Easily the most popular type of betting for NFL football is “spread” betting or more commonly known as betting against the spread. Bettors who are new to NFL betting or betting in general may be a little confused with NFL spread betting, but it is pretty easy to understand once it is explained to you. We will explain what betting against the spread means below.
In this market, you will be betting on whether a match will have over 2.5 goals (i.e. 3 or more to win your bet) or whether it will have under 2.5 goals (zero, one, or two goals would win your bet). There is a number of betting markets offered in football betting, including the likes of double chance and both teams to score, but the fact is most successful bettors bet on straight win, goal line or Asian handicaps as these three markets are believed to be most easy to take advantage of. Straight win betting.
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What is Betting Against The Spread?
For each NFL game the oddsmakers set a number of points in which the favored team is favored by. Bettors can then either choose for the favored team to win by more than the number of points set, or bet on the underdogs to lose by less than the number of points they are underdogs by or win the game straight up. For example, the spread could be set on the favored team at 6.5 points. This would mean in order for a bet on the favored team on the spread to win they would need to win by more than 6.5 points (7 or more) in order to win the bet. It also means that a bet on the underdog team would win if the underdogs lost by less than 6.5 points (6 or less) or won the game outright.
Example of NFL Spread Bet
Below is an example of what NFL spread betting would look like:
Matchup
- TeamsSpread
- Dallas Cowboys -2.5
- New York Giants +2-5
The negative (-) sign indicates that the Cowboys are the favorites, while the positive (+) sign indicates that the New York Giants are the underdogs. With the spread set at 2.5 points, a bet on the Cowboys would mean that they would have to win by more than 2.5 points (3 or more) in order for you to win that bet. A bet on New York would mean that the Giants would have to either lose by 2.5 or less points (2 or less) or win the game outright in order for your bet to win.
Here is another example with a screenshot taken from 5Dimes.eu during Week 3 of the 2013 NFL season:
Here you can see that the Rams are +3.5, while the Cowboys are -3.5. So for this example the Cowboys are 3.5 point favorites, while the Rams are underdogs of 3.5 points. If you were to bet on St Louis you would need them to lose by 3 or fewer points or just win the game outright. If you were to bet on Dallas you would need the Cowboys to win by 4 or more points.
If the Cowboys were to win by 3 points, lets say 30-27, any bets on the Rams +3.5 would win. Even though the Rams didn’t win the game they covered the spread of 3.5 points.
Now if the Cowboys were to win by 4 points, lets say 31-27, the Cowboys have covered the spread and anyone who wagered on Dallas would win their bets.
Other NFL Spread Betting Information
You may often notice that the spread is sometimes set at an even number such as 3, 6 , 10, etc. In this case if the favored team won by the exact amount set for the spread the bet would be pushed, and all bets would be returned. For example, if the Patriots were 3 point favorites and they won by a FG (3 points) than this would results in a push, meaning no matter which side you bet on you would get your money returned to you.
The most common NFL spreads are usually set between about 2.5-10.5 points, but you will also almost always have games each week with spreads lower than 2.5 and higher than 10.5. In the event that the oddsmakers feel the game doesn’t need a spread, it would be set at 0 or what some call a pick’em (both teams are given even odds to win for this type of bet).
The odds given on the spread are usually -110 unless otherwise noted. It is not uncommon to see one side of the spread being -105, with the other side being -115. If you don’t see any odds listed for each side of NFL spreads you are supposed to assume the odds are -110 on each. Not sure how to read NFL betting odds? Check out our Sports Betting Odds guide.
Now that you know the basics of NFL spread betting you’ll want to check out our Sports Betting Strategy guide which has some great NFL strategy articles written by a professional bettor.
Ladbrokes is a leading bookmaker worldwide and provides some of the best football betting experience. In this article, we would explore the ranges of their football services.
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What Football Bonuses are Available at Ladbrokes.com?
Ladbrokes offers bonuses for their existing customers, and there are always exciting new opportunities to explore. Their bonuses for new customers can be used on football events and any other sport available. Existing customers can benefit from one of the many price boosts, cash prizes, ACCA features, and more. Many football matches include regular or super price boosts and several other bonuses like #GetAPrice. The bookmaker even has a free-to-play online and offline game you can participate in. It's called “1-2-Free,” and gives you the chance to win £100 in cash if you predict the scores in three of the upcoming weekend games of Ladbrokes' choice. The game runs a whole week until the new fixtures are announced, and you can place wagers before Saturday 20:00 UK time.
New punters will get £20 free wagers if they register for the platform. All you have to do is:
- Register to the platform via the site or the mobile app.
- Make a first deposit with any method, except for prepaid cards, e-wallets, or Moneybookers.
- Place cumulative wagers for a total of £5 (each-way or win) at odds of ½ or higher within two weeks of registering to Ladbrokes.
You would receive your 4x £5 free wagers after completing the requirements, and you can use them in any sport, including Football. Use your bets within seven days before they expire.
Popular Football Events and Competitions to Wager on at Ladbrokes Sportsbook
Ladbrokes offers wagers on all the famous and not-so-popular football events. The sport is prevalent worldwide, especially in Europe, and it generates many wagers per day. For each football match, Ladbrokes offers a wide array of betting options ranging from match result to first and second half betting and even combinations of wagers. When the game in question is a finale of a popular competition, such as the ones described below, you have even more standard and match particular markets.
FIFA World Cup
For the most critical event in football history, there are many betting options available, including game and player props, specials, and regular wagering options like over/under, first half, match result, and double chance. The event determines the world champion between all the countries that have qualified for it.
Copa America
The championship that determines South America's champion isn't only popular in that part of the world but also anywhere else. Many excellent and popular players participate in it and play for their home countries. There are plenty of betting markets you could choose from, and you can even create your own.
UEFA European Championship
Nfl Football Betting Lines
The Euros is the place where the champion of the European continent is determined. This event is probably the most popular one after the World Cup, and it's held each for years, too. The teams go through qualifications in the years before the final event, where only twenty-four of them compete for the title.
National Leagues
Each country has its own National League, and some of those leagues are quite popular worldwide. The most popular leagues that Ladbrokes provides markets for are the English Premier League, German Bundesliga, Italian Serie A, French Ligue 1, Spanish La Liga, The Emirates FA Cup, etc. You can find different types of bets for each event and even some specials.
Does Ladbrokes Provide In-Game Wagering or Live Streaming?
Ladbrokes has a unique Live Stream and In-Play features. Both of them are very popular among new and existing customers.
When it comes to the in-play section, you can bet on a limited number of markets while the game is on-gong, compared to the pre-game markets. You can also cash-out 99% of in-play bets available on the Ladbrokes platform.
On the same part of the menu, there is a “Live Stream” button. When you click on it, all current live stream events will pop-up there, and you can watch them for free. All sports, except for Horse Racing, are available to watch without placing a wager beforehand. If you want to watch a Horse race, you would have to place the minimum bet required to access the stream. The quality of the stream itself is one of the best out there, and except for the average thirty seconds delay, you shouldn't be experiencing any pauses or lags during the stream. If you are watching on a mobile device, make sure you are connected to a wi-fi signal, not mobile data, so you don't overuse any data limits you might have and have to pay for them to your mobile network provider.
Are the Football Odds at Ladbrokes Solid Compared to Rival Bookies?
Despite Ladbrokes being a famous brand, they don't offer the best odds compared to their competitors. While the market variety is excellent, the odds still need some evaluating, in our opinion. Ladbrokes regularly offer Price Boosts, Odds Boosts, and #GetAPrice markets you can choose from.
For example, at the time of writing, the outright odds were less than favorable, than the odds at a rival bookmaker. In another example, the Match Result and Both Teams to Score markets, Ladbrokes offers solid prices compared to the same rival bookmaker. You would have to check the prices offered for the match you are interested in wagering because Ladbrokes offer a wide range of betting markets and odds.
Does Ladbrokes Provide any Guides or Tips Regarding Football or Other Sports?
Ladbrokes has a unique News page that gives their customers the latest news regarding Football and Horse Racing, among other sports. The section isn't as detailed as other bookmaker News pages, and we couldn't find any mention of betting tips or guides of any sort. Maybe in the future, Ladbrokes can add some of these features. Hence, their customers have access to more useful information and the newest Football news regarding popular leagues and tournaments. The best way to find out more about Ladbrokes is to access their Help section, which is full of FAQs that might help you learn how to place a wager or how to deposit it into your account. Unfortunately, that section doesn't have any betting strategies or tips by the bookmaker, so you would have to learn that from elsewhere.
Ladbrokes’ Best Features for Football Betting
The Popular Cash-Out Feature
Cash-Out is a widely used feature on Ladbrokes. When you open the match you want to wager on, if the feature is available for the market you want to bet on, you would see a “Cash-Out” button on the right side of the market title. The feature is useful when you see that a match isn't going the way you intended, or when you aren't sure of the result, and you want to protect your current winnings. Anyone can use the feature as long as they have a verified Ladbrokes account.
The New Bet Builder Feature
The Ladbrokes Bet Builder allows you to create your custom wager, and you can add as many selections as there are markets for the match. The system will inform you if you can't add specific bets together. Cash-out usually is available for any wager you place with Bet Builder. The odds are delivered to you instantly, without having to wait for the bookmaker to review your selections and approve your odds. Bet builders are top-rated and attract many customers to the platform.
Coral Football Betting Prices
The Benefits of Using the Mobile Application
Football Betting Prices Chart
The Ladbrokes mobile app is a favorite among many players. It's available for both Android and iOS devices. You will find the links on the site along with instructions on how to install it. The mobile app has both pre-game and in-play wagering available, streaming, bet builder, cash-out, and other exciting features any punter would need.
Our Summary on Ladbrokes’ Football Betting Experience
Ladbrokes is one of few established and successful sports betting brands around the world. They offer their customers enough sports and markets to bet on and have exciting features, that are very trendy to use, like Bet Builder, #GetAPrice, and their regular and attractive promotions. New customers can enjoy an incredible offer and use the reward for any match they like. When it comes to Football specifically, the bookmaker doesn't disappoint. They offer over a hundred markets for both popular and not-so-popular events, and they even provide regular Price Boosts. The bookmaker provides enough payment options for their customers and high-security standards. Ladbrokes also offers a detailed News page that holds all the latest football news articles. Unfortunately, other than that, they don't have any guides or tips for their customers. Ladbrokes has a great mobile app, and customers have mostly positive reviews of it. We would rate Ladbrokes' football betting services with 4/5 stars.
Alternative football betting sites here.