There are many options for online football betting in the United States, with ESPN BET being one of the best. We offer a wide selection of football leagues and a wide variety of markets. Let's start by getting into football betting.

Football Betting Lines

Football Moneyline Bets

Moneyline betting is when you are betting on who will win the game outright.

An example would be Green Bay playing Los Angeles. Let’s say Los Angeles are the favorite listed at -130, and Green Bay is a +120 underdog. This would mean that you would need to bet $130 on Los Angeles to win $100, while a $100 bet on Green Bay will garner you a $120 win.

Football Point Spread Bets

Point Spread betting is one of the most popular ways to bet on football. When betting the Point Spread, the odds reflect the probability of a team winning. Negative odds will show the team most likely to win the game, the favorite, and positive odds will show the team that is least likely to win, the underdog.

An example of a football point spread: Jacksonville is playing Houston and they are favored by 3.5 points. This would mean you would see that Houston is -3.5, and Jacksonville is +3.5.

Houston would need to win by at least 4 for you to win your wager, while a bet on Jacksonville will win if they lose by 3 points or fewer, or if they simply win the game outright. You will generally see -110 odds on Point Spreads, which is how the house makes money since the point spread evens the matchup. This means that you would need to bet $110 to win $100.

Football Over/Under Bets

Betting on the Over/Under, also known as the total, is another popular option in football. Instead of rooting for a team here, you're choosing between the points scored being above or below a certain amount.

Example: Baltimore played Dallas, and the total is set at 47.5 points. If you bet the under, you need 47 or fewer points to score to win your wager, while an over bet requires 48 or more for a win. Like point spread betting, football betting sites will set odds on totals around -110, meaning a $110 bet will win you $100.

Football Parlay Bets

A popular option in football betting is to wager on a Parlay. Here you are making multiple betting selections which can be from the same game or multiple games and pairing them together. These can be Moneylines, Spreads, Over/Unders, or other types of bets.

The more "legs" or selections you add to your Parlay, the more you stand to win if they all hit due to the increased odds. Yet the downside is that if even one selection loses, you lose your entire wager.

Football Prop Bets

Prop betting, short for proposition betting, are various types of bets, including team, game, and player props. Examples would be wagering on the Over/Under of a wide receiver's total yardage in a football game or whether a safety will be scored.

In-Game (Live) Bets

If you are looking to bet live football, we offer the finest selection of in-game wagering options on the sport. With live updated lines on a wide variety of markets all throughout every football game, you can enjoy football betting action in real-time as events unfold.

Football Futures Bets

Betting on Futures involves placing a wager on an event that will occur later in a season, in contrast to betting on a single game. An example would be betting on a player to win the MVP award or a team to win the Big Game. This is a fun way to maintain betting action over the course of a season with just one wager.

Football Betting Odds

Understanding football betting odds is essential when betting on the sport. For more information, we recommend viewing our guide explaining how to read odds for a deeper dive into the subject. Let's take a look at the various types of odds, including those that are common in football.

American Football Betting Odds

Football odds are most commonly expressed in American odds. An example of American odds would be that Buffalo is playing Seattle, and Buffalo is listed as -170, the favorites, while Seattle is +155, the underdogs.

The negative (-) and positive (+) symbols represent which team is the favorite (negative) and which team is the underdog (positive). It is easy to use these to see what you would stand to win on a $100 wager, as a minus number, such as -170, represents what you need to bet to win $100 ($170). In contrast, a positive number, such as +155, shows what you would win with a $100 wager ($155).

Decimal Football Betting Odds

In parts of Europe and The United States, you may see decimal odds. Decimal odds use one number to show what you would stand to collect (including what you bet, not just your winnings) on a $1 wager.

So if you were to see odds of 1.80, this means that you would collect $1.80 on a $1 wager, equally a $0.80 win. You would, of course, need to extrapolate this amount to higher denominations according to your bet size.

Fractional Football Betting Odds

Fractional odds are commonly used in the UK. You will not generally see them used for American and Canadian football betting odds.

For reference, fractional odds are represented in a fraction, such as 2/1. This would be equivalent to American odds of +200. This means that a $100 bet on a 2/1 underdog would garner you a $200 win.

Football Betting Tips & Factors To Consider

Here are a few important factors to consider when betting on the NFL:

Team performance: What is a team's record, what are their offensive and defensive ratings, etc.?

Home field advantage: Which team is at home, and what are the characteristics of the stadium (indoor, outdoor, weather, etc.)?

Matchup history: How have the two teams fared against each other in past matchups?

Line movement: How have the lines moved prior to their initial posting?

Football public betting trends: What are the NFL betting trends? Is the public betting on the favorite or the underdog?

Player and coaching matchups: Looking at individual matchups between players and coaches can be helpful in football betting.

Injuries and suspensions: Keeping a close eye on injuries and what players will be in and out is important when making football bets.

Football Betting Mistakes to Avoid

Betting based on emotions: It is essential to take your fandom out of the equation and act based on the data.

Ignoring key factors: Make sure to keep up to date on weather, injuries, and other late-breaking news.

Chasing losses: Bankroll management is essential, and it is crucial not to chase your losses with bigger and bigger bets.

Overlooking line movements: Keep an eye on line movement and whether the odds are shifting in or against your favor.

Focusing on short-term results: Things may not go your way immediately, so concern yourself only with your long-term process.

Not keeping track of your Football bets: It is essential to track your results to identify strengths and fix holes in your betting strategy.

How To Place Football Bets Today With ESPN BET

It is easy to get started making football bets today with ESPN BET. Football betting in the United States has never been more straightforward and is right at your fingertips. Let's take a look at exactly how to get your account created and start betting.

First, you will want to create your account with ESPN BET. You can do this through the app or on a desktop computer.

You will need to enter your registration details and create your username and password, then verify your account via the verification email you will be sent.

Now you are ready to make your first deposit, be sure to enter any applicable football betting promo codes and claim your welcome bonuses.

Next, you will choose a football league to bet on. You will see a list of games for the league and wagers you can make under the “Sports” category.

Select a bet, such as a Moneyline or point Spread wager, enter a dollar amount you would like to bet, and submit. Your wager will be placed and ready to track via your ESPN BET account.

Reasons To Bet With ESPN BET

There are many reasons to bet with ESPN BET. These include a reliable support team that’s available 24/7 for any and all mobile betting concerns, a responsibility to maintain player safety and security, as well as a responsibility to uphold regulated betting standards.

New and existing players can use the promotions page to explore all our Bonus Bet sign-up offers for all of your favorite sports. Download the app today and see what you've been missing in mobile betting with ESPN BET.

Online Football Betting FAQs

Can I Bet on Live Football Matches?

Yes, we offer the opportunity to bet on in-game (live) football. You will be able to make a variety of wagers based on current odds throughout the course of football games.

Is It Legal To Bet on Football in The United States?

Yes, you are able to bet on football in the United States, but make sure you are in a state where sports betting is legal.

What To Consider When Betting on Football?

The most important consideration is the odds and whether there is value in them. After that, you will want to take a look at factors like defensive and offensive matchups, player statistics, weather, injuries, coaching tendencies and other factors specific to the sport.

How To Claim a Football Betting Bonus?

It is easy to claim your football betting bonus by creating an account with ESPN BET. You will want to navigate to our promotions page to make sure that you are taking advantage of any football promotions or bonuses that are available.

Why Is My Football Bet Void?

Rarely would your football bet be voided, but if it is, this means that your money is returned to you, and there is no bet. This would essentially only occur if a game was not played at all or did not complete due to some unusual circumstance.

Does a Tie in Football Void a Bet?

In the case of a game that ends in a tie on a Moneyline bet, you would receive your money back, essentially voiding the bet. The same would be true on an Over/Under bet with an even total (like 47 vs. 47.5) if the total points are exactly the number. In the case of a point spread bet where the spread is even (like 3 vs. 3.5), if a team wins by precisely the spread (3 in this case), both sides also "push," and you receive your money back.