The Five Golden Rules of NFL Betting for Beginners

NFL betting can be very exciting and entertaining for those who can appreciate how much it offers when it comes to engagement with a sport and for those who can manage their betting strategy in ways that they can earn a living from their habit. This is basically why NFL betting ranks in the top positions of sports in betting and also why it is one of the most popular markets in online sports betting in Malaysia. 

The betting world has so many experiences to offer to punters. Being able to back your favorite team in a football game, wager on a single player for whom you have let’s say information regarding his expected performance, bet on an NFL underdog on the road because you have an edge, are all typical examples of how betting can improve your experience over the sport on the one hand and how it can trigger your interest, anticipation and enthusiasm while waiting for the results on the other hand. 

For beginners NFL betting might seem a little tricky or challenging. But the truth is that everyone who wants to wager on NFL need to follow the following five golden rules of betting: 

1. Seek the best odds and lines before betting

The NFL games are so popular across the world and NFL betting is such an attractive market for all punters that it is a huge mistake not to seek for the best odds and lines before you decide where to place your bet. 

For sure, there are going to be differences between sportsbooks in odds and your role is to be able to find those offerings that add value to your bets. 

Shopping around is one of the first and most important rules in NFL betting and it can maximize your payout and optimize your potential returns. So, never forget to do some searching of your own before you make up your mind about the bet. 

2. Don’t bet as a fan

With betting you get to actively support your favorite team, but truth be told, this kind of betting is hardly ever going to lead to potential long-term profits. Of course it is ok for you to wager on your team simply because you love them, but this should never be the rule – it should be the exception. 

Betting should be driven by an edge. Even if your favourite team plays with their biggest opponents, you need to be more objective and less heart-driven if you decide to bet on this game. Don’t just go for who you like. Sometimes, if you have an edge, you’d better go for those who you might not like at all!

3. Be flexible and don’t stick to cliches 

There is so much discussion around NFL betting that you can find a handful of cliches, tips and guidelines like: Bet on the underdog on the road or Bet on the home team after a winning streak or always look for the home field advantage in the playoffs. These are all tips that should be co-evaluated with other contextual factors before betting and they should not be followed blindly or in isolation. 

You need to be flexible enough so as to be able both to consider some statistics like the home field advantage for example, but at the same time evaluate the home team’s actual potential. Looking at its records, player injuries, team morale and things like that can give you a more complete picture. 

4. Never chase your losses 

Betting can’t guarantee anything. So, it might well be the case that you experience a losing streak. In that case don’t ever chase your betting losses. If you decide to do so, then most probably you will further extend your losing streak. Betting that is driven by the motive to rebound is deemed to fail because it is distorted and mismanaged from the very beginning. 

5. Manage your bankroll

The fifth golden rule in NFL betting has to do with your bankroll. Bettors can’t really use their money uncontrollably when placing wagers. It is imperative that they have some kind of plan, some kind of strategy which will allow them to properly manage the money they have available for betting. 

There are a number of different approaches to bankroll management – such as setting certain limits, assigning a specific percentage of your bankroll for each bet, using units to set the amount wagered etc. You can find very useful information on bankroll management articles but you can also develop your own model. Either way, it is crucial that you have a plan instead of just leaving everything to chance. 

These five golden rules will prove very handy to beginner bettors, but will also be helpful for every punter who has been carried away by all the betting heat and wants to gain some control over his decisions and actions.