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Football Betting Strategies: Find The Best Strategy for Football Betting Online

James Leeland
Senior Editor
Fact checked by: Mike McKean
Publish Date: 09.12.2023

The Best Football Betting Strategies You Need to Know

Placing bets on your favorite football teams online gives you more options at the tips of your fingers. If you don’t know how to use all those options, however, it’s time to finally brush up on your football betting strategy.

Betting online does have a learning curve, that much is true. Not only do you need to learn what all the options mean and how to place your bets, but you also need to develop a strategy that works for you. Understanding all your betting options and the factors that can change the tides of a game can make a huge difference, so try out these top strategies today.

What are the Top Football Betting Strategies?

With so many different bet types, placing a smart bet (or a series of wagers) can feel daunting. At the end of the day, you want to develop your own betting strategy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn from the best betting strategy for football. Try them out and use them as a starting point to help find your own unique approach to betting that feels best to you.

Bankroll Management

One of the best football betting strategies is known as bankroll management. At the end of the day, you should only ever bet money you are comfortable losing. That’s why you need to set aside your predetermined budget (known as your bankroll). This budget can be for the season or for the game. Doing it in advance can help you bet responsibly and with a cooler head. It’s the baseline of every football betting strategy in the modern era.

Shop Around for the Best Odds

Don’t feel that you have to stay loyal to one online betting site, as there are so many on the market to choose from. Instead, take the time to shop around for the best odds and bonuses, as even the smallest improvements in profits and losses can quickly add up over time. Compare the best bookmakers online in advance to find the best bet bonuses to help you with your wagering strategy. These are varied in their generosity so even a few percentage points can be a big help.

Fading the Public

In this strategy, you bet against public opinion. In other words, you usually bet on the underdog because a favourite is being backed by the general public. The same can be said of the over on a total, especially in a high profile TV game. Betting on the underdog or on the events the public is least interested in can be a profitable strategy in the right circumstances, but there is risk.

Monitor Betting Lines for Hedging Opportunities

Betting lines often change during the run-up to a game, and this can have an effect on the betting market and your football betting strategy. To ensure you can make an informed betting decision, it can be useful to monitor line movements ahead of the game. Look out for sudden changes or big shifts, as these can indicate crucial information that is likely to affect your overall betting strategy. They may also mean you can hedge against any current positions, potentially securing a “middle” where both bets win.

Seek Value

Seeking value, also sometimes referred to as finding value, is often regarded as one of the best football betting strategies for more experienced bettors. Value bets are ones where the odds offered appear to be higher than what is likely to happen. This often requires bettors to come up with their own prices and compare them to the market for differences. Although it can be hard to find value bets, especially if you are new to online sports betting, when you do, the rewards can be great.

Top Factors That Can Change the Direction of the Game

When it comes to devising your football betting strategies, it’s important to constantly stay up to date with the latest news. There are so many factors that can impact or change the direction of the game itself.

Background conditions

Background conditions like the weather, injuries from previous games (or non-sport-related injuries), and personal events in a player’s life can all impact how events play out on the day. Staying up to date with the news can help you stay in the know on this crucial data.

Home-Field Advantage

Sports teams, in general, tend to play better in their home stadium. In football, this is known as the “home-field advantage,” and it can play a crucial part in how the game plays out. How far the team travels to the stadium can also play a part. For example, West Coast teams traveling to the Eastern Time Zone often struggle to overcome the time change.

The Different Types of Football Bets

All the best NFL betting sites give you a host of ways to bet on your favorite teams. Knowing how to use those bets effectively is the secret to developing your own football betting strategy. To help you get started, here’s just a quick rundown of the available bet types and what they do:

  • Moneyline – betting on which team will win.
  • Point Spread – betting on the margin of victory.
  • Over/Under Totals – Whether the totaled score will be over or under the number picked by the sportsbook.
  • Parlays – Combine several bets. All bets must win for you to win.
  • Teasers – Similar to parlays, except you can adjust the point spread during the match.
  • Prop Bets – Bets on specific events that occur during a game.
  • Live Betting – Place bets live while the game goes on.
  • Futures – Betting on who will win the league, championship, or individual player awards at the start of the season.

While the NFL is by far the most popular football league in the world, it’s far from the only one. Not only are there several other leagues, like the collegiate leagues, but there are new leagues that offer something different for sports fans, like the XFL. The good news is that the top football betting strategies apply across the board, meaning you can use them to place better bets in all of these top football leagues:

LeagueAboutSeasonNumber of Games
National Football League (NFL)The NFL is the highest and most popular professional American football league in the United States and Canada.September to January272
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)The NCAA is the governing body of college sports in the USA. There are several football bowl subdivisions, with the highest being the FBS, formerly known as Division I-A, and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).August to December100+
Xtreme Football League (XFL)The XFL is a professional American football league that stands out for its more innovative and fast-paced rule set, like a 25-second play clock.February to May43
United States Football League (USFL)This is the USA-only professional American football league. Each team only plays ten times during a season. The season starts in April and ends in July.April to July43

Our Verdict On The Best Football Betting Strategy

When it comes to choosing the best football betting strategies for your play style, it’s important to start with the best football betting sites that offer the full range of bet types. From there, staying in the know on all things football-related (at least in regard to your team) can help you make more informed betting decisions. All that’s left is to start using the classic bet strategies like fading the public. Have a feel for which strategies work best for you and adapt from there to develop your own unique approach to responsible wagering.

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Football Betting Strategy FAQ

❓ What is the most profitable NFL betting strategy?

The best football betting strategy depends on the type of bettor that you are. For example, whether you like to take risks or not. Hedge bets are often hailed as the most profitable as these enable you to cover all possible results.

😀 How do you bet on the NFL successfully?

To bet successfully on the NFL, you need to understand all the key components of NFL betting, including the different types of NFL bets, such as single-game bets and multiple-game bets. Some of the best betting strategies for football include betting totals, betting the moneyline, and betting the point spread.

🤔 How do you make the most money in NFL betting?

If you want to make money in NFL betting, you need to make sure you know as much about the current season as possible, including player and team stats, up-to-date injury information, and current trends. Also, ensure you manage your bankroll effectively to avoid chasing your losses.

👍 What is the best NFL betting strategy?

The best betting strategy for football is known as fading the public. This involves betting against the team that the majority are betting on to win. When the general public really wants a team to win a game, they will back them so much that the oddsmakers change the odds so that more money is placed on the other team.