
Betting for NFL is by far the most popular bet of all major American sports league, boasting the most popular game of the year, the Superbowl. Over Under Betting comes right after the spread betting as one of the most popular type of NFL betting. It is also referred to as the Game Total Betting and it usually confusing for beginner bettors. But with a clear exposition in this article, this bet type should be adequately clear to everyone.
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.
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 41(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 signs, (-) and (+), represent the team that is least likely to win i.e the underdog with the positive and then the bigger favorite team with the negative. This is also an indicator of how much you need to bet and also how much profit you are likely to win.
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, the punter wins if the bet was placed on over and lose if the bet was placed on under, but the point is that it does not matter which team scores the points, the final score is the most important thing.
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.
To be a successful punter in NFL betting using the Over/under technique, some strategies need to be learnt and they are outlined below
When a punter plans to wager on an over or an under for a game’s total, there are a lot of factors to consider.
Offensive and defensive trends for a given team need to be considered along with the history of matchups between the teams and environment – these are just some of the factors that must be taken into account before selecting which way the game will finish.
For example, let’s take a Dallas Cowboys vs New England Patriots matchup with the total set at 39 points. As a punter, you would select if the game’s final score will be Over 39 points or Under 39 points. So if the game ended 15-23 that would combine to 38 points, meaning the game went under.
For example, in the Patriots vs Cowboys matchup with a total of 39.5, you may see the odds laid out like this:
39.5 Over -110
39.5 Under +105
In this instance, the total remains at 39.5, but the amount of money you must risk is different. To wager the Over value, you have to risk $110 to win $100. To wager the under value, you get to risk $100 for the chance to win $105.
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 punter
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.
For expert NFL over/under odds and sports betting NFL service, live odds changes from the major sports bookmarkers, find out which sport bookies offer the best odds at our sports betting comparison page for profitable bets. The information on our sports betting comparison page is researched critically to help you make the best choices and to ensure you profit maximally from NFL betting. Thus, it is important to use this service to have an eye-opener and edge over NFL betting odds.
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Conclusion: Best Practices for NFL Over Under Betting
Indeed, smart NFL betting punters usually focus on one, or two betting markets at most. It's not uncommon for experienced American punters to focus only on point totals, while others focus on point spreads. The major point to profiting on a long-term basis is to focus and specialize on certain profitable markets. One tactic to adopt has got to be over/under tactics. Discover which NFL betting markets you're consistently able to identify value in and stick to them. Definitely the NFL season will be something you will always look forward to.Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
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