Best Football Betting Sites & Apps 2021 – Our Top 10 Sportsbooks for Betting on Football in Canada
Every year, after a long summer, Canadian sports bettors turn their attention to the gridiron for the kickoff of another exciting football season. With single sports betting set to become legal in Canada, bettors will have a chance to get in on the action like never before. Paul Burns, CEO of the Canadian Gaming Association, believes that single sports betting will be available for Canadians to access by Labour Day, just in time for the start of the upcoming football season.
While estimates vary, Canada’s sports betting industry could be one of the fastest-growing markets in the world. According to the Nevada Independent, executives from theScore told analysts that the country’s sports betting handle could be as high as $5.4 billion annually. On the other hand, DraftKings was even more optimistic, projecting that the Canadian sports betting market could be worth up to $8 billion per year.
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- Best rated new sportsbook in Canada
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Canada has its own league, the CFL, but the popularity of American football has sky-rocketed up north in recent years. Per the Toronto Guardian, Ontario seems to be one of the most promising regions for American football growth with more than half of all football fans in the region preferring to watch the National Football League (NFL).
Betting on football is all about preparation and fans that put in the work during the week stand to make a considerable profit come game time. Despite the fact that a typical football season runs for almost six months, teams generally play just once per week. Every Saturday and Sunday, bettors are treated to a constant flow of deep passes, bone-crushing hits, and end zone celebrations, making football one of the most entertaining sports to bet on. However, the regular season format also makes it one of the most challenging sports to turn a profit in, especially for new bettors.
Fantasy football and daily fantasy sports laid the groundwork for fans to earn money with their sports knowledge. Now, bettors can use the same information to identify value and gain an edge on the oddsmakers. Sports betting and in-play betting will also be a game-changer for the way that fans engage and interact during the games. With the ability to take advantage of pregame lines, player props, and in-play odds, online football betting takes the fan experience to the next level.
To turn a profit and maximize the overall return of their investment, bettors need to take advantage of odds and bonus offers across multiple sportsbooks. With several new companies fresh to the Canadian sports betting market, finding the right sportsbook can be difficult.
To help Canadian bettors take it to the house, our team has compiled a list of the top ten football betting apps currently offering odds in Canada. Using algorithms and expert analysis, we have ranked the best football betting apps in Canada below based on very specific criteria, including banking options, brand recognition, ease of use, safety, security, and more.
For your convenience, we have compiled a brief summary of each sportsbook, along with a few ways that they’ve separated themselves from their competitors.
This list will be updated regularly, so feel free to check back for the most up-to-date information and rankings.
How We Rank Our Football Betting Sites
We ranked the best football betting sites based on a comprehensive set of criteria, which will be outlined below.
- First, we made sure that we only recommended sportsbooks that will be welcoming Canadian bettors for the upcoming football season. These companies have positioned themselves ahead of the pack by establishing reputable brands that are trustworthy and reliable. All of the bookmakers below are 100 percent safe, so users can feel comfortable knowing they won’t have any issues during the deposit or withdrawal process.
- Next, we went through the various payment processes offered by each oddsmaker to find out which ones have the most payment options and the fastest payout processes.
- Is your sportsbook trustworthy? We delved deep into each company’s reputation, assessing customer experiences and feedback to see if they are truly taking care of bettors.
- The design, functionality, and speed of a sportsbook can also make a difference for bettors. How user-friendly are the website and mobile app for betting on football? What is the in-play betting experience like during football games?
- What is the customer service like at your sportsbook? How easy is it to contact the company when an issue arises? Is there a live chat option to help resolve problems instantly?
- In the end, choosing a sportsbook comes down to the overall value that an oddsmaker can deliver to its users. Does the sportsbook provide competitive odds, a wide range of betting markets, and any football-specific promotions? Find out which sportsbooks are delivering the most value to bettors.
Best Football Betting Sites
Bet365
An industry leader, Bet365 features competitive odds and markets, making it one of the best sportsbooks for betting on football in Canada. With a well-designed app and mobile site, Bet365 offers sports fans a very smooth in-play betting experience. The NFL Early Payout offer makes it an attractive option for both single-game and parlay bettors too. While other websites may offer better bonuses and loyalty rewards, Bet365 sets the standard for online sportsbooks and checks all of the boxes necessary for football betting.
What We Like:
- Some of the best football odds and markets
- Includes a wide variety of football game lines, props, and futures bets
- Industry leader with an excellent reputation
- Fast, responsive user interface and mobile app make it perfect for in-play betting
- 24/7 customer service via phone, email, or live chat
- NFL Early Payout offer automatically settles your bet as a winner if your team goes ahead by 17 points
- Track your progress over time with account statistics for net deposits and win/loss
What We Don´t Like:
- Loyalty rewards aren’t as good as some of its competitors
- Parlay bonuses do not apply to money line markets in football
- No parlay insurance
BETZEST
Betzest is new to the sports betting industry but it features a well-designed user interface, which has helped attract new customers. While it might not have the best football odds or markets, Bestzest has most of the necessary features that bettors have come to expect from an excellent sportsbook. Known more for esports and its online casino, it is earning a strong reputation among football bettors too.
What We Like:
- Good-looking design and easy to use interface
- Up-and-coming sports betting brand
- Offers football game lines, props, and futures bets
- Fast withdrawals and a multitude of deposit options
- Easy-to-find stats and historical data
What We Don´t Like:
- Currently not offering a welcome bonus or any sportsbook promos
- Football odds and props markets are lagging behind the competition
- No football-specific offers at this time
- No parlay insurance or accumulator bonuses
- No in-play stats and graphics hurt the live-betting experience
- Customer support is done via a contact form which is hard to find on the site
BetVictor
A longstanding oddsmaker, BetVictor owns one of the best reputations in the sports betting industry. It is a high-quality sportsbook that provides competitive odds and a wide variety of markets for football bettors. New users can also take advantage of one of the best sign-up bonuses available to Canadians with a 100% matched free bet for up to $300. With a clean user interface and a fast, responsive app, BetVictor has what it takes to get the job done.
What We Like:
- Competitive football odds and markets
- High-quality oddsmaker with a strong reputation
- Simple user interface and design
- 100% Matched free bet up to $300 for new customers
- Customer support options are easy to find and use
- Wide range of payment options with fast withdrawals
What We Don´t Like:
- No football-specific bonuses
- Football futures betting options are lagging behind the competition
- In-play betting experience not up to par with top competitors
BetWay
With a renewed emphasis on customer satisfaction, BetWay has become a major player in Canada’s sports betting market. By combining its online casino and sportsbook into one seamless product, BetWay is able to offer some of the best bonuses and loyalty rewards in the industry. Armed with competitive odds and a long list of football markets, it has become one of the go-to oddsmakers for Canadian sports bettors.
What We Like:
- Excellent football odds for NFL, college football, and more
- Comprehensive list of football game lines, props, and futures markets
- Growing reputation in the online gambling industry
- Very fast withdrawal process times
- Offers a wide array of bonuses and rewards
- Odds boosts with BetWay Boost
- Parlay Club gives parlay bettors a free $10 every week
- 24/7 customer support with easy-to-find help features
What We Don´t Like:
- No parlay insurance
- No football-specific promotions at this time
- Live-betting experience doesn’t measure up to top competitors
Bodog
BoDog was actually founded by a Canadian and it has been serving Canada’s sports betting market for over 25 years. At first glance, Bodog might seem like a no-frills sportsbook but it offers much more than the average oddsmaker. With some of the best odds and promotional offers on the market, signing up for an account at Bodog is a must for most sports bettors. Football bettors can take advantage of a wide range of props and futures markets or make custom bets on just about anything that they can think of with #NameYourPlay.
What We Like:
- Competitive odds with a wide range of football game lines, props, and futures markets
- Sports betting leader with strong brand reputation
- Clean design and easy to use interface on both website and mobile app
- Ask for custom bets and odds with #Nameyourplay
- 200% Refer a Friend Bonus
- 100% Welcome Bonus for new sports bettors
- Excellent promotions and rewards for new users
- Offers a plethora of banking options, including Interac e-transfer and Bitcoin
What We Don´t Like:
- Betting lines are usually posted later than most sportsbooks
- High rollover requirement for welcome bonus (5x deposit + bonus)
- In-play experience doesn’t measure up to its top competitors
Cyber.Bet
CyberBet is still a new name in the sports betting market but it features a modern design and one of the most user-friendly interfaces of any oddsmaker. Known for e-sports wagering, CyberBet has become a legitimate bookmaker that offers bettors competitive odds for football game lines and totals. Despite its best efforts, the sportsbook falls a bit short in terms of its football offerings, especially in the props and futures markets. Experienced bettors will also notice that certain features are also missing at CyberBet, including the option to cash out bets while events are in play.
What We Like:
- Competitive odds for football game lines and totals
- Emerging oddsmaker with a focus on e-sports
- Good-looking design that is easy to use and navigate
- Live chat and 24/7 customer support
- Simple and safe payment methods
What We Don´t Like:
- Promos and bonuses don’t measure up to the competition
- NFL and college football markets have yet to be posted
- No cash out or bet builder options
- Not as many props or future bets as its competitors
Hopa
Hopa is another relatively new oddsmaker that is hoping to attract new customers with an easy-to-use interface and design. It offers competitive odds and a wide variety of props, making it perfect for betting on football. With parlay bonuses, a daily leaderboard, and a strong loyalty rewards program that gives money back to bettors on a monthly basis, Hopa has become a serious option for sports bettors of all experience levels.
What We Like:
- Competitive odds and a wide range of football markets
- Up-and-coming sportsbook with a growing reputation
- Daily leaderboards and tournaments allow bettors to compete against each other
- Loyalty rewards program gives money back to frequent players every month
- Parlay bonuses with HopaBoost
- Wide range of payment options
What We Don´t Like:
- Transaction fees for deposits and withdrawals
- No football-specific promotions
- Lack of in-play stats and graphics hurt the live-betting experience
10Bet
10Bet might be a new name in the betting industry but it has emerged as one of the best up-and-coming sportsbooks. It offers some of the best odds, a well-designed app, and a variety of payment options, making it a great option for football bettors. While it offers some of the best odds on the market, 10Bet doesn’t offer the same value in bonuses and other promotions as other top competitors.
What We Like:
- Offers some of the best football odds on the market
- Comprehensive list of football game lines, props, and futures betting options
- Well-designed mobile app creates an enjoyable betting experience
- Enhanced odds boosts
- Free bet for parlay bets with 3+ legs
- Easy-to-access statistics and educational tools
- Several payment options, including credit card and Interac e-transfer
What We Don´t Like:
- Welcome bonus is not up to par with the competition
- No football-specific promotions
- Lack of in-play information and graphics make it difficult to follow games on the app
Shangri La
Other sportsbooks might look better but Shangri La Live makes up for it by offering some of the best football odds and promotions in the industry. New users can benefit from a 100% deposit bonus of up to $500, which is by far the most lucrative promotion for new Canadian sports bettors. Shangri La Live also offers weekly reload bonuses, which helps them retain pre-existing customers. However, football props and futures betting options are still limited at this time.
What We Like:
- Excellent football odds and markets
- Very experienced and trusted bookmaker
- Offers one of the most lucrative welcome bonuses available to Canadian bettors
- 10% weekly reload bonus for pre-existing customers
- Offers safe and simple payment options
What We Don´t Like:
- Design and feel could use some improvement
- No football-specific promotions
- No parlay bonuses or odds boosts
- Doesn’t offer as many player props and futures bets as other top sportsbooks
How To Bet On Football
The weekend is the high point in the week for football bettors. Most NFL games are played on Sunday but bettors can also find single-game action on Monday Night Football and Thursday Night Football as well. Meanwhile, college football runs every Saturday with different conferences scattering games throughout the week. In addition to the NFL and college football markets, Canadian bettors can also find odds for the CFL and Grey Cup as well.
How Does Football Betting Work?
There are several different markets for football fans to take advantage of during the course of the season. While the props bets offered may vary at different sportsbooks, all oddsmakers will offer the standard game lines for nearly every football contest. Game lines generally consist of three betting options: money line, spread, and total.
NFL Betting
The NFL is considered to be a point spread betting sport. This means that in order to even out the odds and make it profitable to bet on both sides of a match, the oddsmakers set a handicap for one team to win by a certain margin of victory.
In point spread betting, bookmakers designate which team is the favorite by using the minus sign (-) followed by the number of points that the team must win by for a bet to be settled as a winner. On the other hand, the format uses a plus sign (+) to represent the underdog in a particular match.
Example:
The example above is from Bodog and it features a game line from Week 1 of NFL Regular Season. The Pittsburgh Steelers will be on the road to take on the Buffalo Bills in the first game of the 2021-22 campaign for both teams.
As shown by the minus sign (-), the oddsmakers have designated the Bills as -6.5-point favorites at home in this game. On the other hand, the Steelers come into Week 1 as +6.5-point underdogs on the road.
College Football Betting
Like the NFL, NCAA College Football is also considered to be a point spread betting sport. As a result, betting on college football works in the same way, except with a few major differences.
Due to the talent discrepancy between teams, football bettors will notice the point spreads in college football can be set at much higher numbers than in the NFL. It can also be harder to find the same level of information and advanced statistics for college football games, especially for schools playing in less prestigious conferences. However, these factors make the point spreads and odds a little softer in college football, which can make it a more profitable market for football bettors.
Another difference between college football betting and betting on the NFL is the sheer number of teams in the sport. There are 130 FBS teams and 125 FCS teams in college football, giving volume bettors a chance to exploit soft lines and inefficiencies in the market.
Example:
The screenshot above shows an example of potential game lines that bettors can expect to see during the college football season. As you can see, it isn’t uncommon to find teams favored by multiple touchdowns in a college football game, especially during non-conference play.
For instance, take a look at the Tennessee-Bowling Green contest above. The Volunteers are favored to win the game by 33 points, a margin of victory that bettors will seldom see in an NFL contest.
Football Betting Lines
A typical football regular season doesn’t feature as many games as other sports. The NFL recently expanded its regular season to 17 games while college football usually features up to 12 games before the start of postseason play.
With sharper game lines and fewer games to take advantage of, football can be one of the toughest sports to profit from for bettors. To fully maximize their earning potential, bettors must understand how and when to take advantage of different football betting markets.
Below, you can find a brief overview of some of the markets available to football bettors and how to use them to your advantage.
Point Spread
As we mentioned early, football is a sport that is predicated on point spread betting, which helps even out the odds for each contest. Point spread betting is the most popular wager among football bettors and requires teams to win or lose by a certain margin of victory.
When backing a team to cover the spread, the favorite is denoted by a minus sign (-) while the underdog is earmarked with a plus sign (+).
If the favorite is selected, the team must win by more than the projected number for the bet to be settled as a winner. On the other hand, if a bettor selects the underdog to cover the spread, the team must win outright or lose by less than the projected margin of victory for the bet to be settled as a winner.
Example:
Let’s go back and review another game line from the upcoming Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Buffalo Bills contest in Week 1 of the NFL Regular Season. This example is courtesy of Bet365.
Fresh off of a trip to the AFC Championship Game, the Bills enter Week 1 favored by a healthy -6.5 points at home against the Steelers, who finished 12-4 last season.
This means that bettors who back Buffalo to win will need the Bills to win by at least seven points for their bet to be settled as a winner. Meanwhile, bettors that select Pittsburgh to cover the spread will be rooting for the Steelers to win outright or lose by six points or fewer.
In this case, a $100 wager on either team to cover the spread would bring in $90 of profit, as the spread helps provide even odds on both sides of the contest.
Money Line
For bettors that don’t want to worry about winning the game by a predetermined margin, money line wagers might be a better option. When betting on the money line, football fans can simply predict the outcome of the match, choosing the winner of a contest at a predetermined price. Since the caliber of teams can differ greatly in football, bettors can often find hidden value when betting on underdogs to win the game outright.
Example:
Sticking with the same Steelers-Bills game line from above, let’s take a look at the money line odds. At 1.37 odds, Buffalo comes into this game as heavy money line favorites.
While a $100 wager on the Bills to win would net bettors $37 in profits, the same $100 wager on the Steelers would earn bettors $220 in profit. This equates to an increase in profits of 595%.
As you can see, for bettors looking for more enticing odds, the money line can provide some additional value, especially when betting on underdogs during the football season.
Total
There will be times during the season when bettors do not want to predict the outcome of a match but will instead know whether a game will turn into a high or low-scoring contest. In these cases, wagering on the total might be the smarter selection. When betting on the total, fans are only asked to predict whether both teams will combine to go over or under a projected number of points determined by the oddsmakers.
When selecting the over, the wager will only be settled as a winner if the two teams combine to score more than the projected point total. However, under bettors will only have their selection settled as a winner if the teams combine to fewer than the projected total.
Example:
We return to the Week 1 NFL contest between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills for this example. The Bills and Steelers are projected for 50.5 points at Bodog. That means over bettors will need both teams to combine for at least 51 points while under bettors will be rooting for the game to stay at or below 50 points.
Betting on the total can be the right move when bettors believe that a game will turn into a defensive slugfest or when a high-powered offense is due for some regression.
Like point spreads, over/under odds are usually priced close to even money in football, giving bettors another way to identify value when one team is heavily favored in a contest.
Once again, a $100 wager on either side of the over/under would net bettors exactly $90 in profits.
Game Props
Most sportsbooks offer traditional game lines but football bettors can also expand their volume by targeting the props market. Props bets are wagers that are not necessarily tied to the final outcome of the game. In particular, game props can help bettors get more specific and creative with their selections, helping them make more bets and earn more profit over the course of a season.
Bettors can predict who will win the coin toss, which team will score first, or how long the longest touchdown will be, among many other selections.
Choosing a football betting site with a wide variety of game props options can give bettors an opportunity to spot inefficiencies in the market.
Example:
When looking through the betting markets for a particular game, bettors can find several game props available to them. In the screenshot above, you can find some examples of potential game props available at BoDog, one of Canada’s top sportsbooks for props bettors.
At Bodog, bettors can select which team will score first, what the game’s first score will be, or whether the first offensive play of the game will be a run or a pass, among many other selections.
Once mastered, bettors can use game props to their advantage by narrowing down their selections to more specific markets.
Player Props
Like in fantasy football and daily fantasy sports, bettors can also earn a profit using their knowledge of individual players as well. In addition to game props, many of the top sportsbooks offer player props for every football game. Bettors can predict whether a player will go over or under a certain amount of yards or select which player will score the game’s first touchdown, among many other offerings.
Example:
While most sportsbooks offer the same markets for game lines and props, player props offerings can vary greatly among the different oddsmakers. In the example above, we used a screenshot from Bet365.
Football fans looking for some excitement can predict which player will score the game’s first touchdown. As you can see, the fan who won the bet made in our example earned a considerable amount of money from making the correct selection.
In the bet slip above, the bettor selected former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz to rush in the first touchdown of their game against the San Francisco 49ers at 51:1 odds. The victory netted them a whopping $2500 in profits, not bad for a $50 wager.
Futures Bets
A futures bet is a type of speculative wager on an event that will take place in the not-so-distant future. At most sportsbooks, futures bets are offered during the preseason, regular season, and playoffs. Bettors can predict the outright winner, conference winners, division winners, and more. Betting on win totals before the start of the regular season is one of the most popular season-long football futures bets.
The best football betting apps will also offer futures player props and season specials as well, including odds for MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, and more. Shopping for the best odds is crucial when it comes to making futures bets, as odds for markets can differ significantly across various sportsbooks.
Example:
To understand the importance of shopping for the best odds in the futures market, we’ll use the Green Bay Packers as an example.
The Packers enter the season in turmoil with quarterback Aaron Rodgers publicly stating that he doesn’t want to return to the team. However, Green Bay has also said that they have no intentions of trading the NFL’s reigning MVP, adding a little bit of uncertainty to the entire situation.
Bettors that want to back the Packers to win Super Bowl LVI can find Green Bay listed at 15:1 odds at Bet365. This means that a $100 wager would earn prospective bettors a smooth $1400 in profits and bring in a total return of $1500.
However, if that bettor were to shop for odds at another bookie, they would have received 21:1 odds for the Packers to win the Super Bowl at the exact same time.
The same $100 wager at another bookie would bring in a total of $2100 and $2000 in profits. That equates to a difference of $600, increasing their profits by over 43 percent.
Parlay
Sometimes, bettors will want to boost their odds by combining two or more selections together into one single bet. This is called a parlay bet. Parlays are a powerful tool that can increase the overall risk and reward of a bet.
In a parlay, the odds of each selection are multiplied together, increasing the odds and potential return of a single wager. However, there is a caveat. If any selection in the parlay loses, the entire bet is settled as a loss.
Some sportsbooks encourage bettors to make parlay bets by offering accumulator bonuses, enhanced odds, and parlay insurance, which gives bettors their money back if only one of their selections loses.
Example:
The example above shows the power and profit potential of parlay betting.
We executed a parlay bet above with three NFL point spread selections to generate a total odds of 6.95 (+595). Bet365 also offers bettors an accumulator bonus to parlay bettors to help them increase their profits. In this case, a three-team parlay would net an additional 10 percent bonus, equal to an extra $59.57 on a $100 wager.
If all three teams won, a $100 bettor would earn $270 in profit while risking a total of $300 on three single-game bets.
Meanwhile, the bettor who won the parlay shown above would take home an exciting $755.37 in profit while risking only $100.
Football Betting Odds
When football fans access their favorite sportsbook, they will notice that the odds for the betting lines in football are constantly changing. Line movements happen for reasons related to betting and when new information regarding a particular game is released.
Sportsbooks don’t simply set out to make money on the juice in every contest. They also try to anticipate what bettors will do and set the game lines with the public in mind, intentionally overvaluing and undervaluing teams in certain spots.
Once a game line is set, it may move based on the total number of bets or the total amount of money being wagered on either side, as well as the overall risk that an oddsmaker is willing to take on for a particular contest.
The game lines can also move due to injuries, especially to key players. Betting early in the week is one way that football bettors can try to capitalize on incomplete information. As teams announce injuries during the week, the betting odds become tighter and tighter until kickoff.
The betting odds for football are often very sharp but there are still differences between the various oddsmakers at different times throughout the week. Football bettors that are serious about turning a profit and maximizing their return on investment would be wise to fund accounts at more than one sportsbook in order to shop for the best odds.
Once you’ve found the sportsbooks that you like to use the most, simply select the best odds or point spread for the markets that you are interested in betting on.
For point spread and total bettors, getting +/- 0.5 on a point spread wager can be the difference between a win, loss, or push. Meanwhile, an additional +5 or +15 tacked onto a money line wager might not seem like a big difference but those small efficiencies can add up over time and help bettors turn a profit over the course of a football season.
Example:
Here, we’ll use a different game to show how shopping for the best odds can help bettors turn a profit.
The screenshot above shows a Week 1 NFL contest between the Dallas Cowboys and defending Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa Bay comes into the game favored by 6.5 points at home with the total set at 51.5 points.
The Bucs also are laying a substantial amount of juice on the money line at 1.35 odds. Meanwhile, the Cowboys are receiving 3.30 odds from Bet365.
However, all three markets differ at a competing bookie, providing an opportunity for bettors to take advantage of bettor odds and game lines. At the competing bookie, the Buccaneers are only favored by six points and the total is set at an even 52 points. The Cowboys are also receiving an additional +0.05 in odds on the money line.
Over the course of a football season, finding additional value can be the difference between a win, loss, or push. Bettors can shop for the best game lines and odds to help minimize the juice and maximize their profits.
NFL Public Betting Percentages
Since football is one of the most popular sports to bet on, the odds and spreads are generally set very sharp. This makes the oddsmakers tough to beat, so bettors need to use all the information available to them before deciding to make a selection. Not only do sharp bettors need to research vital information about the games but they also need to know which sides are drawing the most public interest.
This information used to be considered difficult to find but has been made more available in recent years. Action Network is one of the places that allows bettors to see the percentage of bets and money placed on each side of a football game. This can be critical information for bettors looking to bet against the public or find opportunities for reverse line movement.
Example:
In the example above, bettors can see the total percentage of bets on both sides of an NFL contest. In the first game of the season, about 69 percent of the public is backing the heavily-favored Tampa Bay Buccaneers to cover the spread. Meanwhile, the underdog Cowboys are expected to receive only 31 percent of the public’s action on the game.
Bettors can use this information to bet with or against the public. This information can also present a more complete picture of why the odds or spreads might be moving in a particular matchup, especially when the public action heavily favors one side over the other.
NFL Vegas Odds
The odds, point spreads, and totals will differ at the various online sportsbooks and one way that bettors try to find an edge is by keeping track of the NFL odds in Las Vegas. Vegas sportsbooks have decades of experience in the betting industry and often offer very tight game lines for NFL and college football games. Finding discrepancies between the NFL odds in Vegas and your favorite online sportsbook can help bettors spot inefficiencies in the market, which can help them turn a profit over time.
Football Betting Tips
Spread bets are often the most popular choice in football but bettors can also find value by taking underdogs to win on the money line. As a rule of thumb, home underdogs tend to win more than road dogs.
Sharp bettors can find value by keeping track of injuries, targeting teams on win streaks, and betting on teams with a strong home-field advantage. Successful bettors also tend to target teams playing within their division, where teams are more familiar with one another and there is more historical data to analyze.
Bankroll Management Tips
While everyone has a different level of risk tolerance, bankroll management is crucial for long-term success in sports betting. When betting on football, fans should always remember to only risk what they can afford to lose.
The standard amount of a bettor’s wager is called a “unit” and can vary depending on several factors, including risk tolerance, total bankroll, and more. In order to minimize the volatility of their account balance, bettors should try to restrict a standard betting unit to between one and five percent of their total bankroll.
Depending on their confidence level, bettors can decide to wager more or less than one unit on a single play. Adjusting the size and volume of their wagers is another way that bettors can exploit their edge and maximize their profits.
Football Betting Picks
For some new bettors, beating the oddsmakers can feel like an impossible task. Many websites promise to earn bettors a profit in certain sports but it is best to take these claims with a grain of salt. No matter if a tout is selling picks individually or as part of a larger company, bettors should think twice before blindly backing the same selection.
Becoming a profitable sports bettor is not easy and the few individuals that have a real, long-term edge will be reluctant to give it away.
Like in other sports, there is no such thing as a “lock” in football. When a sharp bettor has an edge on the oddsmakers, it is often just a small efficiency that will only net a substantial profit when employed at a high volume over a long period of time. As more bettors wager on the perceived edge, the sportsbooks begin to adjust and the edge disappears as a result.
This means that bettors with a real edge actually have more to gain from betting on the games than selling their picks or system.
Many websites offer free picks, in-depth analysis, statistics, and more that can help bettors identify value and take decisive action on a particular contest. While tailing selections might not be a smart decision, reading picks from others sportswriters and touts can add entertainment value and anticipation to the sports betting process. This is especially true for football, where fans have to wait all week for kick-off.
Football Betting Trends
Football generates a lot of betting action every week and there is a lot of time between contests, which means that the oddsmakers set very sharp game lines across the board. Even with an expanded 17-game schedule, NFL bettors don’t have a lot of time to wait for weak lines and must act fast on trends that emerge during the year. This can make football one of the hardest sports to turn a profit in over the course of a full season.
While there is no system that works to turn a guaranteed profit year-over-year in any sport, there are certain trends that have made bettors a lot of money over time. Sharp bettors use trends to identify value, spots for regression, and maximize their overall return on investment.
During every football season, the oddsmakers tend to undervalue certain teams and players, creating opportunities for sharp bettors to earn a significant profit. Below, you’ll find a chart that helps illustrate how teams can help bettors earn money over the course of a full season.
Example:
For example, spread bettors found a lot of value on the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills in 2020. Both teams finished an NFL-best 11-5 against the spread and brought in nearly four units of profit for bettors who backed them to cover the number in every game.
Over/Under bettors can also use trends to earn a profit over the course of a full season. Hampered by injuries and armed with a struggling defense, both the Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee Titans had trouble keeping points off of the board in 2020. Both squads went over the projected total 12 times in 16 games (12-3-1), allowing over bettors to take home about +680 in profits in one season.
On the other side of things, the New York Giants went over the projected total just three times last season, bringing under bettors approximately +770 in profits over the course of the year.
Football Live Betting
Live betting increases fan engagement by allowing bettors to get in on the action at any point in the game. Whether you missed the pre-game odds or want to see how a team is performing before placing a wager, many football bettors opt to place their wagers while the game is in play.
While in-play betting offerings differ between the various sportsbooks, most oddsmakers offer live game lines, props, and player props markets during each football game. Football fans can place bets on the result of the drive, choose which player to score the next touchdown, or simply select the winner of the match with a money line wager.
In-play or live betting is one of the most profitable ways to wager on a football game. Each contest follows a certain game flow or game script, which can help bettors predict what will happen next. With the live odds constantly moving, fans can feel the momentum swing from one play or drive to the next and take advantage of their instincts to earn money.
Some bettors wait for pre-game favorites to fall behind before making their in-play selection while others have a better sense of when an underdog is primed for an upset. Bettors that understand the game script can take advantage of in-game events and information to reduce their risk and make more profitable selections.
Football Futures Bets
Even before a single game is played, football bettors can access futures markets to bet on everything from season win totals to the outright winner. Most sportsbooks also offer odds for the Super Bowl, College Football National Championship, NFL MVP, Heisman Trophy winner, and more.
Super Bowl Betting Odds
In North America, the Super Bowl is the biggest sports betting event of the year. According to the American Gaming Association, 23.2 million Americans planned to bet on Super Bowl LV between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers and 7.6 million planned to make their wagers with an online sportsbook, up over 63 percent year-over-year.
In 2022, Super Bowl LVI will mark the first time that Canadians will be legally allowed to place bets on the big game and the event is sure to draw plenty of wagers from bettors of all experience levels. The most recent Super Bowl attracted 17.6 million unique viewers in Canada, accounting for nearly 47 percent of the country’s population.
The earliest Super Bowl betting odds have the Kansas City Chiefs pegged as the odds-on favorite to win it all while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers own the next-lowest odds to win Super Bowl LVI at most sportsbooks.
NFL Draft Betting Odds
Football betting doesn’t have to stop during the offseason. Most sportsbooks also offer betting odds for the NFL Draft too. Not only can bettors wager on who will be among the top picks in the draft but most oddsmakers have diversified their offerings with several props markets designed to add excitement to draft day. Football fans can select from a host of over/under props, bet on the exact draft order, or wager on whether their favorite team will select an offensive or defensive player with their first pick, among many other markets.
Heisman Trophy Betting Odds
Knowing who’s next among the game’s up-and-coming stars can pay big dividends too. Every season, a college football player captures national attention and takes the NCAA football landscape by storm. Last year, Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith earned the 2020 Heisman Trophy with a dynamic 105-catch, 1,646-yard season, becoming the first pass-catcher since Desmond Howard in 1991 to win the prestigious award.
As late as mid-November, Smith was still being offered around shops in Las Vegas at odds as high as 70:1. In 2019, LSU quarterback and eventual No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow was offered as high as 125:1. As you can see, betting on the Heisman Trophy winner can be a very profitable investment for sports bettors.
What are the Best NFL Betting Apps?
At the end of the day, the best football betting app for an individual user will come down to personal preference. Most bettors tend to stick with the sportsbooks that they feel most comfortable with.
Signing up to more than one sportsbook is one way that bettors can enhance their sports betting experience. Funding accounts at multiple sportsbooks is an easy way that sharp bettors can maximize their edge and overall returns. Oftentimes, oddsmakers will give different incentives to attract new users, including big welcome bonuses, better odds, free bets, and more.
Finding a sportsbook with bonuses and rewards that fit your style of betting can help increase your bankroll and return on investment while adding instant value to your sports betting experience.
Bonuses are just one thing to consider too. Parlay bettors might decide to place their wagers with an oddsmaker with daily parlay boosts, accumulator bonuses, and parlay insurance. On the other hand, single-game bettors might opt for a bookmaker with the best odds or an early payout option.
Bettors with multiple accounts can also use these offerings to boost their profits and expand their volume, which is especially important in football, given the short nature of the regular season.
For bettors looking for the best football odds in Canada, Bet365, Shangri La Live, and BoDog are a good place to start. Having an account with a sportsbook that offers favorable odds and a wide range of football props markets is an essential part of a sharp bettors’ arsenal but it’s not the only thing that people look for in a sportsbook.
The user interface, in-play betting experience, and speed of the app also play a major factor in the decision. Most users want to use an app that is fast, well-designed, and easy to use. Speed and functionality are vital for in-play bettors, who also benefit from apps that display graphics and real-time information during the game.
No matter what bettors are looking for in an online oddsmaker, choosing one of the top ten sportsbooks is a lock to add value to your football betting experience.
Super Bowl Futures Odds Comparison
2022 Super Bowl LVI Odds*
Bet365 Bet Zest Bet Victor Bet Way Bodog Cyber
BetHopa Shangri La Live Sports Nation 10Bet KC Chiefs 5.50 5.50 6.00 5.50 6.00 N/A 6.00 5.50 6.00 6.00 TB Bucs 8.00 7.65 8.00 7.50 7.50 N/A 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.00 BUF Bills 12.00 12.00 13.00 13.00 13.00 N/A 12.00 12.00 12.00 12.00 BAL Ravens 12.00 12.60 13.00 15.00 15.00 N/A 15.00 12.00 15.00 15.00 SF 49ers 13.00 12.90 13.00 13.00 14.00 N/A 15.00 13.25 15.00 15.00 L.A. Rams 13.00 13.00 13.00 14.00 13.00 N/A 14.00 12.00 14.00 14.00 GB Packers 15.00 15.30 17.00 17.00 19.00 N/A 21.00 15.00 21.00 21.00 CLE Browns 17.00 16.50 17.00 17.00 17.00 N/A 17.00 15.00 17.00 17.00 DEN Broncos 21.00 22.40 21.00 23.00 23.00 N/A 34.00 21.00 34.00 34.00 *all odds as of July 20, 2021
Comparing Features At The Best Football Sportsbooks
Comparing Features At The Best Football Sportsbooks Cash Out In-Play Betting Parlay Bonus Odds Boosts Custom Bets Welcome Bonus User-Friendly Interface Bet365 ✅ ✅ ✅ ❌ ❌ ✅ ✅ BetZest ❌ ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✅ BetVictor ✅ ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✅ ✅ BetWay ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ❌ ✅ ✅ Bodog ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ CyberBet ❌ ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✅ ✅ Hopa ✅ ✅ ✅ ❌ ❌ ✅ ✅ Shangri La Live ✅ ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✅ ❌ 10Bet ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ❌ ✅ ✅ Best Football Sportsbooks Payment Methods Comparison
Comparing Payment Methods At The Best Football Sportsbooks VISA
MASTER CARD INTERAC e-TRANSFER APPLE PAY PAYPAL INSTADEBIT BANK TRANSFER BITCOIN
Bet365
✅ ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✅ ✅ ❌
BetZest
✅ ✅ ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
BetVictor
✅ ✅ ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
BetWay
✅ ✅ ✅ ❌ ❌ ✅ ❌ ❌
Bodog
✅ ✅ ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✅
CyberBet
✅ ✅ ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✅
Hopa
✅ ✅ ✅ ❌ ✅ ❌ ✅ ❌
Shangri La Live
✅ ✅ ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✅ ✅
10Bet
✅
✅ ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✅ ❌
FAQ
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