The three most common NFL betting markets answer three different questions. A moneyline bet asks who wins the game outright. A point spread bet asks by how much. A totals bet, or over/under, asks how many combined points both teams will score. The right choice depends entirely on which of those predictions you actually have, and each market pays out differently based on the odds attached to it.
Understanding NFL Betting Markets: Moneyline, Spread, and Totals
Sportsbooks frame these markets around a favorite and an underdog. The favorite is the team seen as likely to win, marked with a minus sign, while the underdog, marked with a plus sign, is seen as likely to lose, as Action Network's NFL betting guide explains. The spread exists to level the playing field between the two, in FanDuel's phrasing, while the moneyline removes the point spread entirely and asks bettors to take a team to win straight up, as Yahoo Sports describes.
A typical game listing shows all three markets side by side. Action Network's hypothetical example between the 49ers and Chiefs shows the 49ers at -2.5 (-115) on the spread, a total of 47.5 (-110), and a moneyline of -125, with the Chiefs at +2.5 (-105), 47.5 (-110), and +105. One game, three separate wagers, three separate win conditions.
Moneyline Bets: Picking the Outright Winner
The moneyline is the simplest bet in football. It requires a bettor to pick the team they think will win a particular game, regardless of the score or stats, according to Action Network. The margin of victory does not matter at all: a one-point win and a thirty-point win pay the same on the same ticket.
What changes is the price. Because favorites are seen as likely to win, backing them costs more relative to the potential return, while underdogs pay more because they are seen as likely to lose. In Yahoo Sports' example, the Packers at -200 require a bettor to lay $200 to win $100, while a $100 bet on the Bears at +180 would win $180—but Chicago has to win straight up. The moneyline suits a bettor whose prediction is simply about the winner, especially one who believes an underdog has a genuine chance at an upset.
Point Spread Bets: Betting on the Margin of Victory
The spread turns a lopsided matchup into a roughly even wager by attaching a handicap. The favorite must win by more than the spread; the underdog can lose by less than the spread or win outright. In Yahoo Sports' example, the Cowboys at -7 are a 7-point favorite and must win by more than 7 for that bet to pay. A Giants bettor at +7 wins if New York loses by 6 or fewer, ties, or wins the game.
One distinctive outcome is the push. If the game ends with exactly a 7-point Cowboys win, the bet is a push and the stake is refunded, according to Yahoo Sports. That is why many lines use half-point numbers, such as the Chiefs at -6.5 in FanDuel's example, where the team must win by 7 or more—no exact-margin tie is possible. Most sides carry odds around -110, meaning a bettor risks $110 to win $100, per Yahoo Sports.
Totals (Over/Under) Bets: Predicting the Combined Score
Totals ignore who wins entirely. The sportsbook sets a line, such as 48.5, and bettors decide whether the game will go over or under that combined score, as Yahoo Sports explains. If the final is 28-24, the combined 52 points clears a 48.5 line and the over wins; 24-17, a combined 41, sends the under home.
Like spreads, totals generally carry -110 odds on each side, per Yahoo Sports. This market fits a prediction about game flow rather than teams—expecting a shootout between two strong offenses, or a low-scoring grind between strong defenses. Action Network's example line of 47.5 (-110) on both sides illustrates the standard structure. FanDuel's FAQ confirms that overtime periods count for spread, moneyline, and totals wagers, so late scoring can swing a total after regulation ends.
Interpreting American Odds and Calculating Payouts
American odds follow one consistent rule across these markets. A minus sign indicates the amount you must wager to win $100; a plus sign indicates the amount you win on a $100 wager. That interpretation is consistent across the betting information sources reviewed here, including Yahoo Sports, FanDuel, and Action Network.
Worked examples make the arithmetic concrete. A moneyline favorite at -200, like the Packers in Yahoo Sports' example, requires risking $200 to profit $100. A moneyline underdog at +180, like the Bears, returns $180 profit on a $100 stake. A spread or total at -110, the most common price on those markets, requires $110 to win $100. FanDuel's example of the Eagles at -150 works the same way: risking $150 to profit $100, with the bet slip calculating the payout automatically. All figures are illustrative and do not reflect live market odds.
NFL Betting Markets: A Comparative Overview
The table below contrasts the fundamental objective of each bet type—outright winner versus margin of victory versus combined score—so you can match your specific game analysis to the appropriate market.
| Bet Type | What You Are Betting On | Example Win Condition | Best For Scenarios When... |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | Which team wins the game outright, regardless of score or margin. | You bet Team A; Team A must win the game. Margin of victory does not affect the outcome. | You are confident in one team winning, especially if you believe an underdog can pull an upset. |
| Point Spread | The margin of victory or defeat, with the favorite handicapped and the underdog given a head start. | You bet Cowboys -7; they must win by 8 or more. A win by exactly 7 is a push and the stake is refunded. | You expect a favorite to win by a large margin, or an underdog to keep the game close. |
| Totals (Over/Under) | Whether the combined final score goes over or under the sportsbook's line. | The line is 48.5; the over wins if the two teams combine for 49 or more points. | Your prediction is about overall scoring—expecting a high-scoring or defensive game—rather than either team. |
Read the table as a decision aid: identify which of the three questions your prediction actually answers, then select the market built around it. A bettor who expects a favorite to win comfortably is looking at the spread; one who expects an underdog to win outright is looking at the moneyline; one who expects a shootout is looking at the total.
Player Prop Bets: Wagers on Individual Performance
Beyond the three game-level markets, sportsbooks offer proposition bets, or props, which shift the focus from team outcomes to individual events. Yahoo Sports notes that props are famously associated with Super Bowl betting, where they extend to wagers like which player will score the first touchdown. A common prop bet during the regular season is on yards for specific players, such as a quarterback's over/under 305.5 passing yards, per Yahoo Sports. FanDuel likewise lists player props among its NFL markets. Props let a bettor act on a view about one player's performance—passing yards, receptions, or scoring a touchdown—without needing to be right about the game's winner or total.
Choosing Your NFL Bet: Aligning Prediction with Wager
To select the most appropriate NFL bet, evaluate whether your prediction focuses on the outright winner, the margin of victory, or the total combined score, then match it to the Moneyline, Point Spread, or Totals market, respectively. The mechanics are fixed: the moneyline pays on the winner, the spread pays on the margin with a push refund at the exact number, and the total pays on the combined score, with overtime counting in all three.
The measurable test of whether this guide worked: the reader successfully identifies a bet type that aligns with a hypothetical game scenario and explains why it is suitable. Take a game with a 7-point favorite and a total of 48.5—if your view is "the favorite wins but it's close," that points to the underdog on the spread; if your view is "the underdog wins outright," that points to the moneyline; if your view is "both offenses stall," that points to the under. All example odds here are illustrative only, and this article does not recommend any specific wager.
