Where To Make NFL Picks Against The Spread At 18+ Sportsbooks
NFL Spread Betting Explained- Learn What It Means To Cover An NFL Spread
Because wins and losses are easily predicted in the National Football League, point spreads are granted to each team for handicapping purposes. The following guide will inform readers where to make NFL picks against the spread at 18 and will also walk gamblers through the basics of point spread betting.
Find out how to read NFL point spreads, what negative and positive numbers mean, and who the favorite and underdog teams are. We also list our top online sportsbooks that offer this popular NFL bet type to 18, 19, and 20-year-old gamblers in the USA.
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What Does NFL Spread Mean?
A point spread refers to the number of points each team is predicted to win or lose by and is typically the first element of a football game line. Points are granted to underdogs while they are taken away from favored teams to create an even matchup.
Winning requires betting on NFL teams that cover by losing by less than the margin or winning by more than the margin.
How To Read NFL Point Spreads
Here is an example of a line between the Buffalo Bills and the Los Angeles Rams:
In the above game line, the first element is the point spread. The Bills have a spread of -2.5, which means they are favored to win and will need to do so by 3 points to cover. The Rams are the underdog at +2.5 and will need to lose by 2 or fewer points in order to cover.
How To Bet On The NFL Favorite And Win
The favored NFL team will be listed in the negative. If the New England Patriots are favored to win the game by 5 points, a -5.0 will be listed.
Gamblers who place a wager on New England to cover will win if the Patriots win the game by six or more points. If New England wins by exactly five points, the bet is a push.
How To Bet On NFL Underdogs And Win
The underdog team in an NFL line will have a positive point spread. If the Dallas Cowboys are picked to lose by 3 points, a margin of +3.0 will be listed next to their name.
In order to win betting on the Dallas Cowboys against the spread, they will need to lose by two or fewer points or outright win the game. If the Cowboys lose by exactly three, the result is a push.
What If The NFL Point Spread Is “Even”?
Every now and then, two NFL teams will match up perfectly. In that case, oddsmakers will give each franchise a point spread of “even.” That means that the game is a pick’em, where all that is required is to select the team that will win the game.
Regular season games still have the potential to end in a tie, which will cause the bet to push. Playoff games cannot end in a tie and do not have the potential to result in a push if the spread is “even.”
What If There Is A Fractional Or A Decimal Point Spread?
If a team is favored to win or lose by a fractional number of points, there is no chance for the differential to be exact, and the wager cannot result in a push.
A fractional spread also removes a point of variance. For instance, bets on -2.5 will lose if the team wins by two points or less, but will payout if they are victorious by three points or more.
If it is set at -3.0, payouts require that the favored team win by four or more points, while still losing if the team wins by two points or less.
Live NFL Spread Betting
The NFL sportsbook sites we endorse here at SB18 allow live wagering on pro football for all preseason, regular season, and playoff games. Each book will vary in how long they keep their live NFL betting lines on the boards, but they typically remain in place into the fourth quarter.
Bet on point spreads after the kickoff, and wait until they shift to your liking before placing a wager. Just don’t wait too long because live lines can be removed at any time and are not guaranteed to last until the final moments of the game.
Super Bowl Point Spreads
As soon as the Super Bowl teams are known, NFL sportsbooks will produce SB betting lines with point spreads for each franchise. Online Super Bowl betting sites are often competitive and offer variances in the odds in order to attract business.
Super Bowl spread betting even takes place prior to the final two teams being decided, as wagers can be placed on the AFC or NFC. Super Bowl lines also take action during the game from the first through the fourth quarters.
Mobile NFL Spread Betting Apps
Apple and Android tablets and smartphones can access the latest NFL point spreads, moneyline odds, and props anywhere in the United States. 18 and older NFL gamblers are welcome to become members and place wagers on football and other odds using iPhones, iPads, and other popular devices connected to the web.
These web-based sportsbook apps operate using mobile browsers and deliver on-the-go opportunities without a download. Mobile sports betting on NFL spread picks is just a few clicks away, so check out our top sportsbooks now.
Funding Your Bets
Domestic sportsbooks in the United States only accept USD, but offshore sites allow for point spread wagers using cryptocurrency. Bitcoin and other popular altcoins can be deposited securely within a few minutes and are not subject to the extra hurdles in place for traditional USD options.
18 and over NFL gamblers can also withdraw in crypto within the same day it was requested, where US dollar payouts tend to take 48 hours or more to process. We use cryptocurrency every time we place an online wager and suggest you consider it when choosing sportsbook banking options.
Sportsbook Promo Codes For Bonus Cash
Our favorite over-18 sportsbook sites offer members the chance to add extra cash to accounts based on a percentage of deposits. All of our top NFL betting sites offer these bonuses to new members, but there are also reload bonus promos at some online books for follow-up uploads.
All that is required to withdraw cash earned by bonus funds is the completion of the playthrough terms. Becoming a member does not require the acceptance of a sportsbook bonus, so read the conditions and make sure you can finish them in time to collect.
Is NFL Point Spread Betting Legal At Age 18?
Yes. Betting on NFL point spreads is arguably the most popular overall type of sports wagering option and is offered at all legitimate sportsbooks in the United States. Legal NFL spread betting can occur at the age of 18 at any of the offshore sportsbooks that we recommend here on this page.
These 18+ online NFL betting sites operate within regulated gaming districts overseas that fall outside state and federal jurisdictions. NFL gambling services are provided to all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., by the 18+ offshore sportsbooks mentioned in this guide.
FAQs
What does it mean to bet “against the spread” (ATS)?
Betting ATS means wagering on a team to cover the point spread, either by winning or not losing by more than the spread.
What is a “push” in spread betting?
A push occurs when the game’s outcome lands precisely on the spread, resulting in a situation where bettors neither win nor lose.
How are point spreads determined?
Oddsmakers set point spreads based on a team’s strength, injuries, weather conditions, and betting patterns.
Can point spreads change after they are set?
Yes, point spreads can change due to betting activity, injuries, or other factors influencing public perception.
What does “covering the spread” mean?
A team covers the spread if they win by more than the spread (favorites) or lose by less than the spread (underdogs).
How does overtime affect spread bets?
Overtime periods count towards the final score and can affect whether a team covers the spread. All NFL spread bets remain active upon entering an overtime period.
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