How To Use The Point Spread When Betting On NFL Totals. If a point spread is listed with a total, you can often use it to gain a slight advantage. Here’s how: Divide the point spread by two. Divide the over/under by two. Add half the point spread and half the O/U to arrive at the favored team’s projected points. Before you start betting, don’t start walking into a dark path. Instead, bring this comprehensive set of NFL betting rules with you to make sure that your predictions are on point. Learn more about NFL Moneyline Betting. Betting on NFL totals is a lot like betting the point spread, but rather than betting on a team to cover, you’re betting on whether the combined final score of a game will go over or under the total posted by the oddsmakers. That’s why the total is also commonly referred to as the over/under. Totals can be affected by the weather, injuries, as well as the quality of the teams in question.
Below are some good general betting rules for the NFL Season. Not focusing here on specific handicapping techniques, just some good high level rules to follow while betting on the NFL. Learn about NFL sports betting in this article.
Set a Season Long Budget
This is your best very first step. Before you start getting excited about the season, decide how much you can afford to budget for the season. This money should be set aside up front. I don’t encourage continually adding to your budget (see the next point). It’s very easy after a losing day to just add on more than you wanted, and more, and more. Know what you can afford and stick to it.
Stick To Your Season Long Budget – No Reloads
If you lose your entire budget before the season is over, maybe you’re not good at NFL betting. If you properly pick a budget, spread it over the season, even if you aren’t the best bettor on earth, you should be able to make the budget last all season.
Set A Weekly Bet Limit Based On The Season Budget
You will have losing weeks and winning weeks. It is very easy to go on tilt, and bet the entire next weeks budget on a Monday night game in revenge for a losing weekend. Do not do it. You will regret it when you lose, and if you do happen to win, you did it in a way that will eventually burn you.
Do Not Adjust Your Weekly Budget Until Mid Season
I’m all for adjusting your bet size, but don’t chase it week after week. Go half a season, and if you are up, then up your bet size. Congrats, you are good at betting on the NFL. You’ve learned how to bet on sports. If you are down, then well, possibly consider retooling your bet size smaller. Make your budget last all season.
Only Spread, MoneyLine and Totals Bets – No Parlays, Teasers
Parlays are sucker bets, plain and simple. Sure, we all have heard of the guy who hit an 11 game parlay. It is very, very rare. You’re throwing away good money. Think about it, how many weekends have you gone 11-0? I’m going to guess none, be honest. Well, if you bet big parlays, you are banking on a very low probability outcome. No professional sports bettor bets parlays. Not even 2 game parlays. Take the bets individually.
Do Not Bet Every Game – Pick Your Spots
I both laugh and cry inside when I hear someone tell me about how they have bets on every single game. They are an action bettor, not a professional. There are just not edges on every single game every single week. You should be looking for the 3-5 actual real edges in any given week.
No Chasing or Revenge Betting
We all lose, individual games or days overall. A common trait of bad NFL sports bettors is to have a losing Sunday, and go for a hail mary on Monday Night Football. It’s a rookie bet, do not do it.
Line Shop
I advocate having multiple sports betting accounts. The odds will vary by each sports book. Not a lot, but enough. The difference between betting -105 vs -110 week after week will add up, and the larger your bet size, the more impact it will have in terms of dollars. See my list of recommended sports books to read about the pros of each and what they have to offer. We use each and every one of them.
When In Doubt, Don’t Bet
Nfl Wagering Rules
There are plenty of opportunities to bet. If you are on the fence, just do not bet. I can guarantee more often than not you’ll save money.
Don’t Judge Others Bets, Don’t Take Others Advice
Look, it’s fun to talk sports betting. Especially if you are winning, either on a day, a week, or an individual game. The last thing I like is someone telling me that a bet I made is wrong, sucks, will lose for sure, etc. So, do people the same favor of not telling them what you think about their bets. Say “good luck”, and move on.
Learn More About Sports Betting
Some of you long time Oracle followers probably remember my YouTube channel which got taken down for “gambling content” early this year. I’ve reuploaded a lot of my old videos, several of which are about learning sports betting:
- Video: The Oracle Pro Sports Handicapper 2.0 – full channel
- Video: Top 10 Tips For New Sports Bettors
- Video: Sports Betting 101 – Totals or Over/Unders
Additional Resources
American Football Betting Rules
- Need a place to bet online in the USA? USA Online Sports Books
- Learn how to bet on sports, check out my Educational Articles
- NFL Key Numbers – what they are and why they are important
- NFL Betting: Buying the Hook – when, why, what it is