A lot of people bet on sports as a hobby and not to make money. These people usually bet with their friends or family, treating the outcome as an added bonus to their experience watching the game, and often placing simple wagers based on which team they think will win the game.
However, there are many other people who enjoy betting on sports so much that they want to be able to place real money bets online, win some money from it, and turn it into their primary source of income. To bet on sports, you’ll need to know what you’re doing, which means research and reading up on odds and statistics.
This beginner’s guide to football betting for 2022 will teach you everything you need to know about online betting and real money bets so that in no time, you’ll be able to make all the right moves when it comes to winning your next game and placing your next wager!
What is online sports betting?
Before we can start talking about football betting strategies, it’s important that you know what sports betting is. Sports betting is placing a wager on which team will win or lose a game (or match). The process of sports betting can be broken down into two broad categories: real money bets and online bets.
Real money bets are made at a physical store, in person with cash, or via telephone. Online bets are made through an online platform by paying with a credit card or an e-wallet such as PayPal. As you get more familiar with football betting you may want to try your hand at online sports gambling where real money wins mean something bigger than free hours on your favorite game console.
Different Types of Online Sports Bets
Here are a few examples of common types of online sports bets:
1. Moneyline Bets – A Moneyline bet is when you’re picking a team or an individual competitor to win a sporting event and betting that it will win outright. You’re not competing against any other competitor, just betting on which side will be victorious.
For example, let’s say you bet $100 on Team A versus Team B in American football.
In sports with multiple competitors (soccer, cricket, etc.), you might also see betting odds with more than two numbers—for example, Team C could have +150 odds ($100 wins $150), while Team D could have -225 odds ($100 wins $50).
2. Spread Bets (Over/Under) – A spread bet is when you’re betting that one side will win by a certain number of points—for example if you’re making an over/under bet on Team A versus Team B, you might bet $100 that Team A will score between 40 and 50 points.
Spread bets are also called over/under bets and are common in sports like American football, basketball, and hockey, where there’s a natural break between halves or periods of play.
Spread bets aren’t just about deciding whether one team will win; they’re about betting on how well one team will perform compared to another.
3. Proposition Bets and Specials Bets – Proposition bets, also called special bets, are individual side wagers that aren’t related to a specific game. For example, in American football, you might see prop bets on who will score first or which team will have more penalties in a game.
In cricket, you might bet on whether a run will be scored by a four or six hit by one of two competing teams (there are even prop bets during halftime).
These types of bets don’t relate directly to an outcome—you’re not betting that Team A versus Team B wins, but rather making other types of predictions about certain aspects of an event.
4. Moneyline Parlays and Round Robin Parlays – A parlay is a type of bet where you’re essentially betting that two or more events will happen in succession.
For example, if you place an NFL parlay on Team A, Team B, and Team C, you’re making three separate bets – one on each team – that are dependent on one another; if any of them lose, your bet also loses (or becomes void).
The idea behind parlays is that it can be easier to predict certain outcomes than others: For example, while a game may be too close to call before it starts, later games between competing teams have much better odds of being predictable.
How does football betting works?
Before you can even place a bet, you have to know how football betting works. If it’s your first time placing bets on an NFL game, we’ve got a few things to get out of the way.
For starters, there are different types of bets available at sportsbooks; most people play straight-up spreads and totals, but some enjoy betting against the spread (ATS) or going against teasers. Each kind of bet comes with its own set of rules that change based on where you do business.
There are also two sides to each story: The Bookmaker and The Player. You might be wondering what we mean by that…
Well, when you make a bet on an NFL game, you’re essentially creating a contract with your sportsbook to wager on a certain outcome; in essence, you’re betting against them.
Sportsbooks handle all of their business (and handle money) via middlemen called bookmakers, who act as a buffer between players and banks.
How do I find good bets?
With so many options available, it can be overwhelming trying to find good bets on your own. Luckily, sites like typify allow you to see what other bettors think about certain matches.
While there is no exact formula for picking winners, betting strategies do exist that help bettors make better decisions. While it’s impossible to guarantee a profit, following these tips will improve your odds.
How does payout work?
Payout works differently depending on which site or app you use, but here are some general rules.
Typically, sportsbooks like PNXbet offer around 1:1 payout for straight-up wins; meaning if a team wins against their opponent without anything else happening (like score differential), they earn one point.
How do I place a bet?
The three most popular ways to place a bet are through bookmakers, sportsbooks, and online betting sites. Each method offers something different: books take wagers on anything from political races and Oscar-style awards show all the way down to who’s going to win Week 17 of professional football (that’s your college football, not NFL).
Sportsbooks only allow you to place bets on sporting events. Online betting sites have become increasingly common over recent years, combining aspects of both bookmakers and sportsbooks into one user-friendly package.
There are tons of options out there so it can be difficult picking which one is right for you—don’t worry; you’ll be able to crack it if you’re willing to do some deep research by investing some time.
How do I know my bet will be successful?
In all likelihood, you probably don’t. It may sound contradictory, but that’s where real money bets come in. If you’re not betting with your own money (or at least trying not to), you have less motivation to do proper research and make sure you’re putting your money on a winning team.
This is true regardless of how good you think your bet is—and good odds are about as optimistic as it gets. An experienced football bettor makes sure his research matches up with his wager so he can mitigate risk wherever possible.