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The legal landscape for sports betting is changing rapidly by the day, and technology will further transform the practice itself. Both online and offline sports betting are receiving more attention from politicians, the courts, and the media. As legal sports betting gains traction, here is your guide to betting on the NFL.
Offline
In 2018, the Supreme Court struck down the federal ban on sports betting, meaning that the decision is now up to individual states. Whereas betting was previously limited to Las Vegas, Nevada, now over 11 states now have legal sports betting industries, with other states’ legislatures also considering bills.
In the states with legalized sports betting, you can find sportsbooks in casinos or other designated venues. As the industry grows, more and more sites are likely to spring up as well. However, locations vary by state; in New York, for example, bets can only be placed in person at four casinos.
It’s hard to ignore the convenience of placing bets online, but in-person betting has some advantages you can’t find anywhere else. The camaraderie and thrills of being surrounded by others — in a venue where everyone else is doing the same thing and the adrenaline is high — is a point in favor of offline betting. If you do win big at a sportsbook, it’s courteous to tip, and be sure to remain polite even as you’re celebrating. Make sure you know the lingo before you go, too — you don’t want to hold up other patrons at the venue.
Online
As our lives continue to become digitized, the trend is that more and more betting will take place online. The internet has greatly changed how fans can bet on the NFL. Many betting sites offer a wide range of wagers throughout the NFL season, such as start-of-game bets, in-game bets, prop bets, and future betting. This also makes betting accessible to people who don’t or can’t head to Vegas or Atlantic City to make their bets in person.
As with any site taking your money, be sure you do your research first. Like with onsite betting, make sure to choose a sportsbook that is well-established and reputable. Here is a list of Super Betting sites. Learn the basic terminology for the different types of bets on the NFL, such as moneyline, against the spread, parlay, teasers, and futures.
Lastly, as with much of our increasingly digital world, online sports betting is gaining a robust mobile presence. If you’re looking to bet on the NFL, try app betting as well, which makes placing bets much easier when you’re on the go.
Fantasy Football
Fantasy sports are not subject to the same rules as sports betting, and so there is a robust marketplace for placing bets on fantasy NFL teams. Betting on fantasy sports has been around for a long time, often between friends or colleagues. Now, thanks to technology, fantasy sports can reach national and global scales.
For fans of the NFL, fantasy sports offer an excellent way to get more league content outside of the actual games. Fantasy leagues don’t need to last the entire season, either — fans can bet on daily or weekly match-ups.
The benefits of betting on fantasy football include faster payouts, not having ties to a team that may be losing, competing against other players instead of the house, and the sheer entertainment value of it all. Fantasy sports allow for match-ups and team-ups that would never happen in the actual NFL, making the betting that much sweeter.
As states continue to respond to the Supreme Court decision and pass their own bills legalizing sports betting, keep an eye on trends defining this space, both online and offline. Fantasy sports, diverse venues for placing bets, app betting, and in-game bets are all likely to continue growing and providing new, exciting ways to bet on the NFL.