If the sportsbook is busy with action, it must be football season. Be it the NFL or NCAA, football betting action is fast and furious through the season. For the newbie sports bettor, it can seem a little confusing, but football bets really drop to two types-straight bets and parlay bets.
Football Betting – Straight Bets
Here’s the workhorse for any winning football bettor. ps39 means you’re betting using one football game. If you bet on several game on a single ticket, it’s a parlay, and we’ll talk about that in a minute.
When you create a straight football bet, you will be betting on a side or total. Simply put, once you bet a side, you “pick a side” in the game. For instance, let’s say the New England Patriots are playing the Seattle Seahawks. If you’re likely to bet a side, you’d bet on either the Patriots or the Seahawks.
Every game includes a point total (except NCAA football, which is most games). This can be the level of points scored between both teams. Once you bet a total, you’re betting under or over that total. For instance, let’s say the total is 47 and you take the over. To win, both teams must combine for 48 or even more points (47 would be a push, therefore you get your bet back).
Football Betting – Parlays
Okay, so you know about straight bets, that is where you bet on just one thing per ticket. When you want to bet on multiple thing, it’s a parlay. You can bet on 2 – 20 things (depends upon the sportsbook).
For instance, let’s say without a doubt on the Seahawks and on the total on your ticket. That might be a 2-team parlay (despite the fact that technically there’s only one team on it).
The more items you put on the ticket, the additional money you’ll win if they all hit. Naturally, the more items on the ticket, the harder it is to win.
With parlay bets it’s an all or nothing thing. If one pick fails, the ticket is dead. Some sportsbooks will run specials for getting close, but that’s very rare.
If you get into making football bets via parlay tickets, you might check out “teasers,” which are parlay tickets with added points for you. For instance, instead of taking the Packers -10, you can find them at -3. Of course, the payouts are a less since the risk is minimized.
Football betting is really a blast and there’s nothing better than hitting the sportsbook with a big winning ticket. I hit straight football bets and parlays all season long. I anticipate the NFL and NCAA football seasons.