Dads who are looking for more recreational activities may want to explore betting on NFL games. 

Even if you don’t pay close attention to football, and if it’s not one of your pastimes, betting is an enjoyable activity to get involved in. Not only may it increase your general interest in the sport, but with smart and bold strategizing, it can net you some extra dollars. 

To say that the gambling industry for NFL games has significantly taken off over these last few years would be a giant understatement. 

Just how much? Research from the American Game Association in September of this year found that 45.2 million Americans plan to bet on 2021 NFL games. The report noted that this is a whopping 36 percent increase from 2020. 

The research also found that 10.5 million Americans “will place a bet at a physical casino sportsbook”. This is a significant 58-percent increase from a year ago. 

Bill Miller, the President and CEO of the AGA, stated “Importantly, when the 2021 NFL season begins, more than 111 million* American adults will be able to wager safely with regulated sportsbooks in their home states rather than with the predatory illegal market.” 

It’s imperative to always spend careful and valuable time reading the best NFL Picks for any given week and season. Here are some key tips to keep in mind when it comes to betting on NFL games.

Don’t Take The Obvious Bets 

For example, the Cincinnati Bengals are opening as a -7 or -7.5-point favorite (depending on the website) against the Jacksonville Jaguars for their Thursday Night Football Game in Week 4. 

The Bengals are at home, and they sit at 2-1 on the season. The Jaguars, sitting at 0-3, hold a brutal minus-38 point differential. 

So if you bet straight up (not using the betting line) on the Bengals, there isn’t much money to be made. If the line, for example, is -110 for the Bengals, that means a bettor would have to bet $110 just to win $100. It’s not a smart value play. 

The smart play is to bet on either one of these teams to cover the point spread (in this case, 7 to 7.5 points). There’s also money to be made if a bettor places a wager on the Jaguars, who are a major underdog this Sunday.

Analyze Trap Games For Big Favorites

Looking at the Week 4 lines, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are considerably big 5-5-point favorites against the New England Patriots. It’s easy to think that the defending champions will more than easily cover the spread. 

But the Patriots, who sit at 1-2, have two major advantages here. For one, they’ll play at home against Tom Brady for the first time ever. Bill Belichick, Josh McDaniels and New England’s coaching staff will know the ins-and-outs of Brady and his strengths. 

And while scoring hasn’t been a problem for the Bucs (they’re averaging 34.3 points per game), the Patriots bolster the league’s second-best pass defense (159.7 yards allowed per game so far). 

Tampa Bay’s banged-up secondary has allowed a whopping 338.3 yards through the air per game, and Pats’ rookie quarterback Mac Jones has looked sharp early and often. 

This is a serious trap game for Tampa Bay, and a well-coached team like the Patriots can absolutely pull out the victory. This is where you want to find difficult matchups for a considerable favorite (in this case, the Bucs at -5.5), and take a chance on the underdog.

Over/Under: Finding The Right Matchups 

The Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys field two of the NFL’s most prolific offenses. The current over/under for that game is 50 or 50.5 (again, depending on the website). 

So it’s not a stretch to believe that both of these teams can put up over 20 points each. The Cowboys, who feature arguably the NFL’s most prolific passing game, could easily hit 30-plus in this one. 

This is a matchup featuring two high-scoring teams that are loaded with skill position guys. This is where it’s smart to bet on the over, since you know that both Carolina and Dallas are capable of racking up the points. 

The Baltimore Ravens will visit the Denver Broncos in Week 4. The O/U for that game is 44, but with both teams featuring rush-heavy offenses and stingy defenses, logic would suggest that this will be a defensive-dominated affair.  

In this instance, it’s smart to bet on the under.

NOTE: Although we talk about betting online on our websites pages, it is the responsibility of all visitors to this website to check current local laws in their own area or country before doing any gambling online. It is your responsibility to know and follow your local laws in place and to gamble responsibly.