Where to Bet on NFL Games: Best NFL Betting Sites in 2024

NFL Betting: How to Choose the right Sportsbook for you?

Many people who have only a passing acquaintance with sports betting think that all sportsbooks are the same. But that isn't the case at all. Sportsbooks can be quite different in the sports that they specialize in, the betting markets they offer, and the rewards they give to new bettors. This makes the question of where to bet on NFL games one that deserves serious attention.

We have no 'one-size-fits-all' answer to that question. But we do have six key areas that we think all football bettors should look at when comparing sportsbooks for themselves. These are:

• The Legal Situation
• Betting Opportunities
• Rewards for New Bettors
• User-Friendliness
• Banking Facilities
• Support System

All of the areas just mentioned are equally important, so let's explore them in more detail.

Where to Bet on NFL Legally

The first thing you need to look at when thinking about where to bet on NFL games is the legal situation. Gambling laws vary from state to state, and while sports betting is legal in many, it is illegal in others. To complicate matters further, some states that allow sports betting in person do not also allow online sportsbooks to operate.

You can check to see whether or not sports betting is legal in your state by visiting our USA Gambling page. If it is, you will be able to bet with any online sportsbook that is licensed to operate in your state. Should there be only one, the choice will be easy. However, if you are fortunate enough to have two or more sportsbooks to choose from, the five key areas that remain to be discussed will need looking at.

NFL Betting Opportunities

The betting opportunities that you can take advantage of will vary from sportsbook to sportsbook. Most US-facing sportsbooks will be keen for you to bet on NFL games. But you might find things slightly more restrictive at sportsbooks that have a more global audience. Our advice is to check that any sportsbook you are considering will allow you to place NFL bets of the following types:

Moneyline

The moneyline betting market is the most common of all, and should therefore be offered by all sportsbooks. This market will give odds for each of the two teams in a game. Your job is to bet on the one you think will win. If your bet succeeds then it will be settled according to the odds offered for your chosen team. Consider the following example:

When odds are preceded by a plus (+) sign, they indicate your profit for a bet of $100. A winning bet of $100 on the Cowboys would therefore give you a $240 profit.

When odds are preceded by a minus (-) sign, they indicate how much you need to bet to make a $100 profit. You would therefore make $100 if you place a winning bet of $278 on the Buccaneers.

Point Spread

Point spread markets are for NFL fans who like to predict how well a team will win. Or how badly another will lose. The sportsbook will form its own opinion by giving the favorite a hypothetical disadvantage. It will give an opposing advantage to the underdog. This allows the sportsbook to level up the odds on offer, as you can see in the example below:

You will note that the odds on offer for each team in this market are now the same. If you bet on the Cowboys, the +6.5 advantage means that they need to win the game or to lose by no more than 6 points for your bet to succeed. Bet on the Buccaneers and they will need to win by at least 7 points for your bet to win.

Totals

The totals market is the next one that you need to make sure you have access to. This allows you to bet on whether the total number of points scored in a game will be over or under the sportsbook prediction. Because you have to bet over or under, this market is just as often referred to as the Over/Under market.

In the example above, the sportsbook has drawn a line in the sand at 51.5 points. If you think that there will be 52 points or more scored by both teams combined, you would bet over 51.5. If you think that there will be 51 points or fewer scored in total, you would bet under 51.5. Should your prediction prove correct, your bet will win at the odds stated.

Futures

NFL bettors don't always want to bet purely on individual games. They also like to bet on longer-term outcomes, such as who will win the Pro Bowl or the Super Bowl . Or how many wins a particular team will achieve over the course of the season. All of these are examples of future bets, and if you want to make them you need to make sure that the sportsbook you are considering will allow you to do so. Most will, but it's still a very good idea to confirm that beforehand.

Prop Bets

Another thing that you should look for in a sportsbook is the ability to make prop bets. These are bets on incidents or outcomes that may or may not take place regardless of the overall game result. For example:

• Will a particular player score a touchdown?
• Which team will score first?

Obviously, predicting such outcomes correctly is a lot more challenging than selecting one of two teams to win the game itself. For that reason, many people view prop bets as fun bets and keep their stakes in these markets to a minimum. On the plus side, the odds for success in prop betting markets reflect the difficulty of winning with them, so a win could pay handsomely.

Where to Bet on NFL: Rewards for New Bettors

The sports betting industry is a hugely competitive one. That means sportsbooks are keen to attract bettors to their own sites wherever possible. One of the ways in which they try to do that is by offering rewards to new bettors in the form of sportsbook bonuses and promotions.

This being the case, you should take a look at what bonuses or promotions are being offered by the sportsbooks in your state. If one is offering a risk-free bet worth up to $300, and another is offering a risk-free bet worth up to $500, the one offering the best deal might sway your choice.

Of course, when looking at bonuses and promotions, you need to be honest about how much you intend to bet. If you know that your first bet will be worth no more than $100, either one of the promotions just mentioned would be suitable.

User Friendliness

Betting with an online sportsbook should be as easy as logging in, making your picks, and entering your required stake. The faster you can do all of that, the better. Especially if you intend to participate in live betting as the game itself is being played. Because of all that, you should think about how user-friendly a sportsbook is, and whether it will let you do what you want to do with a minimum of fuss.

Pay attention to how a sportsbook is presented, how easy it is to find betting markets, and so on. Also, look into how well the sportsbook performs on a mobile device if you know that you will want to bet on a tablet or smartphone from time to time.

Where to Bet on NFL: Payment Options

Making a deposit isn't something that you will need to do every day (especially if you win more often than you lose) but you will still want it to be a simple and straightforward process. If you have a preferred way of making deposits, such as PayPal, be sure that the sportsbook will accommodate it. Or at least check to ensure that the facilities available include at least one option that you will be happy to use for that particular operation.

Your chosen deposit method will ideally also be one by which withdrawals can be made. That will keep things nice and easy, and allow you to deposit or withdraw funds at the click of a mouse button.

Customer Support

All online sportsbooks work hard to make things as simple and intuitive for bettors as possible. However, it is still possible that you might have a question that you need an answer to or a problem that you need help in resolving. In those cases, you want to be sure that there is a support system to assist you, so it makes sense to check the situation before you sign up. 

Ideally, customer support should be accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If that isn't the case, just make sure that the support hours are ones that cover the times you are likely to need help or assistance. Neglect to do this and you might be frustrated by having to wait for the support staff to get back to you.

Where to bet on the NFL: How to Open a Sportsbook Account

When you have done all of the research just outlined and decided which of the available options best suits your needs, you will probably want to open an account with that operator. It only takes a couple of minutes to do so, and the process is as straightforward as you could want it to be. In fact, the whole exercise can be reduced to just three steps.

1. Locate a JOIN or REGISTER link on the main page of the sportsbook and click it to navigate to the sign-up page. A pop-up form might appear automatically when you launch the main sportsbook page, in which case you can obviously skip this step.
2. Provide the information requested on the sign-up form. You will need to give your name, email address, and residential address as a minimum. Most operators will also need the last few digits of your social security number so that they can verify your identity. 
3. Make sure that you have entered any code that is needed to claim a welcome bonus (if applicable) and then submit the application. If all of the required information has been provided, your new sportsbook account will be created on the spot. You may need to verify your email address as a final step, but that is a simple matter of clicking the link in the email that will be sent to you.

Where to Bet on the NFL: How to Make a Deposit 

Betting with a sportsbook obviously requires you to have cash in your account. Making your first deposit is just as easy as opening an account, and once you have done so it will be even easier to make future deposits. Here's the process:

1. Visit the banking area of the sportsbook you are using. In many cases, you will be taken directly to this area when you have completed the sign-up process. If not, just head to your account page and follow the link provided to make a deposit.
2. Provide the details of your chosen deposit method. That might be your credit card number, your PayPal address, or similar. The sportsbook will remember this information so that you can use the same method again at the touch of a button whenever you want to add more funds to your account at a later date.
3. State the amount that you want to add to your account. Most sportsbooks have minimum sums that can be deposited, but they tend to be very modest. However, you should note that some bonuses require a higher minimum deposit, so if you're claiming a bonus, make sure that you deposit enough to qualify and that you enter any bonus code that is required.
4. Confirm your deposit request by submitting the information. Most methods of deposit will allow your funds to appear in your account straight away. Others may take a little while longer for processing. As soon as the cash is in your account, you're free to make whatever bets you choose.

Where to Bet on the NFL: How to Make a Withdrawal

Withdrawing funds from your sportsbook account is normally even easier than making a deposit. That's because many methods used for deposits can also be used for withdrawals, so you won't have to provide any new banking information. Instead, simply proceed as follows:

1. Head to the banking area of the sportsbook and select the option to withdraw funds from your account. As with deposits, there is usually a minimum amount that you can withdraw, so familiarize yourself with the rules for the operator you are using.
2. State the amount of money that you want to withdraw. If your registered deposit method can't be used to make withdrawals, you may need to choose a different way of receiving your cash.
3. Confirm the withdrawal request and leave the sportsbook to process it. The sum you have requested will be taken from your account, but you may need to wait up to a few days for it to appear in your PayPal account or similar. That is perfectly normal, as withdrawals are subject to additional security checks.

💡Pro Tip: Joining Multiple Sportsbooks

Bettors who simply want to place one or two bets every now and again will be perfectly well served by a single sportsbook. However, if you have access to several sportsbooks in your state and you expect to bet on a regular basis, you could benefit from signing up with two or more of them.

Joining multiple sportsbooks means that you will have the opportunity to take advantage of whatever bonus each one offers. It also means that you will have more choice in relation to the betting markets you get involved in and the odds that you can get in those markets.

Should you choose to sign up with more than one sportsbook, here are a few ways in which you can use your multiple accounts to your advantage:

• If you have a risk-free first bet from two sportsbooks available to you, consider using them to bet on both sides of an evenly matched NFL game. By doing that, you will win with one sportsbook and get a refund (usually in the form of betting credits) from the other.

• Always look at the odds available at all of the sportsbooks you have accounts with before placing a bet. Getting the best value possible is an important key to successful sports betting, so if one sportsbook offers better odds than another, it makes sense to bet with the most generous.

• Also, be sure to look at all available betting markets for any NFL game that you want to bet on. Different sportsbooks might set different spreads or totals for the same game, so being aware of what's available will enable you to bet with the operator that