Often when betting the NFL, bettors just play the points spread, or they bet the moneyline. However, when doing that, they eliminate a brand new way to earn winnings at the sportsbook by betting the total. They often avoid this form of betting because, on the surface, it seems like a more complicated way to bet.
What NFL Totals Picks do we provide
We offer totals picks for all NFL matches, (week 1, 2, 3 etc), as well as Thursday Night, Sunday Night and Monday Night. Once we have calculated the totals prediction, we then align this with the odds from the US Sportsbooks, and show you whether to bet the under or the over.
We don’t provide the total score prediction. Instead, we tell you exactly which option for the totals market to bet on. That is, we will say bet over or bet under.
Under/Over, also referred to as Totals, means predicting what the total sum of the score will be at fulltime. This means if you take the points score by team A and add the to the points scored by team B, what that total will be. You then see if they will be above, or below what the bookies are saying.
Not capitalizing on totals betting would leave a sizeable hole in any bettors ticket. By adding a few totals bet to your ticket, you can really start to rake in the winnings at the sportsbook. Before you begin adding totals bets to your repertoire, let’s go over what it means and the best way to take advantage of it.
How do totals bets in the NFL work, and what does it mean to you?
In the NFL, totals betting is also known as over/under betting. When the sportsbook opens the line, they assign a total amount of points that they believe will be around the amount both teams will score. As an example, let’s say the Tennessee Titans are facing the Indianapolis Colts, and the sportsbook has the total at 48.5-points. At the end of the game, you add the points that each team scored, and that’s how you find out whether you won or not.
Say that the final score was Titans 31 – Colts 20, if you add those together, you’ll get 51 which is more than the 48.5 points the sportsbook assigned as the total. If you decided to bet the over in this game, you’d win! When you think about it, betting the totals isn’t nearly as complicated as it might seem at first.
How you can determine the best bet between the over/under.
If you’re unfamiliar with betting in this format, making decisions on whether to take the over or under could be complicated. However, this is when you can use trends to your advantage. A trend is something a team often does that sportsbooks and bettors have begun to notice. For example, if the Green Bay Packers scores usually go over the total when playing at home, it’s a good idea to bet the over if they’re playing at Lambeau Field.
Another piece of information to consider when betting the total is the strength of both team’s defense. If the two teams playing have strong defenses, the game will more than likely be a low-scoring match. You’ll also have to take injuries into account because if a team is down a player in a vital position, the score will be affected.
Is it worth it to add a totals bet to your ticket?
Depending on how much research you’re willing to do, adding a totals bet to your ticket can really boost your winnings. Of course, there’s more work that goes into it than points spread betting or moneyline betting, but it definitely should have a place on your ticket.
If you remember to look into trends and the offenses and defenses of both teams, you’ll be able to call these games more correctly, ensuring a win at the sportsbook.