Football Betting Sites in the US
We have gathered everything you need to know about betting on football, including the best football betting sites and the football bonuses available.
You can also learn more about things like the best football betting apps and how to place bets on football. Also read about the different types of wagers available at online sportsbooks.
Best Football Betting Sites in March 2023
Top Results for Virginia, US | # | Sportsbook | Bonus | Visit Site | T&Cs | |||
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FanDuel Sportsbook |
Up to $1,000 risk-free bet Free bet |
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Play |
Use bonus code: No bonus code required; Register to claim
Qualifying bet: No minimum bet amount Wagering requirement: 1x bonus |
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Caesars Sportsbook |
Up to $1250 free bet Cashback |
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Play |
Use bonus code: CZR15
Qualifying bet: No minimum bet amount and no odds restrictions Wagering requirement: 1x bonus |
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BetMGM |
Up to 1000$ first bet offer Free bet |
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Play |
Use bonus code: No bonus code required. Register to claim offer
Qualifying bet: No minimum bet amount and no odds restrictions Wagering requirement: 1x bonus |
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BetRivers |
100% up to $250 Match deposit bonus |
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Play |
Use bonus code: 250MATCH
Qualifying bet: No minimum bet amount and no odds restrictions Wagering requirement: 1x bonus |
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DraftKings Sportsbook |
Bet $5 get $200 in free bets Free bet |
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Play |
Use bonus code: No bonus code required; Register to claim
Qualifying bet: $5 Wagering requirement: 1x bonus |
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PointsBet |
5 x up to $50 in bet credits Cashback |
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Play |
Only fixed odds bets. Only losing bets. Bet credits: 5 X $50 for 5 consecutive days.
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Unibet |
Up to $500 free bet Free bet |
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Play |
Use bonus code: No bonus code required; Register to claim
Qualifying bet: $10 or more Wagering requirement: 1x bonus |
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8.
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WynnBET |
Bet $100 get $100 in free bets Cashback |
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Play |
Use bonus code: XUSBETTOP; Register to claim offer
Qualifying bet: Bet $100 or more at minimum odds of -120 Wagering requirement: 1x bonus |
Every betting site has been rigorously tested by our team of betting experts so that only the best ones get recommended to you.
Strict criteria is used to determine which football betting sites are the best, including security, how good their promos are, and the variety of markets available.
Crucially, we only ever recommend licensed football sportsbooks as this ensures you are legally protected if a site fails to pay you out or grade a bet correctly, for example.
Football Betting Bonuses
Most US betting sites have specific football bonuses and most sportsbook welcome offers can be used on NFL or NCAA football. The size and eligibility requirements of these bonuses varies depending on which football sportsbook you use, so be sure to find the one that suits you best.
Just because a football bonus might be worth $5,000 does not mean you should instantly opt for that, and similarly you shouldn’t dismiss bonuses worth only $250 because there’s more to it than dollar value.
It’s important to check the wagering requirements as if it’s more than 1x, it means you have to play through the bonus more than once before it turns into real cash.
As well, expiry time for free bets is another term worth considering as there’s not much point having a football bonus if it’s only valid for a few days.
Bonuses that have to be used in a short time period, such as seven days, could end up expiring before you get a chance to use them.
One of the best football promotions at time of writing comes from FanDuel Sportsbook. Bettors who bet $50 on a Super Bowl winner get a $5 free bet every time that team wins in the regular season, up to $50.
Football bonuses generally consist of either free bets or bonus credits, and it is important to note that wagers made with bonuses are not included in returns.
A successful $10 bet on Buffalo Bills -2.5 at odds of -110 would usually return a total of $19.09 – $9.09 in winnings plus your initial $10 risk.
A $10 free bet on the same line returns only the $9.09 winnings.
The table below displays the major types of bonus available and the best football betting site for each one.
BetMGM have the best overall football free bets because they are offered most frequent and have the friendliest terms, making the sportsbook very attractive to all bettors.
Those new to betting should consider PointsBet as their $2,000 welcome bonus is the best out there and this bonus can be used on both NFL and NCAA football.
Boosted odds enhances the returns of a particular bet and Caesars Sportsbook have some great NFL boosts on offer.
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Top Football Apps
Almost every US betting site offers a mobile app for both iOS and Android, which can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play.
Sports betting apps allow you to place wagers from your phone or tablet, which is especially helpful if you watching football at a friend’s house or anywhere else that isn’t in front of your computer.
We have rigorously tested all the mobile apps available from US sportsbooks to determine which is best overall and which is best for betting on football.
The best mobile app for football is Caesars Sportsbook thanks to their large variety of NFL markets as well as their competitive odds on both professional and college football.
The FanDuel Sportsbook app is easy to use and navigate to the football section, which makes it great for live betting, whilst their football odds are amongst the best.
DraftKings Sportsbook have a good mobile app and crucially boast a great range of football markets so you’ve got plenty of choice when it comes to NFL and college.
How to Bet on Football
Betting on football in the US can be daunting at first but once you know what -110 actually means and what the difference between the moneyline and spread is, it all makes more sense.
This section explains everything you need to know about football betting and you can use the links below to quickly navigate to the part you want to read about.
How to Place a Football Bet
Football betting can be overwhelming for new bettors with the sheer amount of market options available on top of a slate of at least 12 games every weekend.
You should always use a sportsbook that is legal in the US for football betting as this ensures your money is safe.
The registration process is the same on both desktop and mobile so it doesn’t matter which you use to sign up on. Note that you have to share some personal information when you register as the sportsbook has to verify your identity.
Sportsbooks require your name, address, zip code and the last four digits of your Social Security Number as part of Know Your Customer (KYC) regulation, which works to ensure bettors are who they say they are.
If you have not already, sign up to your chosen sportsbook and utilize the promotion if you want to, then deposit into your new account
Betting sites will usually display each NFL team’s upcoming game so if you are looking further ahead than that, you’ll have to wait
Research NFL statistics and see how you think the game is going to go.
There are hundreds of football markets to bet on, but your research should narrow that down to something you want to bet on
Betting sites tend to be very similar for main market odds but things like Anytime Touchdown Scorer can vary wildly
Decide how much you are willing to risk on the market and then wait for the result
How to Read Football Odds
How much you can win on a football selection depends whether there is a plus or a minus in front of the number.
If there is a +, then the number after it is how you would win from a theoretical $100 wager. For instance, if you put $100 on a +250 selection and it won, you would win $250 plus you initial $100 stake for a total return of $350.
If the number follows a -, then that is how much you would have to theoretically wager to win $100. So if the market is priced at -120 and you wagered $120, you would win $100 plus your initial $120 bet for a total return of $220.
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The American Odds format is certainly the most peculiar of the three common ones, with Decimal Odds (such as 2.50) more common in mainland Europe and Asia and Fractional Odds (like 6/4) used in the UK.
Football Odds Comparison
Different sportsbooks offer different odds on football, even on the same game, which is why it’s important to shop around before you place a wager.
This table shows the moneyline and spread odds for Los Angeles Rams vs Buffalo Bills at a few different sportsbooks. There’s very little to choose on the moneyline aspect, with FanDuel slightly better for the LA Rams and BetMGM a little bit longer on the Bills.
Most football spread lines are set at -110 on both sides and that is the case here for three of the betting sites, meaning they all have the same margin of 4.8%. You should expect to see these odds and margins at many sportsbooks.
The only exception is FanDuel, who offer a lower margin of 4.7% by giving odds of -108 on the Bills to cover the spread – making those odds a tiny bet better than the others. However, this is made up by the -112 on the Rams, which gives you worse returns than the other sites.
| Caesars | FanDuel | bet365 | BetMGM | |
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| Home – Los Angeles Rams | +115 | +116 | +115 | +115 |
| Away – Buffalo Bills | -135 | -136 | -135 | -140 |
| Home spread | +2.5 -110 | +2.5 -112 | +2.5 -110 | +2.5 -110 |
| Away spread | -2.5 -110 | -2.5 -108 | -2.5 -110 | -2.5 -110 |
| Spread margin | 4.8% | 4.7% | 4.8% | 4.8% |
Bet Types
There are a few different bet types that you should be aware of before you start betting on football. Most of these concepts can be applied to other bet types not listed here, as well as to other sports such as basketball betting.
All of the major football bet types are listed in this section, and you can use the links in the table to go straight to the one you want to read more about.
Spread
The spread is where you bet on a team to win by at least a certain number of points or to lose by fewer than the specified number. This is also called handicap betting and you are effectively taking points away from the favorite.
It is common for the spread to be anywhere between -0.5 and -8.5 for NFL, whilst for college football it is common to see spreads as big as -30.5, especially when a top-25 team is playing at home.
The team that has the most points after that number has been subtracted is the winner, and this is known as covering the spread.
Example: Kansas City Chiefs are favored -4.5 against the Tennessee Titans. This means the Chiefs have to win by five points or more to cover the spread, whilst the Titans have to lose by four points or fewer – or win the game – to cover. A 28-17 win for Kansas City would see them cover but a 28-25 win for them would see Tennessee cover.
The spread is usually a half-point (like -4.5) but in cases where it is a full point (like -7) and the winning margin is that exact amount, this is called a push. A push returns your stake as if the bet was voided.
Totals (Over/Under)
Totals betting is simply deciding how many points will be scored by both teams in a game, and whether that will be over and or under the number set by the sportsbook.
Many casual bettors prefer to bet on overs because cheering for points usually makes for a more entertaining game, and even the worst teams have days where everything clicks.
Example: The total points line for Kansas City Chiefs vs Tennessee Titans is set at 57.5 points. You can bet whether the game will finish with over 57.5 points (58 or more) or under 57.5 points (57 points or fewer).
Moneyline
Moneyline is simply which team will win the game. It doesn’t matter how many points they win by, so long as they pick up the W at the end.
It’s popular to bet on moneyline when the spread is close, such as under -3.5, as moneyline offers better returns and close games can go either way in crunch time.
Example: Kansas City Chiefs are -226 favorites against the Tennessee Titans. A $10 wager on the Chiefs returns $14.44 including your initial stake if they win, regardless of whether that is by one point or by 21.
Player Props
This is betting on how well a player will perform in a match, using over/under in the same way as points total. A prop, short for proposition bet, can be anything from receiving yards to rushing attempts to tackles made.
One thing to note about football prop bets is that they are never settled until the end of the game due to negative yardage. A player may go over their projected total but could go back under it later on in the game.
The player props available in football include:
- Passing yards
- Passing touchdowns
- Pass completions
- Pass attempts
- Receiving yards
- Total receptions
- Rushing yards
- Field goals made
- Sacks
- Tackles
- Tackle assists
Example: Derrick Henry’s rushing yards total is set at 123.5, with the odds the same on both the over and under.
Parlays
A parlay lets you add multiple selections from different games to a single bet, with all picks needing to be successful for your bet to win. The payout is higher than if you place the bets individually, but the chance of winning is lower.
Parlays are most popular amongst casual bettors because of how tempting the payouts are from just a few dollars, despite how unlikely it is of being successful.
Example: Chiefs -4.5, Packers -7.5 and Ravens -6 are all priced at -110. Put all these selections into a parlay and that pays out at +595.
Teasers
Teasers are similar to parlays in that they require multiple selections, but the difference is that they have to be either spreads or totals. A fixed number of points is added to all selections and the total return is reduced.
Like parlays, the chance of a teaser winning is directly impacted by how many selections you add and more legs represents a lesser chance of success.
Example: Chiefs -4.5, Packers -7.5 and Ravens -6 are all priced at -110. Adding six points to each team makes it Chiefs +1.5, Packers -1.5 and Ravens +0, making more likely that they will cover the spread.
The return for this teaser is +160.
Half/Quarter Betting
This is similar to regular betting except it only applies to a designated quarter or half. The market choice is almost identical, although some player props such as sacks are unavailable for only half or quarter betting.
Most US betting sites will only allow you to bet on the first quarter or half prior to a game starting, with the other quarters and second half added in-play.
Example: The first quarter spread on the Chiefs is -1 and priced at +100. This only applies to the first quarter so even if the Chiefs go on to lose, that bet will still be successful provided they win the opening 15 minutes by two points or more.
Football Futures
Futures refers to bets that take the entire season into account, rather than wagers that are placed on a specific game.
They are usually settled towards the end of the season as a result and there are markets for both teams and players, such as Super Bowl champion and MVP winner.
Many bettors prefer to place wagers on futures before the season begins, although most remain available for the majority of the season so it’s not imperative you get stuck in before opening night.
Placing futures bets before the start of the season means your money is tied up for months but if the odds only get shorter as the season goes on, then you’ve found some value.
- Champion – The team that wins the Super Bowl in NFL or the College Football Championship in NCAA Football. Some sportsbooks offer early cashout on these markets so if your team starts well but shows signs of fading, you can at least take some money.
- Player awards – This can be anything from MVP to Comeback Player of the Year in NFL, whilst most sportsbooks tend to only offer Heisman Trophy winner for college. Some betting sites let you bet on which player will finish with the most rushing touchdowns or most passing yards.
- Win total O/U – Every NFL team has a projected win total and you can bet on whether you think they will win more or fewer games than that amount. These markets are usually only available before the season.
- To make/miss playoffs – Only a limited number of teams make the NFL playoffs in a season and you can bet on whether a team will make it into the postseason or miss out.
- To win division/conference – Bet on which NFL team will win their respective division and which team will win the AFC or NFC.
Football Betting Tips and Advice
There are some things you should be looking out for before you place a football bet. It is important to know what you are betting on, what outcome you need for the bet to win, and whether the bet is worth placing.
This is only general advice – there is no guaranteed way to win most or all football bets you place – but you should always consider these tips before you go ahead and place a wager on football.
Football Live Betting
Live betting offers you the chance to bet on football games as they happen, which opens up a world of possibilities for football wagering.
The ability to bet in-play means you can use how a game is going and how well players are playing to influence your wagers, rather than relying on statistics before the fixture.
All NFL and NCAA football games are available for live betting on all legal US sportsbooks and the markets on offer are different to the pre-game ones. Some live betting markets include:
- Moneyline
- Spread
- Total
- Next touchdown scorer
- Next team touchdown scorer
- Result of next drive
- Next team to score a touchdown
- Player receiving yards
- Player rushing yards
Our team of football betting experts have picked out the best sites for live betting on NFL and NCAA.
FanDuel Sportsbook have a large number of live betting markets available and crucially have excellent live stats available, allowing you to make the most informed decision possible.
The best live football odds come at BetMGM, who also provide a decent array of stats, although they don’t have as many markets as many other sites.
Similarly, PointsBet have fewer markets than their competitors but their live betting interface is incredibly user-friendly and they have lots of football stats for you to use.
FanDuel Sportsbook
BetMGM
PointsBet
How We Rate Football Betting Sites
Finding a betting site is not easy and when you don’t know what to look for in a sportsbook, it can be even more difficult.
Our recommendations are reviewed by our expert sports betting team based on strict factors, ensuring you can choose from the best football betting sites out there.
It’s not crucial that a football betting site excels at every aspect, so when it comes to things like markets and promos, you can decide how important that is to you.
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SecurityHow securely your money is held by a sportsbook is one of the biggest aspects of how we rate football betting sites. All the sportsbooks we recommend are licensed to operate in the US and provide sufficient security measures so that you can be certain your money is safe.
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Odds and MarketsIn terms of betting, this is the key factor we look at when rating football betting sites. It is vital that sites offer competitive odds in both the main NFL and NCAA Football markets – spread, moneyline and totals – as well as a wide variety of other markets on every single game.
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PromotionsThe betting sites we determine to be the best all have frequent and good football betting bonuses worth up to $500 as it’s the most popular sport in the US. Sportsbooks offer even more promotions for big events like the Super Bowl, with lots of boosted odds and money back opportunities.
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Mobile bettingAlmost all US sportsbooks offer the ability to bet on a cell phone or tablet but the best ones make it easy. Many betting apps are prone to random crashes and location errors, which is not ideal if you are live betting on football on your mobile, so we have diligently tested every betting app to find the best ones.
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Customer supportReliable and quick customer service is important for a high-quality betting experience. A sportsbook’s live chat should have knowledge to answer your questions in an efficient manner, using language that is easy to understand.
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Payment methodsThough not related to actually placing bets, you want a sportsbook that makes it easy to deposit using your preferred method. Betting sites that accept popular options like PayPal, VISA, Mastercard, VIP Preferred, and Play+ get a higher rating in this aspect. Ideally, withdrawals should only take up to two days but anything up to five is acceptable.
Football Betting Sites to Avoid
Not all betting sites in the US are legal and there are some that should be avoided. These sites are not licensed to operate in the US but are able to accept customers, which can be a source of confusion.
The main problem with this, of course, is that there is no legal recourse if something goes wrong, and these offshore betting sites also prefer Bitcoin deposits
It’s common for unlicensed sportsbooks to deliberately grade bets incorrectly and refuse to change them, meaning you miss out on winnings that are rightfully yours.
Bovada
BetOnline
MyBookie
Most Popular Football Leagues
Football is the most-watched sport in the USA with both NFL and NCAA being incredibly popular all across the nation.
No other North American sports league generates as much interest or revenue as NFL, with each nationally televised game drawing over 17 million viewers. The Super Bowl averages over 100 million viewers every year.
College football attracts fewer viewers, with the most-watched teams such as Ohio State, Michigan, and Alabama averaging over 4.5 million per game. This is largely due to the sheer number of colleges who play in the NCAA.
NFL
US sportsbooks take more bets on NFL than on any sport, which makes sense considering how many people watch games. The Super Bowl alone averages over 100 million viewers and a 30-second advertising slot cost over $5 million.
The NFL season is largely only played on Sundays from September to early February, so bettors are desperate to punt on it as much as possible for those few weeks.
Boosted parlays are extremely common to find on Sundays as there’s always at least nine games being played, so sportsbooks often enhance the returns of three or four particular teams to win.
With each NFL team playing only 17 regular season games and a maximum of four playoff games, the opportunity for betting is limited compared to the likes of MLB (162 games plus playoffs) or NBA (82 games plus playoffs).
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NCAA College Football
The 32 NFL teams span only 22 states and so college football fills in the gaps for those who live in places without a professional team.
Not to say that states and cities with NFL teams don’t have successful and well-supported college teams, but the biggest NCAAF are teams like Alabama, Clemson (in South Carolina) and Ohio State (based in Columbus).
The best NCAA teams each season have the chance to qualify for a bowl game against the winner of a different conference. Two bowl games act as the semi-finals for the College Football Playoff National Championship, which was introduced in 2014.
College Football is divided into three divisions and most US sportsbooks will only offer wagering on NCAA D1 games. Division 1 is the most prestigious and those colleges are the best in the nation, with their games often televised.
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Conclusion
Football is the most popular sport in the US and despite NFL having the shortest season of all the big four major professional sports leagues, there is still an incredible number of betting opportunities.
Sportsbooks offer hundreds of football markets and the best promotions are also on the sport, so you’ll always have lots of bonuses to take advantage of no matter which betting site you use.
There’s also lots of live betting markets available for both NFL and college with many betting sites also offering lots of stats to help you with your in-play betting.
FAQs
What is the best way to bet on football?
Most bettors prefer to wager on the three main betting lines – spread, handicap and totals. There is no market that is intrinsically a better way to wager than others, as betting is about how you devise a strategy and employ that.
Can I bet on football legally?
Yes! Football betting is legal in many states with a range of licensed operators available in all of those. Some states have more legal sportsbooks than others, with those who legalized online sports wagering earlier generally giving more options to punters.
What is the best betting site for football?
The best football betting sites are listed here. These have been rated on a variety of categories including best odds, best promotions and most secure, allowing you to select a site in full knowledge that it will provide you with an excellent football betting experience.
How to bet on football?
After signing up to a betting site and depositing using your chosen payment method, select the football game you want to bet on. Then pick the market, enter your wager amount into the box, and click “place bet”. Read more about betting on football on our dedicated page.
How to bet football spreads?
The spread is betting on a favorite to win by a certain amount or the underdog to lose by less than the specified number. Football spreads are core betting markets and you can bet on this at any legal US sportsbook.
