The NFL postseason is right around the corner and the postseason picture is almost set. There are ways to win money when betting on the NFL, and there are always ways to lose money when betting on the NFL, and you don’t want that to happen to you.
There are simple tips to win money when betting on NFL picks. Speaking of which, what are some ways to win some money in the NFL postseason?
Expect the Games To Be Close
When betting on the NFL playoffs, if you are going to bet on the spread, expect the games to be close because these teams are in the playoffs for a reason. The Los Angeles Chargers are facing the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round. Buffalo is favored by (-3.5) points (-110) odds, with Los Angeles as the road underdog at (+3.5) points (-110) odds to cover the spread.
Both teams are even in terms of quarterback play with Justin Herbert and Josh Allen. This is the prime example of a football game potentially coming down to the wire. The game could be tied at 30, and Buffalo wins on a last-second field goal over Los Angeles, but if you bet the Chargers (+3.5) (-110) odds over the Bills, you win your bet.
Watch For the Records Against the Spread
One of the most important things about betting is not the team’s overall record. It is about their record against the spread when lines come out weekly. Say the Philadelphia Eagles are facing the San Francisco 49ers. Philadelphia finished with a 12-5 record during the regular season, and San Francisco finished with a 10-7 record during the regular season.
The Eagles were 16-1 against the spread, and the 49ers were just 9-8 against the spread during the regular season. You would likely take the Eagles’ (-4.5) (-115) odds over the 49ers (+4.5) (-135) odds spread in this situation. Records against the spread matter to make NFL predictions. This isn’t about who will win a football game outright, necessarily.
The trick is, will the Philadelphia Eagles beat the San Francisco 49ers by more than 4.5 points, which means by at least five or more points? If you think yes and trust the trend, then trust yourself here. If not, then go the other way, but the stats don’t back up the trends in this situation, making sports betting look harder than people make it out to be.
An Emotional Bet
There are reactions by tons of sports bettors when they first see a line that comes out, and they will immediately make an emotional bet. Say the matchup is the Cincinnati Bengals are favored by (-7.5) (-110) odds over the Jacksonville Jaguars (+7.5) (-125) odds. Many people will want to bet the underdog Jacksonville over Cincinnati because many believe the Jaguars will keep the game close. Still, then, in the end, the Bengals are just a superior football team to them.
People might regret making these bad emotional decisions when taking the Jaguars over the Bengals in the spread, not necessarily to win the football game itself.
Money Line Bets Feels Easier To Understand
Making money line bets based on NFL expert picks feels easier than picking against the spread sometimes. This is about your gut feeling about who will win the football game. Say the matchup is the New York Jets and the New England Patriots in the postseason. New York has +135 odds of winning the game, and New England has -125 odds of winning.
The plus means the underdog, and the minus means the favorite. The Patriots are 9-8, and the Jets are 8-9. Because New England feels like a better football team, pick them to win the football game outright over New York, and you don’t have to worry about sweating it out with the game spread.
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