting strategy to get you started.

Our experts know how to bet on NFL games. But like you, we all had to start somewhere. 

The pages above will give you a nice platform to build your NFL wagering strategies and will undoubtedly help you to up your chances of winning your bets. Once you have covered the basics, our NFL betting strategy is the next stop en route to beating the bookies!

If you want to see our experts’ NFL betting strategies in action, why not check out the latest tips, picks, and wagering advice from the team?

Whether you are looking for recommendations for how to bet NFL this week or which way you should go when gambling on the Super Bowl online, bookmark this page to find consistent, quality wagering advice for the NFL. Even better, you can bookmark our NFL blog and NFL picks sections to stay on top of the latest movers and shakers in the world of National Football League betting.

Our experts receive a lot of correspondence from our readers.

While we try to answer every single query we can, there are many frequently asked questions in NFL betting that commonly come our way. Below, you will find answers to our National Football League FAQs that might help you to better understand all there is to know about wagering on the games.