Highlights of NFL O/U
- It presents the punter with a 50:50 chance of winning a bet
- Game overtime doesn’t affect the bets in NFL over under
- When there is a “push”, the wager is returned to the punter
With so many teams and games to choose from, there are countless odds you can choose from and that brings us to over/under betting which this article will look at in details.
An over-under bet in football is a technique in which a punter places a wager on whether the total score for the game from both teams will be above or below a certain set number. It does not matter with an over-under bet (sometimes called a totals bet) which team scores the points. The only thing that matters is what the total combined score of both teams is.
Over/under betting comes right after the spread betting as the most popular type of wagering in football betting. In over/under betting, what a punter is doing is basically wagering on the total score points in the game in a over or under expectation. If the bookmaker sets the points at a certain level and you wager or it, your bet is won if the game score points exceeds the bookmaker's set total and vice-versa.
Specifics of NFL Over Under
To get the total score, the punter adds up the final scores of both teams of an NFL game. For example, the total score between the Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Cowboys in a particular NFL game was 23-28. The total score is thus 51(23+28) points. You will often see a predicted total of 40 in American football betting unlike predicted total of 3 in soccer in over/under odds or NBA betting totals which can range anywhere from 170 to 230.
Sometimes, a bookmaker will represent the odds with (-) and (+):
- The minus sign represents the favorite
- The positive sign represents the underdog
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Bet on the favorites
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Or bet on the underdogs
Let’s consider examples of over under bet
Team Baltimore Ravens vs Dallas Cowboys
Over 38.5 (-120)
Under 38.5 (-120)
The figures next to the Over and under wager is usually the same this represents the game's total set. In our example, the sportsbook set the total at 38.5 and you have the opportunity to either wager above or below the set total. The (-120) beside the points total is an indication of the NFL betting odds.
Another example is
In a game between the Patriots and the Browns
In this example, the over under line is set at 40 points. As you can see, whether you bet the over or the under, you’ll get paid the same. If the final score of the game were Browns 18, Patriot 22, it would end up as push as the total score is 40 points.
Let’s look at another example
Let us say the Oakland Raiders are playing against the Dallas Cowboys. In this match, Raiders are the favorites and Cowboys are the underdogs. A sports bookie predicts a total of 40.5, with the odds listed as follows:
Totals: 40.5 Over (-110) Under (+110)
In this example, if you are wagering $110 that the total score will be over 40.5 points, and then you could win $100. In the same vein, if you are wagering that the total points will be
40.5
points exactly or under, then you could win $110 by betting $100.
NFL Over Under Betting Tips and Strategies
To be a successful punter in NFL betting using the Over/under technique, some strategies need to be learnt and they are outlined below:
Research on the history of the teams and their performances
One of the most crucial points to note is the total points scored in the history of the team encounters. If a team has scored between 25 and 20 points in the last five encounters, then it is likely that they will fall within that limit the next game.
Wager bets on the lowest total
In some cases, there will be different games listed with varying odds, up to 4 games. Sometimes, it is always wise to bet on the lowest score instead of the higher since there is usually a lot of pressure on the teams to score high margin points.
It’s also a good idea to think about what’s at stake for the two competing teams. If both sides are competing for that final wildcard spot, then chances are that they will throw caution to the wind and produce a high-scoring game.
Note offensive and defensive strengths
Sometimes two teams with strong defensive units can cancel each other out and produce a low-scoring game. So watch out for any teams with a good historic recording for blocking out their opponents and adjust your over/under bets accordingly.
Don’t forget to cash out early
Finally, if it looks like your totals bet is going horribly wrong, you should remember that you can cash out your bets early at most sportsbooks. This means that you get to keep a share of your stake, regardless of what happens later in the game. Perfect for saving some face after making a wayward over/under bet.
Push Scenarios
A “PUSH” in NFL over/under betting is when a total and the final combined score are exactly the same. If the Cowboys and Patriots total is set at 41 points and the final score is 41, that would be considered a PUSH and means the sports bookie you wagered with would refund your bet no matter if you selected under or over in this matchup.
This is a very common scenario in sports betting but if that same example had a total of 41.5, that game would now be considered an under. Some punters may feel that there is a larger advantage with betting on totals with a solid number instead of with a (.5) as it provides fewer risks for the gambler.
Overtime Scenario
If there’s overtime in an NFL game, it doesn’t change your bet. An over or under bet is just like a moneyline or spread bet as it accounts for the score of the entire game whether it ends in regulation or multiple overtimes.
Editor’s recommendation for NFL over/under betting
Pros and cons of BetMGM
- Full range of over/under bets
- Competitive NFL odds
- Lots of odds boosts
- Helpful $1,500 welcome offer
- Website can be hard to navigate
BetMGM is a hugely enjoyable online sportsbook and it excels at all forms of
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including football. Not only will you get great odds here for the moneyline and spread, but BetMGM clearly takes great pride in offering you over/under bets for the total points scored, number of sacks, interceptions, passing yards, touchdowns and a whole lot more.
What’s best is that if you sign up to BetMGM as a new customer, you can get a welcome offer that will refund your bet, if it loses, by up to $1,500. This is definitely useful for risky over/under bets, and elsewhere you’ll find lots of promos for existing customers including some intriguing odds boosts.
Website navigation is something that BetMGM could work on, but the brand’s app fares much better as it’ll give you an easy way to try those
prop
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Conclusion - Enjoy over/under betting on the NFL
If you have learned one thing from this guide, it is hopefully that over/under bets are a lot of fun. After all, they will add an extra dimension to how you watch any game in the NFL. Not only will you be checking the score, but you could become much more interested in anything from how many sacks that linebacker gets to how many interceptions the quarterback throws.
Of course, like with any kind of bet, over/under bets carry a fair amount of risk and so you should research carefully and play responsibly. But for now, sign up to one of our recommended online sportsbooks and look forward to making some over/under NFL bets.
NFL over/under betting FAQ
That totally depends on the context. After all, if you are being asked to bet whether there will be over or under 10 points scored in an NFL game, you’ll definitely want to bet over.
⚡ What is the trick to betting over/under?
There is no trick other than doing your research and gambling responsibly. Plus it doesn’t hurt to use any of our featured online sportsbooks as each of these will give you competitive over/under odds while ensuring that you get the full range of promo offers.
The over and under usually refers to what the total score will be at the end of an NFL game. However, it can also refer to anything from touchdowns scored to the number of passing yards thrown and so on.
🔮 How should I make my NFL over/under predictions?
It’s best to examine the form of the two teams and analyse their statistics for the over/under market that you are betting on. So if you want to bet on how many points are scored in a game between the Chiefs and the Broncos, look back over their past few games and prior head to heads.
💪 Who has the best over/under odds for the NFL?
At the moment, BetMGM seem to have nothing but competitive odds for pretty much every kind of NFL over/under bet. But be sure to shop around each of our featured sportsbooks to see who could give BetMGM a real run for their money.
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