NFL Odds & Betting Lines

Where Can I Bet on the NFL?

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Understanding NFL Odds

If you’re new to sports betting, specifically NFL betting, our standard odds tables may be overwhelming. This NFL betting guide will give you the foundational information to understand basic betting terminology, interpret game odds, and utilize moneylines to help you make educated weekly NFL picks. Of course, uou can also check out our NFL ATS standings. Throughout this guide, we will use the odds table for Super Bowl LVIII between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers as an example.

Types of NFL Bets

You should have an understanding of the different types of bets, and the associated payout structure, before playing a wager on an NFL game. There are several popular NFL betting options that you can take advantage of each week to maximize your total payout like:

• Moneyline
• Against the Spread
• Over/Under Totals

NFL Moneyline Bets

Moneyline bets are the most simple as they only require a bettor to pick the team that they think will win a particular game or event regardless of the score or stats. Each moneyline game will feature a favorite team and an underdog team. The favorite is the team seen as likely to win the contest, whereas the underdog is seen as likely to lose. A favorite will be designated with a minus sign (-) while the underdog will be designated with a plus sign (+) in the moneyline. Here’s an example using the Super Bowl LVIII matchup:

Team	Spread	Total	Moneyline
49ers	-2.5 (-115)	47.5 (-110)	-125
Chiefs	+2.5 (-105)	47.5 (-110)	+105

You can tell that the 49ers were the favorite because they had a -125 designation, and the Chiefs were the underdog because they had a +105 designation. The numbers following the plus and minus signs indicate the associated payout amount for betting on each team. 

In this example, a $100 bet on the Chiefs at +105 odds would result in a $105 profit if they won the game. By contrast, the 49ers moneyline of -125 odds means that a bettor would win $100 for every $125 invested. Bettors must risk more money to profit when placing a wager on a favorite compared to an underdog.

You can place moneyline bets like the example above with some of our best sportsbooks, including BetMGM, bet365 and Caesars. Please take advantage of the BetMGM bonus code and read our analysis of the sportsbook. For more information about bet365, read our bet365 bonus code review. Check out our Caesars Sportsbook promo code recap to read more about Caesars.

You can place moneyline bets like the example above with some of our best sportsbooks, including BetMGM, bet365 and Caesars. Take advantage of the BetMGM promo code and read our analysis of the sportsbook. For more information about bet365, read our bet365 bonus code review. To read more about Caesars, check out our Caesars Sportsbook promo code recap.

NFL Bets Against the Spread

Also known as a points spread bet or just the spread, this type of wager involves betting not on the winner of the game but on the margin of victory. 

In a margin of victory bet, the favored team (-) gives points to the underdog team (+) that they must “cover” in their margin of victory. Covering a spread means a team has beaten the point spread for that contest, and the bettor has won their wager. Here’s an example using Super Bowl LVIII.

Team	Spread	Total	Moneyline
49ers	-2.5 (-115)	47.5 (-110)	-125
Chiefs	+2.5 (-105)	47.5 (-110)	+105

You need to be aware of two numbers when betting the spread. The first number is the spread itself (2.5 in this example). The spread number indicates the points the favorite must cover to beat the spread. If the 49ers won Super Bowl LVIII by three or more points, they cover the spread. Conversely, if the Chiefs win the game or lose by two or fewer points, they’ll cover the spread. If the spread was three (-3/+3) and the 49ers won by exactly three points, the teams will “push, " meaning no team covered the spread, and you will get the money back you placed on the wager. In some instances, oddsmakers will set an even spread. This means that each team is given the same likelihood of winning, and bettors pick who they think will win the contest. This may be referred to as a “pick ‘em” matchup.

The second number is the juice, or the vig, which is the “tax” that betters pay to a sportsbook to place their wager. In this example, each team has their own juice, meaning the tax will be slightly different depending on which team you bet on. The juice is -115 for the 49ers and -105 for the Chiefs.

The juice works the same as money line bets when calculating your potential payout. Betting on the 49ers would net someone $100 for every $115 invested if they covered the spread, whereas a bettor would earn $100 for every $105 invested on the Chiefs if they covered the spread.

NFL Over/Under Bets

Over/Under bets are another popular option for NFL wagers. Also known as “totals”, this bet type requires you to decide how many total points will be scored in a contest by both teams combined. It does not matter which team wins or by how much; you are only concerned about the overall point total.

Team	Spread	Total	Moneyline
49ers	-2.5 (-115)	47.5 (-110)	-125
Chiefs	+2.5 (-105)	47.5 (-110)	+105

Oddsmakers had set a total of 47.5 points for Super Bowl LVIII. Bettors who select the “over” would win if the Chiefs and 49ers score a combined 48 points or more. Bettors who choose the “under” would win if the teams score 47 points or less combined.

Over/Under bets also have juice. The juice is the same for the over and the under in Super Bowl LVI at -110. This means bettors must invest $110 for every $100 worth of profit, regardless of what side of the total they pick.

You can elevate your betting strategy by using the BetMGM Bonus Code.

How to Read NFL Odds

Now that you understand the different types of bets and the numbers on an odds table, let’s talk about the different types of odds that you may encounter in sports betting. There are three commonly used odd types:

• American Odds
• Decimal (European) Odds
• Fractional (British) Odds

How Do American Odds Work?

American odds, as you likely guessed, are only used in sportsbooks within the United States. All of the examples used in this guide have utilized American odds, so you should be somewhat familiar with them at this point. 

American odds are expressed as either a positive or negative whole number. A positive number (associated with the underdog team) indicates how much money a bettor will collect when wagering $100 dollars. A negative number (associated with the favorite team) indicates how much money must be risked in order to win $100. 

While American odds are set up to reflect $100 wagers and payouts, a bettor is not required to bet $100. The odds scale up and down based on how much money is wagered. For example, betting $10 on the Cincinnati Bengals (+165) in Super Bowl LVI would return a $16.50 profit for the bettor if the team won. A bet on the Rams (-200) means a $10 bet would net a $5 return for a Rams victory.

How Do Decimal Odds Work?

Decimal odds is the most commonly used odd type internationally, particularly in Europe. Decimal odds show the total return for every $1 wagered, including the money risked, as opposed to American odds that use a $100 scale. A common American odd line of -110 ($110 risked to earn $100) is converted to decimals as 1.91. This decimal means for every $1 risked, you will receive .91 cents in profit on top of the original dollar wagered. 

 

Favorites are represented by any decimal odd under 2.0 and underdogs are any decimal odd over 2.0. Decimal odds make calculating payouts easier as they only require a bettor to multiply their wager by the decimal odds. Back to Super Bowl LVI for an example:

Team	American Odds	Decimal Odds	Risked	Profit	Payout
49ers	-125	1.25	$100	$80	$180
Chiefs	+105	2.05	$100	$105	$205

As you can see, wager x decimal odds = possible payout. Use The Action Network’s Odds Calculator to ensure that your odds conversions and payout calculations are always accurate.

How Do Fractional Odds Work?

Fractional odds are somewhat less commonplace overall, but are frequently used in the United Kingdom. Fractional odds show the amount of money a bettor stands to win (the numerator) over the wager amount being risked (the denominator). It’s likely that you’ve heard someone say something along the lines of “I’ll give you two-to-one odds” on a particular contest. Those are fractional odds. Visually fractional odds look like this: 2/1. Two is the numerator and the one is the denominator.

The favorite and underdog teams are determined by whether the fractional odds are greater than or less than one. If a team is given a fractional odd whose total is less than one, they are the favorite. A team with fractional odds whose total is greater than one is the underdog. Let’s break this all down with the Rams vs. Bengals matchup:

Team	American Odds	Fractional Odds	Risked	Profit	Payout
49ers	-125	4/5	$100	$80	$180
Chiefs	+105	21/20	$100	$105	$205

Fractional odds can become confusing in instances like Super Bowl LVIII when a team like the Chiefs have odds that cannot be reduced down to a smaller fraction. Divide the top number by the bottom and multiply it by your wager to get the payout number. 

The payouts do not change from one odds type to the next, only the way the odds are presented and calculated.

How to Use the Action Network's NFL Odds Page

You will likely notice that moneylines, point spreads, and over/under totals vary from one sportsbook to the next for the same NFL game. It is smart practice to “shop for lines” before placing a wager. This simply means reviewing odds at various sportsbooks to find the one that offers the best payout potential. Line shopping can be pretty cumbersome for most betters, that is why The Action Network has condensed all the major sportsbooks NFL odds on this page for you to review without having to do all the legwork.

Here are a few notes on how to get the most out of the NFL Odds page.

• You’ll never have to guess which sportsbook has the best odds for a given game. The Action Network pulls in up-to-the-minute odds from every U.S. sportsbook and highlights the best odds in green across moneyline, spread, or over/under bets in the NFL.

• The NFL Odds page is customizable to only display the sportsbooks that you have an account with. This helps reduce the “noise” that you have to sort through to make a quick, smart betting decision.
• Sportsbooks offer odds on specific timeframes within a game in addition to just the final outcome. For the NFL, this often includes specific odds for a specific quarter or half. The NFL Odds page allows you to filter between the various market timeframes to bet a game in a variety of different ways as it unfolds.
• Sports betting is not currently legal in every state. As such, The Action Network NFL Odds page will allow you to see the sportsbook odds and prices available to you depending on where you are in the United States.

Other Ways to Bet on the NFL

Moneylines, spreads, and over/unders are some of the most common NFL betting types. There are other options available for those looking for different ways to get into the NFL action.

• Parlay
• Futures
• Player Props
• Daily Fantasy

You can place parlay, futures, and player prop bets with sportsbooks like Fanatics, FanDuel, and DraftKings. Read our Fanatics Sportsbook promo code and review for the new user bonus. For more information about FanDuel, read our FanDuel Sportsbook promo code. 

NFL Parlays

Two or more wagers group a parlay to create a larger payout. For a parlay to payout, the bettor has to win each of the wagers in the parlay. This makes the chances of winning more difficult, but it can significantly increase your earnings. The more games added to a parlay, the higher the payout potential.

Bettors can create a parlay by grouping bets, like a moneyline and an over/under total. Let’s refer back to the Super Bowl LVIII chart to make a $100 moneyline bet on the Chiefs and a bet on the 47.5 Over.

Team	Spread	Total	Moneyline
49ers	-2.5 (-115)	47.5 (-110)	-125
Chiefs	+2.5 (-105)	47.5 (-110)	+105

Here’s how the two bets payout without being parlayed:

• Chiefs moneyline (+105) at $50

  • The potential winnings are $52.5 for a total payout of $102.50, including the original $50 risked.

• Over 47.5 (-110) at $50

  • The potential winnings are $45.45 for a total payout of $95.45, including the original $50 risked.

• A bettor has the potential to win $97.95 in payouts for a total of $197.95, including the original $100 risked across the two separate bets.

Here’s how the same bets would payout being parlayed together:

• Chiefs moneyline (+105) AND Over 47.5 (-110) at $100

  • The potential winnings are $291.36 for a total payout of $391.36, including the original $100 risked.

As you can see, the payout potential for a parlay is significantly higher for wagering the same amount of money across identical bets. Oddsmakers give you better odds as you add more wagers to your parlay, but remember, you have to win each bet to cash out, so pick carefully. Lose just one bet in the parlay, and you lose all the money risked.

Need help to calculate your parlay payouts? Don’t forget to take advantage of The Action Network’s Betting Odds Calculator.

NFL Futures

Futures bets are exactly what they sound like betting on an event where the outcome will be settled in the future (not within the same day or week). Futures bets exclusively deal with moneylines. Examples of futures betting for the NFL include placing a wager on a team to win the Super Bowl at the beginning of the season, NFL MVP, division winners, and playoff teams. 

Futures bets are inherently tricky because they require a bettor to predict the outcome of an NFL event without any knowledge of how the season may unfold. As such, the odds for futures bets tend to be highly favorable to a bettor should they win. 

Be sure to check out The Action Network’s NFL Futures page to familiarize yourself with the various wager options available for the 2024-25 season.

NFL Prop Bets

Oddsmakers also make lines for individual NFL player performances that bettors can wager on. These are known as prop bets. Prop bets utilize the over/under mechanism, meaning bettors must decide if a player will exceed or fall short of a projected stat line. 

Need help sorting through prop bet options? The Action Labs Prop Tool will help you organize, sort, and grade hundreds of prop bet odds throughout the NFL season. Get access to picks from experts like Sean Koerner to really set yourself up for success in 2024-25. Check out other pages, such as our NFL Props Picks page, our NFL Props Hub, and Touchdown Props Hub.

NFL Daily Fantasy

Daily fantasy sports (DFS) have become wildly popular across the country, especially in states where sports betting is not yet legal. DFS is a great option for people living in a state where online sports betting has not been legalized to still get in on the action week in and week out.

There are a variety of daily fantasy sports options. Most people are familiar with traditional fantasy football, which involves drafting a team and setting a lineup each week. DFS is different, where you can “draft” new players each week based on matchups to compete for payouts. Sportsbooks like DraftKings and FanDuel offer daily fantasy options. Another popular alternative is the PrizePicks promo code, a daily fantasy with a twist.

Get a competitive edge using Action’s FantasyLabs to break down player stats and matchups and set a winning lineup each week.

NFL Betting Help

After reading this NFL betting guide, you should be able to read NFL odds and understand the difference between bet types. Still, you may need a little help making the best wagers week-to-week. Here are a few tools from The Action Network that can help.

NFL Public Betting Percentages

The Action Network collects a vast amount of betting data on every NFL game, including the number of bets and how much money is placed on them. We condense this information into an easy-to-read interactive chart that helps you to assess what bets are most popular amongst the public and where the majority of the money is being wagered. Whether you choose to go along with how the majority has placed its bets, or you choose to break from the pack, is up to you. 

The Action Network NFL Public Betting page enables you to filter between bet types as well so you can see the public sentiment across moneyline, spread, and totals.

PRO Projections

Our in-house NFL experts review and handicap every single NFL game based on a multitude of factors including recent team performance, player value, injuries, and more. Condensing all these factors, The Action Network grades each matchup and provides an edge percentage to let you know which bets are most likely to succeed. Subscribe to Action PRO to get unlimited access to our NFL projections.

PRO Report

If you want to make betting decisions for yourself, but don’t have the time to collect all the data, check out our NFL PRO Report. This analysis highlights five key bettings signals: big money, sharp action, expert projections, expert picks, and historical betting systems.

NFL Expert Picks

If you’re in a time crunch or just want to leave it to the experts, our NFL Picks page is the place to go. Here, you can see how experts are picking a particular contest across various bet types and odds. Check this page regularly during the season to see how you stack up against the experts.