Football Bets
The Most Common Football Bets
By Mike Levitte
While sports betting in the U.S. is only legal in the state of Nevada, sports betting is by far the most popular and widespread form of gambling. And where you bet on professional, arena, or college football, the types of bets you can place are essentially the same.
Straight Bet
A straight bet is a bet made on the outcome of a single game or event, typically whether a team (underdog or favorite) wins.
Over/Under Bet
An over/under bet is a single wager placed on the game total. The scores of both teams are added and when betting under, you bet the score will be under the total and vice versa when you bet over.
Total Bet
A total bet is simply betting on the combined score of each team at the end of a game.
Parlay Bet
A parlay bet is a single bet that bonds together two or more individual wagers and is dependant on all of those wagers winning together. If any of the bets in the parlay loses, then the entire parlay loses.
Point Spread
A point spread is often used in sports betting to even the odds between two unevenly matched teams. Also known as the "line," a point spread will try to make the game even by subtracting points from the favored team or adding points to the score of the underdog. To win a bet placed on a game with a point spread, you simply need to cover the spread - your team doesn’t necessary need to win. Many handicappers will offer football picks of which games you can beat the spread.
