How to bet on football: Follow these steps to gamble on any major league

Football is one of the world’s most popular sports. From children kicking a ball around at a local park to the biggest names playing in the Super Bowl, there’s a space for everyone with a passion for football.

Why is football so popular?

Well, matches at the highest level are competitive, fast-paced, dramatic, and notoriously difficult to predict. Those qualities are why thousands of fans watch games at stadiums every weekend while millions more follow the play live on television and the best live-streaming apps.

All of this means that football is perfectly matched to online gambling, with bettors having their say on the results.

But how do you place a football bet, and is there a guaranteed way to beat the bookies?

Keep reading as Whop updates our popular online gambling series with an article that explains the finer details of betting on football. 

What are the best football leagues?

It may be called American Football, but its reach spans far beyond the United States. The National Football League attracts millions of followers from across the globe.

Fans take inspiration from the highest level to practice the sport and create teams and divisions in London, Munich, Hong Kong, Sydney, and beyond. Football is a truly global phenomenon, bringing together people from all walks of life and backgrounds.

While the NFL stands head and shoulders above every other American Football competition played today, it isn’t the only attraction. In the United States, football fans enjoy both the NFL and College Football. Across the border, there’s the increasingly popular Canadian Football League, and in Australia, the Griniron Australia league keeps fans glued to the results.

I’ve collected a list of the ten most important American Football leagues you can follow live on TV, the best streaming apps, and online today.

Key football dates for your diary

As you can see from the table posted in the previous section of this article, several respected professional and semi-professional football leagues are hosted worldwide. Some competitions are of higher quality than others, but you can choose your favorites and follow results throughout the season. 

When do the seasons begin, and how long do they last? That information is crucial if you plan to watch the games and cheer your team to the title. I’ve posted each season's usual start and end times from the ten leagues covered.

NFL - September to February

CFL - June to November

XFL - February to May

USFL - April to June

ELF - June to September

X-League - August to September

LFA - February to May

Gridiron Australia - March to September

BAFL - April to September

LBFA - June to December

Where to watch American football

Now that you know about the best American Football League games, where and when they’re played, let’s highlight how you can follow the games live. 

More games than ever before are broadcast live on television, backed up by the best HD-quality live streams. You can watch from the comfort of your home or cheer for your team when on the move using your Android or iOS smartphone.

The best broadcasters have expert commentary, HD-quality coverage, unique camera angles, up-to-date stats, predictions, live results from across the board, and more. It’s all available on your TV or handheld device, meaning you’ll never miss a game.

Here are the major broadcasters for each league.

NFL - CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, Amazon

CFL - TSN, RDS, CBS Sports

XFL - ESPN, ABC

USFL - Fox, NBC, Peacock

ELF - ELF Game Pass

X-League - J Sports

LFA - ESPN Latin America

Gridiron Australia - YouTube

BAFL - BBC Sport

LBFA - ESPN

Basics of American football games

Before jumping into the thick of my article and explaining how to gamble on American Football and target a profit from your bets, I’ll briefly explain the basic structure of games. 

The more you understand how football works in the various competitions, the greater your chances of using that information to boost your balance by betting on the results.

• Each team has 11 players on the field at any one time. The teams include offense, defense, and special teams, which handle kicking, punting, and kick-off.
• The games last 60 minutes and are divided into four quarters of 15 minutes each. There’s a 15-minute half-time break, and overtime is available if the rivals can’t be separated in regulation time. Most NFL games last around two hours, allowing for several stoppages in play.
• Matches begin with kick-off, and each team receives four chances to advance ten yards or more, known as downs. If successful, they receive another set of four downs. If not, the other team is awarded possession of the football.
• The clock stops for incomplete passes, players running out of bounds, timeouts, and other scenarios.
• Teams are granted six points for every touchdown scored. One point is awarded for kicking the ball through the uprights, two points for running the ball into the end zone, three points for a field goal, and two points for a safety.
• Possession of the football changes for a turnover on downs, interceptions, fumbles, punts, and kick-offs.
• Football matches are governed by a referee and a crew of six other officials. They award penalties for holding, offsides, and other challenges and can use video technology to review the play.
• The team with the most points at the end of play is the winner of a football match. If the score is tied, the game goes into overtime until a winner is decided.

Football games, from the NFL to the X-League, are a fascinating combination of planning, strategy, physical play, and clock management.

The team that wins a football game isn’t always the fastest or strongest. To hold the advantage, they must also have an excellent coach, great tactics, and know how to manage the clock.

How to bet on football

Now we’ve set the scene and reminded football fans of the many leagues available and the structure of games, let’s move to the most exciting section of our article: how to gamble on football.

The process is the same regardless of which league you’re betting on, your team, market, bookmaker, or the odds offered. I created an easy-to-follow guide you can use to improve all areas of your betting.

How do you successfully bet on American Football? You can beat the bookies and make your passion for football pay in two ways.

You can study the stats and pick the winner of the game or look for value in the specials, including total points, handicap, first touchdown scorer, half-time/full-time, MVP, and more. There’s a market to suit every game, bettor, and budget. All you need to do is find the football betting market that suits you best.

If you’re looking for a long-term interest, you can also bet on several outcomes of a football season. Using the NFL as an example, you can pick a team to win the Super Bowl or make the playoffs. You can also wager on the best player and young player, highest scoring team, and more. Playing the futures market keeps you involved in the results of every game, from the opening fixture to the title decider, and it’s an excellent value-for-money play.

If you’re struggling with any betting terms in this article or your chosen online bookmaker, read my helpful betting glossary here.

1. Sign up for a betting app

You’ll only be as successful as your online bookmaker allows when betting on football. That’s why it’s crucial to research what’s available and join a sportsbook that’s right for you. Read our guide and find the best sports betting apps.

It must have generous odds, a stunning welcome bonus, a wide range of markets, the latest features, pre-match and live betting, the latest stats, and plenty more. 

You are free to browse all available sportsbooks in your city, but you must register a betting account to place bets, collect bonuses, and target a profit.

I’ll now teach you the quickest and most secure way to create an account using only your smartphone.

Register your account

Once you’ve found the best bookie for you, it’s time to register an account. Thankfully, the process takes just a few minutes to complete, and you must join only once. You’ll then secure a username and password that will grant you access to your account day or night.

Follow the steps below to join a betting app quickly and get the best welcome bonus available. Please remember that missing just one step could delay your registration or cause you to miss the new customer promo.

• Open the homepage of your chosen sportsbook and click the Join button at the top of the screen to move to the registration form.
• Add your details, including your name, date of birth, email address, and telephone number, before verifying your contact information.
• Create a memorable username and password that’s secure against hackers. Never access your account on a shared device.
• Next, add the promo code and deposit $10 or more before placing a qualifying sportsbook bet.
• You can now gamble on any American Football fixture or market available on your chosen betting app.
• When your first bet settles, the welcome bonus will appear in your betting account and will be ready to use for upcoming football fixtures.

In most cases, a bookmaker will offer all new customers who follow the steps above a deposit-matched free bet between $10 and $200. That means when you add cash and gamble on football, the bookie will match your first stake as a free bet, putting you in complete control of how much you gamble and the risk involved.

Read our guide to the best US sportsbook bonuses to find the right one for you.

Confirm your details

A bookie requires you to verify your details to guard against identity fraud, money laundering, underage gambling, and other dangers associated with betting. Here’s how to verify your account using your mobile device.

Use your smartphone to take a snap of your photo ID—such as your passport or driver’s license—and email it to your bookmaker’s customer care team. They will check that the information on your ID matches the details saved to your betting account. If everything is OK, they will verify your details and remove any temporary blocks on your betting account. 

You can also enable geolocation services on your device to prove you are present in a state where online gambling is legal.

2. Find your football betting strategy

How do you find guaranteed winners when betting on football, and is there a betting strategy that provides you with sure-fire winners?

That would be great, but the truth is there’s no proven way to beat the bookmakers every time you gamble. I’d advise avoiding any source that says differently, as they could be a scammer. 

Think about it: if there were a guaranteed way to make a profit, the betting industry would go under within just a few hours. Would the creators of that betting strategy be selling their approach or using it to make millions of dollars as quickly as possible? I’ve been involved in online betting for many years and have encountered many betting tips, strategies, and guides. One thing I’ve learned, no one knows how to guarantee a win.

But there are a few things you can do to greatly increase your chances of making a profit when betting on American Football.

The easiest and one of the best betting strategies for online gamblers is simple: research. Before parting with your hard-earned stake, you must have as much information as possible. Here are ten areas to study when betting on football.

1. Recent form.
2. Weather.
3. Officials.
4. Home crowd advantage.
5. Head-to-head stats.
6. Betting odds.
7. Injury news.
8. Manager interviews.
9. League standings.
10. Travel.

You will be ready to place your bets only when you have all the information available.

Nothing is guaranteed in sports betting, but I know two things are true:

1. The traders working at your chosen sportsbook will do as much homework and research as possible to ensure they have the advantage over you.
2. The second is the more you research, the luckier your bets become.

Do you have time in your busy schedule to research football stats? Do you have the hours required to go in deep and pour over the numbers to find the best bets? It’s a luxury few sports fans enjoy other than professional gamblers.

But there’s another approach.

You can follow the professionals, getting the picks and betting advice of trusted handicappers and tipsters.They’ll do the research and return with their findings before picking which teams and markets to bet on.

Where do you find reliable American Football betting picks? There are thousands of sports betting groups available on Whop now.

Whop boasts an extensive list of trusted tipsters and proven winners in each sport, from football to soccer and horse racing to boxing. It’s all in one place, and you can browse Whop to find the top handicappers and betting experts.

3. Confirm your bet

It’s now time to focus on placing your American Football bets. When you’ve created an account, secured your welcome bonus, studied the stats, or found the best tipster at Whop, it’s time to finalize your picks and secure your wager.

Here’s how.

• Access your betting app and log in with your username and password.
• Browse the sports navigation bar and click on American football.
• Choose the league, fixture, and market you wish to bet on.
• Click the odds to add to your bet slip, input a stake, check, and confirm.
• Your bet is now live, and a cash-out amount will appear on your bet slip.

Five most popular football betting markets

The top online sportsbooks offer a wealth of betting markets, and you should ensure your chosen bookie has as many options available as possible. All the most popular markets should be at the touch of a button with a few unique specials available to keep things fresh and exciting.

I’ll now select some of my favorite American Football betting markets.

Moneyline: The simplest and most popular way to gamble on American Football. Pick the team you expect to win; if they live up to your expectations and deliver victory, you will reap the profits. But if they lose, the bookmaker keeps your stake.

Totals: How many points will a game produce by both teams combined? You can avoid picking the match winner and shoot for the totals instead. Traders will select a number of points, such as 45, and you must gamble on the game having more or less, known as over or under.

Handicap: Another popular way to bet on football is to gamble on the handicap, and it’s a great market if you’re betting on a game with a hot favorite. Your bookie may offer the pre-match favorite -7 points on the handicap. Are they strong enough to cover the handicap and win by more than seven points? Can the underdog win or remain within the handicap?

Player props: In addition to betting on how a team will perform, you can gamble on an individual player using prop bets. These include the player scoring the game's first or last points, providing assists, total yards covered, and more.

Same game multis: A type of parlay bet where you can add several outcomes from a single game to your bet. Pick the match-winner, total points, handicap, first touchdown scorer, and more to boost your potential profits.

Find expert football betting picks at Whop

Did you know Whop has all the essential tools needed to beat the bookies and seriously improve your chances of making a profit when gambling on American Football? 

From trusted betting advice to picks on tonight’s game broadcast live on TV, it’s all in one place and available on the user-friendly Whop website or modern smartphone app. The sports picks communities are run by professional gamblers and those with a deep understanding of how best to profit from football gambling.

Join today and elevate your sports betting game.

Football betting FAQs

How do I check if football betting is legal in my state?

The best and quickest way to check if you can legally register and gamble at any of the online sportsbooks featured on this page is to enable geolocation settings on your smartphone. Visit your chosen betting app to find out if they will accept players in your city.

Is there a guaranteed way to make a winning bet?

There’s no sure-fire way to beat the bookies. You can increase your chances of making a profit when betting on American Football by studying the stats or trusting the experts available today at Whop.

How do you beat the bookies?

By knowing all the facts, getting the best odds, selecting the right market, and understanding how professional bettors will approach a fixture. Bookmakers stack the odds in their favor, but that doesn’t mean you can’t cause an upset and make a profit.

Is there a free bet for NFL fans?

The biggest online betting apps offer all new players a welcome bonus when they create an account, deposit funds, and wager on a qualifying sportsbook market. Bonuses include free bets, enhanced odds, cashback, profit boosts, and more.

How do I find football picks at Whop?

Visit the Whop Marketplace and select American Football or NFL from the navigation bar. You’ll then see a list of the best tipsters and betting resources.