NFL Handicap Betting Explained

American football is an incredibly popular sport throughout the United States of America. As the sport grows, different betting markets are beginning to appear and develop, with handicap betting being one of the most popular selections throughout the sport. Handicap bets revolve around one side being given an advantage, and these types of bets are seen all across the sporting industry, with these bets being used in football and tennis betting.

As the NFL continues to grow in popularity throughout the United Kingdom, we are going to look at all the details that surround NFL handicap betting, how it works, how to use it and how it compares to other handicap betting markets throughout sport.

What Is Handicap Betting In the NFL?

Before we cover handicap betting in the NFL, we are going to look at what handicap betting is in general. Handicap bets allow for the bettor to give one side a theoretical advantage, and this is usually done by giving one team more points than the other. This means even if the team that has the handicap loses, the bet can still be successful as the handicap will theoretically make up for the lost points.

Handicap betting lets bettors look at betting selections in a completely different light, as it can even the odds of even the most mismatched games, as lower-ranked teams can start a couple of points ahead, giving them a better chance to cause an upset against the higher-ranked opponents. As the odds are evened throughout the game by giving one team an advantage, this means the odds from the bookmakers are evened as well, creating viable betting opportunities even from the most mismatched NFL fixtures.

As handicap betting can be quite confusing to understand, we are going to look at real-life NFL examples of handicap betting. It is important to understand the ins and outs of handicap betting, as it can be an important tool for those who are value betting throughout different sporting markets.

Here is a potential example of a handicap bet that you would find for the NFL:

We can see that the Kansas City Chiefs are the favourite for this match-up against the Detroit Lions, and this bookmaker has given the Chiefs a handicap of -6.5 points at the odds of 5/6. This is usually the format that handicap bets come in, and we are now going to walk through how these specific bets work, and what outcome in the match would need to happen for the bets to be successful.

How Do NFL Handicap Bets Work?

No matter the sport, handicap bets work in the same way, with one team getting an advantage in comparison to their opposition. There are two different ways of thinking of handicap bets, yet they both effectively mean the same thing; these are just used to help better your understanding.

• Points are adjusted before the game begins – Using the NFL example and the Chiefs as the team we have chosen. If they have a handicap of -6.5, this means you need to theoretically take away 7 points from the Chiefs before the game starts. This effectively means the opponent starts 7 points ahead.
• Points are adjusted after the game finishes – Using the same example, you can imagine taking the handicap number off the score at the end of the game. This means if the Chiefs won the match 16-10, then you would have to take 6.5 from their score, meaning the score would actually finish as 9.5-10, meaning the opponent would win.

Whilst ties and draws can occur during the NFL, this is similar to what we have seen in the Tennis handicap betting guide. Betting on a tie is usually not an option since there have only been a handful of ties since 1974.

Continuing with this example, we will look at what outcomes would have to happen for the different handicap bets to be successful!

As a tie is not usually a betting option, handicap betting in the NFL is basically the same as Asian handicap betting. If you are looking to learn more about Asian handicap betting, then check out our Asian handicap betting guide on site.

Point handicaps are the most common throughout NFL handicap betting, yet with other handicaps, you will be able to place bets on different options, such as a Series in the NBA playoffs. If you are interested in learning more about basketball handicap betting, check out our Basketball handicap betting guide.

NFL Handicap Betting Examples 

American football betting features plenty of betting markets, handicap betting is one of the most popular betting markets throughout the sport. Here, we are going to look through some other examples, how they would work and how you can understand them.

The handicaps come in the form of pluses and minuses, meaning points can be theoretically awarded and subtracted from teams, depending on which selection you would prefer.

What makes the handicap betting system so fascinating and unique is the fact that teams can lose the fixture in real life, yet the bet can still be successful. This makes handicap betting brilliant for games involving a heavy favourite and an underdog, as the odds can be evened.

Example – 

Match Result: Kansas City Chiefs 38 – Baltimore Ravens 30

Handicap for the Chiefs (-9.5)

38 – 9.5 = 28.5

Match Result Including Handicap Bet: Kansas City Chiefs 28.5 – Baltimore Ravens 30

With handicap betting evening the odds, this is best used in unevenly matched games, where one team is heavily favoured against the other. By using the handicap betting system, we can effectively change the odds for selections, making the odds more favourable compared to traditional match result betting.

How To Use The NFL Handicap

For NFL betting, the handicap betting system is one of the most popular markets throughout the sport and is commonly used throughout a huge range of different sports. The NFL handicap is best used for uneven games, and despite not being a matched betting technique, it is still a betting market that can be extremely useful.

Handicap betting is not the only available betting market throughout NFL betting; you can find out other betting selections throughout our NFL betting guide.

Here, we are going to look at some of the best ways that you can take advantage of the NFL handicap and how you can use these bets to your advantage.

1. Do Your Research – While research in betting is extremely important, it is essential for those who want to take part in NFL handicap betting, especially if you want to get any value from your betting. By looking at the form of teams, players, injuries and especially the performance of quarterbacks, you can give yourself a better chance of creating successful handicap bets.
2. Recognising Good and Bad Spots – Throughout American Football betting, it is important to find opportunities that can affect teams, typically known as spots. A good spot is a decent team which has just had a bad performance, especially if they are going to play an inferior team next. With something to prove, these teams will typically look to make a statement with a huge win, potentially making them a good negative handicap option.
3. ‘Cluster’ Injuries – As injuries are very common throughout the sport of American Football, teams can lose strong players from the same unit, such as the offensive or defensive line. This can affect the team’s ability to score points and defend, which means the team might not win with a huge margin regularly, or they will concede more points than usual. This is something to definitely take into account with handicap betting, as every point matters.

NFL Handicap Vs Other Handicaps 

As American Football is a team sport, using the handicap betting system relies on betting on teams, and not individuals. Throughout our golf handicap betting guide, you can see how betting on different individuals works compared to team handicap betting. With no draw handicap betting market available throughout this sport, the NFL is one of the more favourable sports to place handicap bets on, especially compared to sports such as football. 

We are going to take a look at some positives and negatives of NFL handicap betting, which you should take into consideration when placing your handicap bets.

✅Allows for viable betting opportunities in unevenly matched games

✅Handicap bets can offer better odds compared to other betting markets

✅Incredibly low possibility for a draw or tie

❌Research is needed to gain value from handicap betting

❌Handicap betting is one of the more complicated betting strategies in the market

NFL Handicap FAQs 

NFL handicap betting can be complicated, which is why we have answered some of the most frequently asked questions surrounding the topic.

Where Can I Find Handicap Bets For American Football?

It is incredibly simple to find handicap bets throughout the NFL, and you can simply find them by navigating the sports section of any bookmaker. Using the example of Sky Bet, we can see a list of sports on the left-hand side of the screen. Simply click on ‘American Football’ to find NFL betting options.

Then, you will be able to find all of the different betting options available, including handicap bets. NFL betting is available here, whilst you can also find other divisions of American Football, such as College Football.

What Is The Difference Between Handicap Betting And Asian Handicap Betting In The NFL? 

Unlike other sports, a tie in the NFL can usually end up in bets being voided, so there is no possibility for tie handicaps to be placed here. As Asian handicap bets take out the possibility for a draw, the handicap betting and Asian handicap betting markets for the NFL are effectively the same thing.

Are Handicap Bets On The NFL Always Available?

Placing handicap bets cannot be done when the season is not in play, and some bookmakers will not offer handicap bets on the NFL. However, when the season does start, there are plenty of bookmakers which will let you place handicap bets on different NFL games.