If you are new to sports betting, one thing that you can be sure of is that you’ll come across many different types of bets. This is possible thanks to technology, and it gives sports fans lots of options besides simply picking who they think will win a game. Among the many betting options available are futures, a type of betting that goes beyond the ordinary to let you wager on something that will happen over the course of a season.
Futures betting can help make the upcoming season much more exciting, but you’ll first need to understand how this variation of NFL betting lines works. We’ll take you through the basics in this guide.
What is NFL Futures Betting?
NFL Futures are a type of bet that involves predicting something that will happen several weeks or months from now (in the future). It is different from regular moneyline betting in that the bet takes a long time to mature. For example, instead of betting on who will win in a game between the Eagles and Cowboys, you can bet on who you think will win the division.
Although you’ll have to wait for long to see if you will win, these types of bets usually come with much higher odds than regular bets.
Types of NFL Futures
There are several types of futures bets that you can place.
- Super Bowl Winner: The first and most popular one is who you think will emerge as the eventual champion come February.
- Conference Winners: As the name suggests, this type of futures bet will let you wager on the team you think will win its conference, either the AFC or NFC.
- Division Winners: This one is much like the Conference Winners futures bet. It lets you predict the team that you think will win their division. Since it has fewer teams, it has lower risk.
- Regular Season Win Totals: If you feel you are a good analyst or know your team’s season potential well enough, you can guess the number of games you think the team will win during the regular season. This one typically has a range.
- Player Props: Props is a type of NFL and sports betting that generally involves predicting certain events during a game. When it comes to futures, you can bet on player props, such as the total number of touchdowns thrown over the entire season.
- NFL MVP: This one is more straightforward as it lets you predict who you think will be crowned the NFL’s Most Valuable Player at the end of the season.
How to Bet on NFL Futures
Betting on NFL futures is no more complicated than traditional sports betting. However, you will need to select your sportsbook well, as some do not offer the futures option, and others are limited to basic ones such as Super Bowl winners. On top of that, it’s important to ensure that the sportsbook you choose is reputable and has good online reviews. If you have several that fit this criteria, you can look at the payment methods offered and compare the odds.
From there, simply fund your account, and you can wager on the outcome you think is most probable. However, it’s important to note that betting on futures will require you to wait for weeks or months before your bet can be settled. On top of that, you will need to do proper analysis, as futures bets are riskier since a lot can change over the course of the season. That said, they make the season more exciting and offer you a chance at huge returns.
