The NFL is the most popular sports league in America. It is also the biggest sports betting market in America.
Moneyline betting is one of the most common forms of NFL betting due to its simplicity.
Everyone should master the Moneyline before they start betting. Below we will go over everything you will need to know.
What is a Moneyline Bet?
A Moneyline bet is simply betting on who you think will win the game. You select the team you want, and if they win, your bet wins.
Sportsbooks change NFL Moneyline odds to reflect the disparity between the two teams on paper.
Difference Between Spread Betting and Moneyline Betting
Betting on the spread is another popular way to bet on the NFL. Just like NFL Moneyline bets, the spread is dependent on the outcome of the game.
The difference is that the margin of victory matters when spread betting.
For example, take this game between the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots:
Above the odds for the spread on the left, there is another number in the box.
The +9 in the Chicago Bears spread box is their spread value. For them to be a winning bet against the spread, they only have to lose by less than that number.
In this example, if they lose by eight or fewer points, they would beat the spread. If they win the game outright, they also beat the spread.
If the Patriots win the game by 10 or more points, they beat the spread. A Patriots win by eight points would lose against the spread but be a winner on the Moneyline.
Since the spread for this game is exactly nine points, a nine-point Patriots victory would result in a push against the spread. Sportsbooks would refund all spread wagers for this game in that instance.
The Moneyline boxes on the right do not have another number in them. That’s because the margin of victory doesn’t matter for either side when betting on the Moneyline, only the team that wins.
A Moneyline bet on the Patriots would be a winner if they only won by eight points. That same Bears loss by eight points would be a losing bet if you took them on the Moneyline, although it would win against the spread.
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Difference Between Pick’em and Moneyline
NFL pick’ems have spread bets when the spread is set at zero for both teams.
Functionally, pick’ems are the same as the Moneyline. Whenever you bet on either, you are betting on who will win the game regardless of the margin of victory.
When both are offered for the same game, it is likely because they have different odds.
The biggest difference is that pick’ems are still a spread bet, even if that spread is zero. You can buy or sell points on either team on pick’em bets.
You can not do that with NFL Moneyline bets ever.
How to Calculate Moneyline Payouts
The odds displayed for a Moneyline pick tell you which team is favored and which team is the underdog. They also inform bettors about how much they will be paid if they win.
Let’s use this game between the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
The Ravens are -125 on the Moneyline as slight favorites. Betting on the Ravens at -125 means that you would have to wager $125 to win $100.
This would make your total payout $225 if the Ravens win the game.
Betting on the Bucs at +105 means that for every $100 you bet, you would win $105.
A $100 wager on the Bucs at those odds would result in a $205 payout if they win this game.
A number with negative odds dictates how much you would need to bet to win $100.
A number with positive odds tells bettors how much a $100 bet would return in winnings.
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How to Read NFL Moneyline Odds?
Along with telling people how much they stand to win on a bet, NFL Moneyline odds also tell people how heavily favored a team is.
As teams get further into the negatives with their Moneyline odds, they are considered a better bet to win.
When a team’s odds get higher into the positives, they are considered a larger underdog.
Consider the two examples above.
The Patriots are -400 on the Moneyline, indicating that they are heavy favorites. Being -9 against the spread backs this up.
Meanwhile, the Ravens are -125 on the Moneyline, favorites but not overwhelmingly so. They are only -1.5 against the spread, which proves that point.
As for the underdogs, the Bears are +310 facing the Patriots, while the Buccaneers are only +105 against the Ravens. This matches with their perceived odds of winning their respective games.
If you need assistance reading how Moneyline odds affect parlays and round robins, check out a betting guide to get the information you need.
How to Make Smarter NFL Moneyline Bets?
A lot of people fall for favorites or long odds when making NFL Moneyline picks.
Researching matchups and team betting trends is a great way to avoid losing money on NFL Moneyline bets.
Reading weekly previews or NFL best bet articles are other easy ways to get insights that help you win.
Before you make any bet, you should make sure you are getting the best offer. Head over to that page for the best promos and NFL Moneyline odds of the week.
