With online betting licenses now rolling out around the US, betting on the NFL is becoming ever more popular. In fact, in November 2020, in New Jersey alone, $433.3 million of $931.6m spent gambling was wagered on professional football at the best NFL betting sites.
So, to help the influx of new American bettors stay onside when wagering on their favorite NFL teams online, our team has scoured the internet to find the best sportsbooks available on the US market.
All sites listed are 100% verifiably safe and trusted for football betting. We’ve also assessed the crucial pros and cons of each site and app to help you make the right selection for your unique style and tastes.
Risk-Free Bet up to $1,000
Risk-Free Bet up to $1,000
$1000 Welcome Bonus
$1000 Welcome Bonus
$600 Welcome Bonus
$600 Welcome Bonus
2 Risk-Free Bets up to $2,000
2 Risk-Free Bets up to $2,000
Risk Free Bet up to $500
Risk Free Bet up to $500
Free Bet up to $250
Free Bet up to $250
$500 Risk Free Bet
$500 Risk Free Bet
$500 New Player Bonus
$500 New Player Bonus
Up to $250 Free Bet
Up to $250 Free Bet
(in alphabetical order)
BetMGM features a vast amount of futures options for NFL bettors, including NFL Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year. The site also has odds and lines for the 2022 NFL Draft No.1 overall picks (Spencer Rattler +300 and Kayvon Thibodeaux +250) which is very early indeed given the NFL Draft 2021 just happened five weeks ago!
Once the season gets underway, the famed Las Vegas-based sportsbook also features plenty of markets and in-play props for fans to enjoy, too. Some of the more unique options include next turnover, number of sacks, fourth-down conversions, and so on.
BetMGM also offers highly competitive odds.
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Bet Rivers is one of the more football-centric sportsbooks available in the US, providing a multitude of futures and in-play odds to NFL enthusiasts.
The sportsbook is also famed for promotions and bonuses. Bet Rivers gifts Thursday Profit Boosts, odds boost, and enhanced parlay pay-outs to registered users.
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Specializing in fantasy sports and football, it will come as little surprise to read that DraftKings offers possibly the most market optionality among all US NFL sportsbooks and is one of the very top live NFL betting sites as a result. Bettors can wager on team futures, player totals, how many yards a rookie quarterback will throw (over/ under), starting quarterback come Wk-1 of the regular season, and much, much more.
There is a multitude of live, in-play options for fans to get their teeth stuck into once the regular season rolls around. Plus, playing fantasy football for real money is a ton of fun!
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Both Fan Duel’s site and app are visually outstanding, crammed full of stats and data, and easy to navigate – it’s easy to see that online NFL betting is the company’s main focus.
FanDuel tops, or comes near to the top of the pile with welcome bonuses for most sports we’ve covered at safebettingsites.com, and the NFL is no different. The NFL sports betting site offers a free $500 NFL bet to newcomers who deposit funds.
Once the season is up and running, the site features a ton of live in-play NFL betting options, and the fantasy aspect is great fun, too.
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The site and app aren’t anywhere near as welcoming as some of the competition because Golden Nugget looks like a casino. That’s not to say, however, that the New Jersey-based Golden Nugget isn’t a dark horse when betting on NFL games.
The sportsbook has plenty of unique optionalities and bonuses, including Golden Lines Parlay Boost, and Next Bet On Us (up to a $250 free bet).
Golden Nugget also provides deep markets during the NFL offseason. At the time of writing, it’s early June. But unlike the majority of other sites, Golden Nugget already has NFL betting markets up for Over/ Under: betting on total scores, team scores, etc. This is something bettors should take advantage of as plenty can happen between now (summer 2021) and September 9.
For betting on game day futures, Golden Nugget is a very good option.
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FOXBET seamlessly links NFL betting with broadcasting and media. The site and app are littered with stats and data, helping bettors make more informed decisions with their money.
The FOXBET sportsbook offers a plethora of sign-up bonuses and special offers to football fans from September right through to February, not to mention an incredibly deep market for futures, gameday, and in-play wagering.
The live-streaming of countless NFL games also helps make FOXBET one of the best football betting sites available on the market.
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Now in partnership with NBC, it will be Pointsbets odds and adverts fans see when they tune in to cheer on their favored NFL teams. This will give the platform a real edge when it comes to live betting come September 9th – expect tons of optionality.
Pointsbet is also way ahead of the curve on futures betting. All the usual favorites are there (Super Bowl winner etc). But the sportsbook is already allowing bettors to wager on season totals for players, too. There are some great odds (seen below) on Matthew Stafford throwing +26.5 touchdowns, for example.
The partial cash-out option is another top feature. A feature we think should help elevate Pointsbet into the upper echelons of the best NFL betting sites once the 2022 season gets underway in the autumn.
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Twinspires is famed for being the home of the Kentucky Derby. But the sportsbook does feature all a bettor would expect from a top NFL betting app, too. The football odds and lines are competitive and there are some great, unique betting opportunities for fans to enjoy, including Tim Tebow Specials (see above).
The site contains plenty of variety on the NFL futures market: all teams have betting options available for a playoff birth and over/ under options for the number of wins. Live, in-play betting is also an option once the season gets underway.
The fact that team and player stats are so easy to dredge up both before and during the season helps bettors make better choices with their money, too.
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One of the best sites to visit to enjoy live, in-play betting on the NFL, William Hill offers a ton of optionality to its patrons. The site and app contain over/ under prop bets on passing and receiving yards, the number of touchdowns thrown. Multiple parlay betting options are available on the day of the big game, too.
William Hill is also the official betting partner of sports broadcasting titans ESPN. As such, the odds and lines discussed/showcased on the channel will be identical to those found on the William Hill sportsbook, making it easy for armchair fans to cast bets. Together with ESPN, William Hill is poised to become one of the top football betting sites in America.
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By far the most popular bets to wager on the NFL are on game lines and all the best NFL betting sites offer them. Game lines are split into three separate categories: the moneyline, point spread, and total points markets.
Bets on the game lines tend to be made on the morning of, or a day or two before the game gets underway in order to account for any late-to-press injury news – NFL players get injured… a lot! Remember that if you’re new to NFL betting – betting on Patrick Mahomes to throw 5 TD passes in Week-7 vs. the Bengals when it’s still Week-2 is highly unadvisable!
A moneyline bet is very straightforward: it’s when a bettor attempts to predict which teams will win a specific game of football.
The best teams will have worse odds; the underdogs will have better odds.
In the image above, you can see the DraftKings odds for Green Bay Packers vs. New Orleans Saints, which is a game set for Week-1 of the NFL regular season on September 12, 2021.
In the third column along, you’ll notice that the bookmakers have the traveling Packers listed as the slight underdogs (surprisingly!) at -112, while the Saints are the favorites at +137. A $100 wager on Green Bay to win would net you $212. A $100 bet on New Orleans to win would win you $173, and so on.
Without a doubt, a speculative wager on the moneyline at one of the best online NFL betting sites is the easiest way to profit when gambling online.
The NFL points spread market is another fairly simple concept to grasp. The sportsbook’s oddsmakers will issue each of the two competing teams an advantage or disadvantage come game day. The Points spread is just based on how those two teams are expected to do against their opponent.
The favorites are issued a disadvantageous points figure, in that they would need to defeat their opponents by more points. The underdogs are issued with an advantageous figure and need not lose the game by over a particular number of points.
In the image above, you can see the NFL points spread for Baltimore Ravens vs. Las Vegas Raiders. The Ravens made it to the divisional round of the playoffs last year and are the clear favorites for a W here, even on the road.
As such, the Ravens points spread is 4.5 with odds at -108 meaning that if a bettor wagers $100 on Lamar Jackson’s team to win, and they do by more than 4.5 points, the payout is $193. If they win by less than 4.5 points, the bettor would lose his/ her original outlay.
The reverse is true for the Raiders, who need to lose by less than 4.5 points, or simply win the game in order for a bettor to make bank.
The NFL total points betting market is simple to grasp: the bettor must simply predict whether or not the final score of a specified game will be over or under the total projected by the sportsbook oddsmakers.
The first game of the 2021-22 season will see the defending Super Bowl champions the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on the Dallas Cowboys at the AT&T in Texas. In the middle column of the above image, you’ll notice the Total Points market: Dallas O 52 (-108) and Tampa U 52 (-113).
It’s worth mentioning that 52 is the total number of points put on the board by both teams combined.
Up against a great Bucs defense, the Cowboys are the underdogs. So, if Dak and the boys can put the total points above 52 (let’s say, Cowboys 25 – 30 Bucs), you win $193 on a $100 bet.
The reverse is true for a bettor wagering on the Bucs, of course. Devin White, Lavonte David, and co. want to keep the combined points down below 52. So a score of Bucs 21 – 10 Dallas (for example) would earn a bettor $189 on a $100 wager.
As mentioned, Game Line Bets tend to be made just prior to game-day. But the NFL is a sport of statistics, analytics, and data – that’s why it’s so great. As such, there are countless other ways to wager a bet on football at the top NFL betting sites.
Betting on NFL futures is easy as pie. Essentially the bettor is aiming to predict something that will happen in the future, hence the name.
There are tons of markets for this specific kind of bet. In the example above, courtesy of the excellent Pointsbet, you can see a futures bet for rookie New York Jets QB Zach Wilson to throw less than 22.5 TDs in the 2021-22 season. But there is a multitude of other options available across the best NFL betting sites, including:
Another much-loved and (potentially) highly profitable sportsbook market is prop betting. NFL prop bets tend not to determine the final outcome of the clashes, instead focusing on a range of different potential variables that may or may not take place during a game of football.
Bettors can make NFL prop bets in tandem with game-day betting or live in-play betting during the game itself.
For example, a bettor might wager on the New Orleans Saints to win on the moneyline. But then parlay that bet with a prop bet in order to get better value on a potential win. As per the image above, let’s say – Saints RB Alvin Kamara to score the game’s first TD at +600, for example.
There are multitudes of options available for NFL prop bets and you can bet on both the team as a whole or on individual players. We’ve taken the liberty of listing some of the most common below. But do check your favored online betting websites for NFL games to see exactly what each has on offer nearer the time – things can get quite creative!
Another fairly unique feature to the world of online NFL betting is wagering on the results of the NFL Draft.
The Draft takes place in late April of each year. But most of the premier NFL betting apps post odds for such markets as the No.1 overall pick before Christmas, and some, such as BetMGM (see above) already have them listed as early as May!
The three men options for wagering on the NFL Draft are as follows:
It might be true that not many outside of Texas believe the Cowboys are America’s team these days. But few would argue that football is America’s game.
As such, the sportsbook arms race to lure in prospective bettors is highly competitive and there are countless bonuses, rewards, free bets, and promos being offered by all the best NFL betting sites to lure bettors to their pages.
Such promos come and go over the calendar year, so we urge you to shop around before you commit to signing up to a sportsbook. With that said, however, we’ve taken the liberty of listing a few of the best valued NFL sign up bonuses (as of June 2023) below:
PointsBet is offering two risk-free bets of up to $2,000 to new users who sign up to the sportsbook (see image above).
FanDuel offers a risk-free bet of up to $500 in site credit to new users. This offer applies to all sports on the sportsbook, including the NFL.
It’s worth noting that FanDuel is also one of the best sites when it comes to bonuses and promotions. The sportsbook tends to offer a plethora of bonus codes and money-back options throughout the season, too. So, little wonder FanDuel is one of America’s most famed NFL betting apps.
Most of the promotions and codes will be released during the season, which, at the time of writing, is still three months away. But one such promotion that FanDuel is already touting is seen below – parlay betting insurance.
Every sportsbook featured in our Top Ten NFL Betting Sites Reviewed feature offers sign-up bonuses and promos etc. As mentioned, we strongly advise you to shop around them all at the time you wish to sign up and make a deposit.
FanDuel and PointsBet have some of the best bonuses available now. But that could all change by the time the new season gets underway… and during the season, for that matter! Try to keep an eye on the promotions that the best NFL betting sites offer throughout the football year, especially during the playoffs.
Risk-Free Bet up to $1,000
Risk-Free Bet up to $1,000
$1000 Welcome Bonus
$1000 Welcome Bonus
$600 Welcome Bonus
$600 Welcome Bonus
2 Risk-Free Bets up to $2,000
2 Risk-Free Bets up to $2,000
Risk Free Bet up to $500
Risk Free Bet up to $500
Free Bet up to $250
Free Bet up to $250
$500 Risk Free Bet
$500 Risk Free Bet
$500 New Player Bonus
$500 New Player Bonus
Up to $250 Free Bet
Up to $250 Free Bet
It’s difficult though not impossible to turn betting on the NFL into a living. But, like any profession, practice makes perfect. You aren’t born with a knack for it; there is no get rich quick scheme, and it doesn’t matter how nice a person you are. Gambling can be a cruel customer.
Below are our top seven tips for making real money wagering on football at the best NFL betting websites.
As mentioned, there is no one way by which to make a living betting on the NFL. Our hope is just that by reading and living out the above tips, that you will have a better experience overall at NFL betting sites.
Great odds are available on NFL gambling sites during both the NFL regular and postseason simply because competition across the league is so fierce.
That said, there’s no doubt that the period in which NFL betting apps receive the most traffic is the playoffs. America stops to watch playoff football. And it’s a great time to make money by visiting the top NFL betting sites reviewed up page.
The schedule for the 2021-22 NFL season was released in May. For your convenience, we’ve taken the liberty of adding the dates below. Most football takes place on the Sundays listed. But there are generally games on the Thursday prior and the Monday after, too.
A further point of mention is that the 2021-22 NFL season sees an expansion of regular-season games, from 16 to 17 games. The extra week provides more opportunity and is good news for everyone who enjoys NFL betting online.
Week | Thursday Night Football | Football on Sunday | Monday Night Football |
1 | 09/09/2021 | 09/12/2021 | 09/13/2021 |
2 | 09/16/2021 | 09/19/2021 | 09/20/2021 |
3 | 09/23/2021 | 09/26/2021 | 09/27/2021 |
4 | 09/30/2021 | 10/03/2021 | 10/04/2021 |
5 | 10/07/2021 | 10/10/2021 | 10/11/2021 |
6 | 10/14/2021 | 10/17/2021 | 10/18/2021 |
7 | 10/21/2021 | 10/24/2021 | 10/25/2021 |
8 | 10/28/2021 | 10/31/2021 | 11/01/2021 |
9 | 11/04/2021 | 11/07/2021 | 11/08/2021 |
10 | 11/11/2021 | 11/14/2021 | 11/15/2021 |
11 | 11/18/2021 | 11/21/2021 | 11/22/2021 |
12 | 11/25/2021 | 11/28/2021 | 11/29/2021 |
13 | 12/02/2021 | 12/05/2021 | 12/06/2021 |
14 | 12/09/2021 | 11/12/2021 | 12/13/2021 |
15 | 12/16/2021 | 12/19/2021 | 12/20/2021 |
16 | 12/23/2021 | 2 games on Xmas Day 12/25/2021 (Saturday)
12/26/2021 (Sunday) |
12/27/2021 |
17 | No games scheduled | 01/02/2022 | 01/03/2022 |
18 | No games scheduled | 01/09/2021 | No games scheduled |
Because the most exciting part of the NFL season is the playoffs, this tends to be when the best NFL betting sites provide deeper markets and extra optionality on prop bets.
In case you are new to NFL betting online, the postseason rounds are listed below
Round | Dates |
Wildcard Round | 01/15/2022 & 01/16/2022 |
Divisional Round | 01/22/2022 & 01/23/2022 |
Conference Championship | 01/30/2022 |
Super Bowl | 02/13/2022 |
Just to demonstrate the importance of shopping around for the best NFL lines and odds, we’ve assessed the outright Super Bowl odds given to four random NFL teams by five of the aforementioned best online NFL betting apps.
It’s important to state that these odds are subject to change and that just because sportsbook X has better odds for team X, that doesn’t dictate the same will be true for team Y and so on. We implore bettors to always shop around all NFL gambling sites for the best odds – we can’t stress this enough.
(table)
Sportsbook | New Orleans Super Bowl Odds | Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl Odds | Jacksonville Jaguars Super Bowl Odds | Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl Odds |
Golden Nugget | +2,500 | +500 | +10,000 | +700 |
DraftKings | +2,800 | +500 | +8,000 | +650 |
FanDuel | +2,700 | +500 | +10,000 | +650 |
PointsBet | +2,800 | +475 | +8,000 | +650 |
Twinspires | +2,800 | +500 | +8,000 | +650 |
(/table)
Golden Nugget and Fan Duel currently boast the best NFL lines and odds for outright Super Bowl betting. But, again, the 2021-22 NFL season hasn’t even gotten underway yet – all this can (and likely will) change dramatically as the 18 weeks of action tick, beginning September 9.
There isn’t one standout best NFL betting site per se. After hours spent researching the best NFL betting apps and sites, however, what we can tell you is that each of the ten sites featured up page is 100% safe, 100% legally allowed to operate in their specific states, and each is a very good option.
Ultimately, it just comes down to what you, the bettor, are looking for and, of course, which sportsbook is licensed to operate in your state.
If you want the very best odds, Golden Nugget, William Hill, and Fan Duel are ahead of the pack at present (but that could change).
If you want an awesome app that runs fantasy football comps for real money, DraftKings and FanDuel are way out in front. FOXBet offers the best NFL live-streaming service… and so on.
Pick the sportsbook and app that suits you and your gambling needs. But, again, we implore our readers not to stray too far offside – stick to any one of the aforementioned safe NFL betting sites or their respective NFL betting apps and you will be absolutely fine.
The best online betting sites for NFL can vary depending on the odds and lines available for a specific game. Of course, you will want to visit one of the safe NFL betting sites mentioned up page. After that, DraftKings and FanDuel are ahead of the competition for useability and fun, and PointsBet and William Hill are great for odds, lines, and NFL prop bets. Ultimately, however, it depends on what the bettor is looking for from a sportsbook, which is why we encourage you to read through the entire article above.
All ten of the sites listed up page are 100% verified and trusted. Many of the sites listed are in partnership with America's most prestigious sports broadcasters, too: ESPN and William Hill, for example. Put simply, you can't go wrong with any of these ten sites - we stake our good name on it.
Yes, you can. NFL betting apps and sites are legal to use in the specific states they are licensed to operate in. Not every state has licensed sportsbook gambling - Alaska, for example, has not legalized the practice. Then, there are some sportsbooks that are licensed in one state but another - FOXBET is legal in New Jersey but not legal in Iowa, for example. DraftKings is legal in both states. It's up to you to do your homework on which sportsbooks have been deemed legal in your state before you place your bet.
First and foremost, make sure the sportsbook is legal in your state. Second, check the value on the odds and lines vs. some of the competition to ensure you are being offered a fair bet. Third, if you're interested in prop bets (number of touchdown passes thrown, for example), make sure the sportsbook has this market. Fourth, check to see what sign-up bonuses are on offer. Finally, pick the sportsbook you like the look and feel of, too; perhaps one associated with your favored broadcaster to give you quick access to updated odds and lines.