NFL Picks
In a simpler time, making good NFL picks required a good understanding of the teams and players, and putting your money down on the better side. But in today’s world, there are many ways bettors can get in on the action. From wagering strategically on the money line, to making picks with parlay plays, there is no limit to the ways your sharp plays can turn into big gains.
When looking for NFL expert picks, having the right handicapper in your corner can make the difference between winning big and walking away empty-handed. Getting a Sports Information Traders package gives you the inside edge on what’s going on across the league, helping you to make sharp plays – no matter how you like to bet.
As you get ready to make a winning combination of plays, it’s important to understand all your options. Here’s everything you need to know about making NFL football picks.
To see each game and a free NFL Pick check out our news section where we provide weekly predictions against the spread.
Popular Types of NFL Betting Explained
In the United States, there are five popular ways of betting on NFL picks every week. Betting ranges from making simple money line picks to complicated parlay wagers across multiple factors of a game.
Money Line NFL Football Picks
The simplest NFL picks anyone can make is the money line bet. This bet offers a quick understanding of how betting odds work, because the numbers show how much you could win based on your wager.
While the money line can change throughout the week, your odds are locked in once you place your bet.
Money Line NFL Football Picks Example
| Teams | Spread | To Win (Money Line) | Total |
| Tennessee | -4.0 | -200 | Over 48.5 |
| Jacksonville | +4.0 | +150 | Under 48.5 |
In this example, Tennessee is favored to win over Jacksonville by four or more points. If you bet the money line, the spread is irrelevant – you are simply picking one team to win over the other.
If you bet on Tennessee winning, you would need to wager $200 to win $100, for a total payout of $300. On the other side, if Jacksonville wins, a $100 bet would pay $150, or $250 total. These bets make your NFL pick watch easy since you know how much you could win based on the final outcome.
NFL Picks Against the Spread
A popular weekly NFL bet is against the spread. Each week, oddsmakers will evaluate two teams against each other in terms of strength and the chances of either team winning. The math is turned into a way for gamblers to “bet the spread,” requiring the favored team to win the game by a specified margin.
NFL Picks Against the Spread Example
| Teams | Spread | To Win (Money Line) | Total |
| Indianapolis | +7.0 | +250 | Over 46.5 |
| Baltimore | -7.0 | -303 | Under 46.5 |
If you were betting against the spread on Indianapolis in this example, you are wagering that Indianapolis will either win the game or lose by one touchdown or less. To cash in the spread bet on Baltimore, they would need to win by at least eight or more points.
NFL Over/Under Picks
Another one of the most common NFL picks is the over/under bet because it is one of the simplest to understand. Instead of betting on which team will win, you are betting on the total combined score of the two teams.
Although you are not betting on one individual team, making an over/under pick requires you to keep track of NFL sports betting news. If a defensive line loses a player to injury, or a wide receiver makes a return to the line, it could significantly change the final outcome.
NFL Over/Under Picks Example
| Teams | Spread | To Win (Money Line) | Total |
| Green Bay | -2.5 | -139 | Over 50.0 |
| Baltimore | +2.5 | +105 | Under 50.0 |
In this example, the sportsbook predicts that the combined final score of the game will be around 50 points. Over bets win when the total score is over 50, while under wagers payout if the total is under the line. If the sum of the game scores equals the over/under line, the result is a push, and all bets are refunded.
NFL Picks and Parlays
What if you are confident that a team will not only win, but key players will also have substantial contributions to the game? When making your NFL picks for the week, you can spread out that bet into a multi-part bet, called a parlay bet.
NFL picks and parlays are popular every week because they allow bettors to risk less money for the possibility to win more. However, for a parlay to be successful, each condition needs to be met successfully. If you make a three-way parlay but only get two correct, then you would lose the bet.
While most sportsbooks allow parlay betting, there may be limitations to how you can wager. Most will not allow you to make a parlay wager on both the spread and the money line, while some will limit the number of parlays you can make on a single bet.
NFL Parlay Bet Example
| Teams | Spread | To Win (Money Line) | Total |
| New England | -8.0 | -400 | Over 39.5 |
| Houston | +8.0 | +270 | Under 39.5 |
In this example, let’s assume that you believe that New England will not only win the game by more than eight points, but the final combined score will be less than 39.5. If the sportsbook accepts your bet, you would have a two-way parlay wager on the game.
NFL Prop Bets
Finally, NFL proposition bets (or “prop bets” for short) are individual bets based on the outcomes of certain situations. They are called “propositions” because you are proposing one will happen over the other.
While sportsbooks may offer prop bets for any game, they are most popular during the Super Bowl. Most prop bets are binary wagers: You either guess correctly or lose the wager entirely.
Some of the usual NFL football picks you may see as prop bets include:
- Outcome of the coin toss: Heads or tails
- Outcome of the first drive
- Which player will score the first touchdown
- Who will be the Super Bowl MVP
Sports Information Traders Handicapping Services
When it comes to getting NFL expert picks each week, trust the “Handicapper to the Stars” Jon Price and his team of specialists. With over $10 million in winnings for clients, Sports Information Traders is the authority on sports betting, giving you the best information to make smart plays every week. Contact us today to get started on a package that works best for you.
