{"id":29404,"date":"2026-08-07T10:40:56","date_gmt":"2026-08-07T14:40:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/us\/?page_id=29404"},"modified":"2026-08-07T10:40:56","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T14:40:56","slug":"how-to-bet-on-nfl","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/us\/nfl\/how-to-bet-on-nfl\/","title":{"rendered":"How to bet on the NFL"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Placing an NFL bet takes about five minutes once you know the one thing that decides everything else: whether your state has legal sports betting. Get that answered and the rest is an account form, a deposit and a bet slip. This guide walks through how to bet on NFL games step by step, from checking your state to cashing out, with the odds format explained along the way. And if the game itself is new to you, start with our <a href=\"\/us\/nfl\/how-the-nfl-works\/\">NFL rules explainer<\/a>, then come back for the betting half. 21+ in most states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Betting on the NFL in eight steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Check your state<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">About 30 states plus DC license online sportsbooks, and if you are in one of them you can open an account and bet this afternoon. A few states allow only in-person betting at casinos. And the holdouts are not small ones: California, Texas and Georgia have no legal sports betting at all. The state-by-state table on our <a href=\"\/us\/nfl\/\">NFL betting guide<\/a> carries the current status, and if you are in a holdout state, regulated prediction markets are the legal alternative; our <a href=\"\/us\/bet\/best-prediction-markets\/\">prediction markets guide<\/a> explains how those work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Choose your sportsbook<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This step does not exist in most countries, where one platform is the only legal option. Here you choose, and the choice matters less than beginners fear: every book on our <a href=\"\/us\/bet\/betting-sites\/nfl\/\">NFL sportsbook ranking<\/a> is licensed, safe and fine to start with. Pick on what you value, whether that is app quality, prop depth or payout speed, and know that the sharper move later is holding accounts at two or three. The <a href=\"\/us\/bet\/betting-sites\/\">sportsbooks hub<\/a> covers everything else we rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Open and verify your account<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every regulated book runs identity checks. Expect to supply your name, date of birth, address and the last four digits of your Social Security number, with a photo ID sometimes requested before your first withdrawal. This is not the book being difficult; it is a licensing requirement, and it is also the quickest way to tell a regulated book from an offshore one. Offshore sites skip the checks because nobody makes them do any.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One more thing the apps will check: your location. Regulated books verify that you are physically inside a legal state while betting. A New Jersey account does not work from a desk in Manhattan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Fund the account<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Debit cards, PayPal and direct online banking cover most US deposits, with ACH transfers the slower budget option. Credit cards are barred by some states and declined by many banks even where they are allowed, so do not build your plan around one. Minimum deposits usually sit between $10 and $20, so starting small is easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Learn to read the odds<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">US sportsbooks show American odds, and two rules cover ninety percent of it. Minus means favorite. A negative number shows what you risk to win $100, so at -110 you stake $110 to win $100. A positive number is the underdog&#8217;s price and shows what a $100 stake wins, so +150 returns $150 in profit on top of the stake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here is what a typical Sunday line looks like, read aloud. Bills -3.5 (-110), Jets +3.5 (-110), total 44.5: the Bills are favored by three and a half points, either side of that spread costs $110 to win $100, and the combined score is priced around 44 or 45 points. The moneyline on the same game might read Bills -180, Jets +155. No points involved there, just the winner, with the price carrying the mismatch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Pick your first market<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Start with the moneyline: pick the winner, nothing else to think about. It is the simplest bet in football and the right training ground. From there, the point spread is the NFL&#8217;s signature market, and totals let you bet the shape of a game rather than the winner. The markets table on our <a href=\"\/us\/nfl\/\">NFL betting hub<\/a> walks through all six that matter. And when you want a second opinion before betting one, our <a href=\"\/us\/nfl\/picks\/\">NFL picks<\/a> publish the reasoning game by game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What not to start with: parlays. Every book pushes them because the margins are the widest in the building. Learn single bets first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. Build the bet slip and place it<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tap the odds you want and the selection lands on your bet slip. Enter a stake, check the potential return the slip calculates for you, and confirm. Two habits worth forming from bet one: read the slip back before confirming, because a mistap on the wrong side is a real and unrefundable thing, and note that odds can move between adding a selection and confirming it. The price on your slip at confirmation is the price you hold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">8. Withdraw your winnings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Withdrawals generally return by the method you deposited with, and the first one usually triggers the full identity check if you have not completed it. PayPal and online banking at the faster books clear in hours; ACH can take days. If a book makes withdrawing feel harder than depositing, that is worth noticing. And keep a record of what you take out, because the IRS considers it income; the FAQ below covers the tax question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Strategy that survives contact with the season<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most beginner advice is padding. Three things actually help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bankroll first. Decide what the season&#8217;s entertainment budget is before Week 1, divide it into units, and size every bet in units. One unit on a normal play, two at most on a strong one. The arithmetic is boring and it is the whole game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shop lines. The same game is priced slightly differently across books, and over a season those slivers compound. One account is a price-taker; three accounts is a market. This is the single structural advantage US bettors have over almost everyone else, and most never use it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Respect the key numbers. NFL margins land on 3 and 7 far more than anywhere else, so a spread moving through those numbers changes real win probability. It is the single most transferable piece of NFL pricing knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mistakes new NFL bettors make<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Betting every game on the slate because the slate is there. Thirteen Sunday games do not owe you thirteen opinions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chasing a bad Sunday with a bigger Monday night stake. The schedule is built to invite this. Decline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Treating same game parlays as a strategy rather than a lottery ticket. They are priced like entertainment; enjoy them as entertainment or skip them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Confusing a deep prop menu with an edge. More markets means more prices, and most of them are shaded against casual money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Riding the popular side because everyone is on it. By the time most of the money sits on one team, the price has usually moved to make that side worse, not better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How welcome offers actually work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every book advertises a welcome offer, and the ads are loud because the offers work. Most pay in bonus bets rather than cash: win with one and you keep the winnings, not the stake. First-bet offers refund a losing opener the same way. None of this is a trick, but all of it comes with playthrough terms, so read them before you deposit rather than after. And since the offers differ meaningfully between books, comparing two or three before signing up is the one moment where shopping around pays instantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bet like it is entertainment, because it is<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Set deposit limits inside the app before the season starts, while the decision is still a calm one. Every regulated US book has them. Usually buried one settings menu deep, but there. If it stops being fun, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER, and our <a href=\"\/us\/gambling-awareness\/\">gambling awareness page<\/a> lists further support resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to bet on the NFL: FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-usnflhowto1\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Is it legal to bet on NFL games in the US?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">It depends on the state. Since the federal ban fell in May 2018, about 30 states plus DC have licensed online sportsbooks, a few allow only in-person betting, and holdouts including California and Texas allow neither. Our NFL betting guide maps the current status.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-usnflhowto2\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Do I have to be in a legal state to place a bet?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes. Regulated apps verify your physical location at bet time, so you can hold a New Jersey account but you cannot use it from Manhattan. It reactivates when you cross back.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-usnflhowto3\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">What is the easiest NFL bet for a beginner?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">The moneyline. One decision, one price, and settlement is obvious. Add spreads and totals once reading American odds feels automatic.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-usnflhowto4\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">How much money do I need to start?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Less than a game ticket. Minimum deposits at most US sportsbooks run $10 to $20, and sensible starter stakes are smaller still.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-usnflhowto5\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Do I pay taxes on sports betting winnings?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes. Gambling winnings are taxable income federally, and most states take a cut as well. Sportsbooks report certain large wins to the IRS automatically, but every dollar of profit is technically in scope whether a form gets filed or not. Keep records from bet one. And talk to a tax professional, because this is the single biggest difference from betting anywhere else.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-usnflhowto6\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">What does +200 mean in NFL odds?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">It is an underdog price in American odds: a $100 stake returns $200 in profit if it wins. The plus sign marks the underdog and always shows profit per $100 staked.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-usnflhowto7\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can I use offshore betting sites instead?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">They exist and they accept Americans, but they hold no US license, no state consumer protection applies, and if a withdrawal goes wrong there is no regulator to complain to. With regulated books in 30-plus states and prediction markets nearly everywhere else, the offshore route buys risk and nothing else.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>21+ in most states (18+ in some) | Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER | Odds and product details change; verify in the app.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Placing an NFL bet takes about five minutes once you know the one thing that decides everything else: whether your state has legal sports betting. Get that answered and the rest is an account form, a deposit and a bet slip. This guide walks through how to bet on NFL games step by step, from&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3589,"featured_media":29402,"parent":29121,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"how to bet on nfl","_yoast_wpseo_title":"How to Bet on NFL Games: Beginner's Guide 2026 | Squawka","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"How to bet on NFL games in eight steps: check your state, choose a sportsbook, read American odds and place a smart first bet. 21+ in most states.","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-29404","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"external_featured_image_url":"","hide_featured_image_pattern":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.0 (Yoast SEO v28.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Bet on NFL Games: Beginner&#039;s Guide 2026 | Squawka<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How to bet on NFL games in eight steps: check your state, choose a sportsbook, read American odds and place a smart first bet. 21+ in most states.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/us\/nfl\/how-to-bet-on-nfl\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to bet on the NFL\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"How to bet on NFL games in eight steps: check your state, choose a sportsbook, read American odds and place a smart first bet. 21+ in most states.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/us\/nfl\/how-to-bet-on-nfl\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Squawka | US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" 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Our NFL betting guide maps the current status.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/us\\\/nfl\\\/how-to-bet-on-nfl\\\/#faq-question-usnflhowto2\",\"position\":2,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/us\\\/nfl\\\/how-to-bet-on-nfl\\\/#faq-question-usnflhowto2\",\"name\":\"Do I have to be in a legal state to place a bet?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. Regulated apps verify your physical location at bet time, so you can hold a New Jersey account but you cannot use it from Manhattan. It reactivates when you cross back.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/us\\\/nfl\\\/how-to-bet-on-nfl\\\/#faq-question-usnflhowto3\",\"position\":3,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/us\\\/nfl\\\/how-to-bet-on-nfl\\\/#faq-question-usnflhowto3\",\"name\":\"What is the easiest NFL bet for a beginner?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The moneyline. One decision, one price, and settlement is obvious. Add spreads and totals once reading American odds feels automatic.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/us\\\/nfl\\\/how-to-bet-on-nfl\\\/#faq-question-usnflhowto4\",\"position\":4,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/us\\\/nfl\\\/how-to-bet-on-nfl\\\/#faq-question-usnflhowto4\",\"name\":\"How much money do I need to start?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Less than a game ticket. 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