If you plan to bet on football, you must know how to read NFL odds. Whether you're betting on the Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Chargers, Washington Commanders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills, or any other team on the NFL schedule, you'll want to know how online betting odds work for football.
How to Use Our NFL Odds Comparison Tool
RotoGrinders' NFL odds comparison tool above couldn't be easier to use. In the BET TYPE drop-down, select which type of bet's odds you want to see (SPREAD, TOTAL, or MONEYLINE).Then, just find the game you're looking to bet on and compare the odds across different sportsbooks.
RotoGrinders' compares NFL odds from the following books:
- bet365
- BetMGM
- DraftKings
- Caesars Sportsbook
- ESPN BET
- FanDuel Sportsbook
- Bally Bet
- BetRivers
You can click the NFL odds under your preferred sportsbook to place the bet directly through that operator.
What Are NFL Odds and Betting Lines?
NFL odds, or betting lines, are set by sportsbooks. These numbers predict the outcome of football games and indicate the potential payouts of winning bets.
Positive odds feature a plus sign (+) and indicate an underdog, while negative odds feature a minus sign (-) and show a favorite to win. With American odds format, betting $10 on a +200 underdog would give you $20 if it wins, while a $10 bet on a -200 favorite would give you $5.
Point spreads, totals, and moneylines are the three most common ways to bet on NFL games.
If you choose to compare POINT SPREAD odds using our NFL tool, the first number in each box is the actual point spread and indicates by how many points the team is favored (or not favored) to win. A +6.5 point spread means that the team gets 6.5 points added to their final score while a -6.5 point spread means that a team must win by more than 6.5 points to cover the spread. The number below the point spread indicates your payout should you win the bet.
If you choose to compare TOTAL odds using our NFL tool, you'll see the option to bet over (o) or under (u) the projected final score of the game. For instance, if you take o46.5, the combined final score of the game must be greater than 46.5 points for you to win. Similarly, the other number below the total indicates your potential payout.
If you choose to compare MONEYLINE odds using our NFL tool, you'll only see one number in each box. This number indicates both the odds of a team winning and your potential payout.
Those who need a refresher on NFL betting tips should check out RotoGrinders' complete guide!
Where Are the Best NFL Odds?
You can use the NFL odds tool above to find the best odds on a given game. This page compares the odds across sportsbooks for every point spread, moneyline, and game total every week of the NFL season.
Right now we compare odds from eight major sportsbooks. Here are some bonus codes to help you get started with betting on the NFL today with a legal online sportsbook:
- BetMGM Bonus Code
- Caesars Promo Code
- ESPN BET Promo Code
- Fanatics Sportsbook Promo
- bet365 Bonus Code
- DraftKings Promo Code
- FanDuel Sportsbook Promo Code
- Bally Bet Promo Code
- BetRivers Promo Code
After getting a basic understanding of how NFL betting works, signing up for a sportsbook is simple:
- Choose a sportsbook
- Sign up with basic information (name, email, phone number)
- Make a deposit
- Start betting
And of course, even after you've signed up with a sportsbook, continue to use this page to find the best NFL odds for any game, any way you want to bet.
Not in a state with legal sports betting? You can trade NFL contracts using the Kalshi promo code.
If you're looking for more information about football odds, continue reading below. We'll cover everything you need to know, starting with the basics of NFL odds, how to take advantage of NFL betting lines, how to use NFL odds boosts. Plus, we'll show you more ways to bet on football beyond traditional point spreads, moneylines, and totals.
You can also tune into RotoGrinders’ podcast for more football talk throughout the season.
The Basics: NFL Odds Glossary
Here's your NFL odds glossary that will help you better understand our comparison tool and make smart wagers:
Favorite
The team expected to win the game. They are “laying the points” (ex. Patriots -3). The favorite will always be minus money (ex. -140) and minus points.
Futures Bets
If you have a feeling you know what will happen throughout the NFL season, NFL futures betting is for you. Futures betting lets you get long odds on a later outcome. If you think the Chicago Bears will win the Super Bowl this year, but they're still considered a longshot, you could get high odds, like +4000, meaning a $10 wager would pay out $400.
You can also wager on conference winners, most valuable players, NFL playoff props, most points scored in the NFL regular season, and much more.
Live Betting
When action is offered after a football game starts, while it’s in progress. You can place only some of your bets before a game kicks off. As the game progresses, you can wager on point spreads, the total, moneyline bets, and even player props. Live NFL betting is a great way to get better odds, as the lines will shift significantly throughout a matchup.
For example, let's say the Indianapolis Colts are 4-point favorites against the Carolina Panthers but are down 10-6 at halftime. You can place a live bet on the Indianapolis Colts +3.5, hoping the team will keep the game close or come back and win outright.
Moneyline
Wagering on the moneyline in football is easy to understand. Moneyline bets (sometimes called the moneyline) determine which team will win the game. This is ideal for bettors who want to focus on something other than the point spread or find better odds than taking the points with an underdog. For example, a -140 moneyline means a bettor would have to bet $14 for each $10 they’d like to win. If the underdog is +130 in that game, the bettor would win $13 for every $10 they bet.
NFL Draft Bets
While you can't bet on NFL games during the offseason, plenty of wagers are available on the NFL Draft. Some common NFL Draft bets include which player will be first overall, how many offensive or defensive rookies are drafted in a particular round, and draft order. You can also bet on specific NFL Draft outcomes, such as the Philadelphia Eagles to take a running back in the first round.
Over
A bet made for a team or game to score more points than the game total. (ie Over 38.5 points).
Parlay
A bet that combines a number of teams, all of which must win for the bet to win. The attraction is a larger payout because of longer odds. Two-team parlays typically pay out 2.6 to 1, three-team parlays pay out 4 to 1, and four-team parlays pay out 6 to 1.
NFL betting apps let you combine multiple bets for improved odds, letting you go for a parlay with a bigger potential payout. So, you might parlay the Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, and Philadelphia Eagles to cover the spread for +596 odds. If you placed $10 on this parlay and won, you'd win $59.60.
Player Prop Bets
Player props are another popular NFL wager that focuses on individual players. With player prop betting, you can bet on players to have a certain amount of yards, score a touchdown, record an interception, and much more. So if you bet on the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback to record over 1.5 touchdowns, and he throws three scores in a game, the bet will cash.
For our top picks and analysis on these bets, check out our dedicated NFL props page.
Proposition (Prop)
These are individual bets within a game, usually centering around a team, player or the game itself. For example, which team will score first? Will the home team score in the first 5.5 minutes of the game? Player props often offer a total on whether a certain player will go over or under a particular statistical category. Examples include: Will a certain player throw over/under X number of touchdowns? Will a certain player catch over/under X number of passes? Will a certain player rush over/under X number of yards?
Round Robin
A special kind of parlay which makes betting combinations for every team listed in the bet. For example, a three-team round robin would feature a three-team parlay and three two-team parlays. Bettors signify how much they wish to risk or win for each leg of the parlay.
Shopping
Using several books to look for the best NFL lines.
Spread
The most popular way to bet NFL football is taking a team against the spread (ATS). This involves making a wager on either the favorite or underdog to cover the point spread. The point spread is by how much the better team (favorite) is projected to beat the weaker team (underdog) for the bet to win.
Sportsbook (Book or House)
The entity offering the NFL bets.
Super Bowl Futures Odds
Super Bowl futures bets are available for most of the year and offer great value on teams that could win a title. The future odds of the Super Bowl will change throughout the NFL schedule, depending on how teams perform.
Super Bowl Odds
The Super Bowl is the top betting event every year, and there are many ways to bet on it. As you'd expect, the top sportsbooks offer plenty of bets on the point spread, alongside total bets, live betting, and the money line. But that's just the tip of the iceberg, as prop betting and futures bets are a considerable focus every Super Bowl.
Super Bowl Props
The Super Bowl is the top event for prop bets every year. Some common Super Bowl prop bets you can expect to see every year include the result of the coin toss, which player will score the first touchdown, whether the game will go to overtime, and what will happen in the game's first play.
Total
The total number of points scored by both teams. The bettor can either go Over or Under the given total. If you bet over 37.5 in a game between the Minnesota Vikings and Houston Texans, and the Vikings win 21-17, the over hits, and you win the bet!
Underdog (or Dog)
The team getting points (ex: Rams +3) with the lower moneyline. The dog will always be plus points and plus money (ie +120).
Under
A bet made for a team or game to score fewer points than the game total. (ie Under 38.5 points).
Vigorish (Vig or Juice)
The fee or commission a player has to pay to the house, ex: Patriots -3 (-110). In this case, a bettor is wagering $11 to win $10. Typically the vig is (-110) on both sides, but sometimes oddsmakers will increase the vig on one side instead of increasing the points spread; ex: Patriots -3 (-115), Rams +3 (-105).
How to Compare NFL Odds When Online Sports Betting
Comparing the NFL betting lines when online sports betting to your advantage. Let's say you're looking at the NFL schedule and checking out the point spreads for the upcoming games. If BetMGM offers +120 moneyline odds on the Las Vegas Raiders while DraftKings offers just +110, you'll want to bet with BetMGM for a better payout.
It's also worth noting that all types of football odds can be heavily impacted by inclement weather when games are not in a dome. You can stay on top of weekly forecasts for all NFL games, and their betting implications, with our NFL weather page.
Odds Boosts
Odds boosts are some of the most popular NFL betting promos. Odds boost promotions give you a better payout on an NFL bet, sometimes with requirements such as on a specific primetime game or a same-game parlay. Remember that these odds boosts will have limits, ranging from $10 to $25 and occasionally $50.
In addition to our NFL odds, you can also find a competitive edge with our CFB DFS projections for college fantasy football.
Check Odds Regularly
NFL odds are constantly moving, so consider checking them regularly to find the best times to lock in your wagers. And, of course, make sure you're signed up for several sportsbooks so you're ready to go.
Check reliable NFL DFS news sources to stay informed on variables that could affect both your wagers and DFS plays.
Other NFL Betting Resources
Checking out a best odds page, like this one, can show you which online betting site has the best number right now, and you can also search for recent betting trends. It's the simplest, and honestly, most useful tool to ensure you get the best odds every day. You also can't go wrong with our NFL lineup optimizer if you're a DFS fan.
On top of that, you can find NFL betting insights and analysis at RotoGrinders throughout the football season. Our NFL betting market experts cover their favorite wagers every week and for every primetime slate.
And if you're looking to see the most recent depth charts and injury updates, check out our NFL starting lineups.
Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER for support.
NFL Odds FAQs
Check out these FAQs related to NFL odds:
How do I find the best NFL odds?
RotoGrinders’ NFL odds comparison tool should be your first step to finding the best football odds. We compare odds across the major sportsbooks so you can find the best value.
Why do NFL odds change?
NFL odds are not set in stone—they change due to various factors such as weather, injuries, player/team performance, etc.
How do you read NFL over/under odds?
NFL over/under odds refer to totals betting, where bettors must predict whether the combined final score of a game will go over or under a specified amount. For instance, if you take o46.5, you’re predicting that the combined score will be more than 46.5 points.
What does +400 odds mean?
Positive American odds indicate the net winnings for a $100 wager, so +400 means you’d win $400 off a successful $100 bet. If the odds were -400, you’d have to bet the listed amount ($400) to win $100.