If the money is too heavily wagered on one team, the sportsbooks will alter the spread during the week to encourage bettors to wager on the other side (sportsbooks want the money evenly split). Generally, point spread odds will be the same when betting on either team. Obviously, you would also win your bet if the Giants won the game outright. So long as they don’t lose by more than five points, you’ll come out a winner. They do not have to win the game outright for you to win your bet.

The Giants have a positive number next to their team name, indicating they are the underdog. The spread is a way of leveling the playing field: In order to cover the spread, the favored team not only needs to win the game – they must do so by a specified number of points. If the Cowboys still have more points after subtracting 5.5, then they cover the spread. Another way to look at it is subtracting 5.5 points from Dallas’ final score at the end of the game. Dallas is said to be “laying” 5.5 points in these circumstances. If you bet on the Cowboys against the spread, they have to win the game by at least six points for you to win your bet. Looking at our Giants/Cowboys example above, the team with the negative number next to its name is the favorite in this case, it is Dallas (-5.5). To make things even easier for you, we’ve included the top football betting promo codes below so you can make an informed decision for yourself. If you want to start betting on the NFL, simply take a gander at some of the best promos available from top sportsbooks like Caesars Sportsbook, Barstool Sportsbook, BetMGM, DraftKings Sportsbook, and FanDuel Sportsbook. With plenty of NFL odds on AFC and NFC games across the board, online sports bettors can wager on everything from preseason games to key playoff matchups in an instant. The NFL betting landscape is the biggest its ever been in 2023 and there are a ton of betting options out there as a result. If you’re brand new to betting and don’t understand odds and oddsmakers, you will benefit from reading our beginner’s guide to betting on sports before jumping in here. This guide covers all the different ways you can bet on the NFL in great detail. Whether you are entirely new to NFL betting, or just need to tighten up your betting strategy before the season, you’ve come to the right place.

But don’t be discouraged if the phrases “betting against the spread” or “player props” still confuse you-you’re certainly not alone. Millions of people worldwide enjoy wagering a little money on AFC and NFC games each Sunday, and millions more prefer to wager a lot. Betting on the NFL has become nearly as popular as watching the big game itself.

Can nfl players bet on nfl games