NFL Regular Season; Betting the Winner

Football Season

It is always a fun time when the NFL Draft is over with, and the teams are getting ready to start the preseason on the right foot. During the training camps, coaches and players get a feel for what their strengths and weaknesses are, and use that information to improve. Most football fans, and even most NFL teams, don’t really take the preseason as seriously as they do with the rest of the seasons. The main bulk of the matches take place during the regular season, where it is a battle to see which team gets the better stats in order to earn a spot in the playoffs. There are a total of 32 teams trying to win a spot; there will be match ups in and out of their conference and against a wide selection playing styles.

 

Scheduling

There are 32 teams, split into two different conferences, the AFC and the NFC. Within each conference they are split up by region, North, South, East, and West. The scheduling is simple, and is changed every year to mix up the gameplay pattern between teams. There will be matches that are Intraconference and Interconference. The schedule for the 2013 regular season would go as following:

Teams

Opponents

Division

Intraconference

Interconference

AFC North AFC East NFC North
AFC South AFC West NFC West
AFC East AFC North NFC South
AFC West AFC South NFC East
NFC North NFC East AFC North
NFC South NFC West AFC East
NFC East NFC North AFC West
NFC West NFC South AFC South

 

 

Take Advantage of the Schedule

This is the first aspect any bettor should look at when beginning their wagering journey during the NFL regular season. This will give them the first look at how the match ups will be between the teams in each division. Along with the preseason and draft information, a bettor can start to analyse each team’s playing style, strengths vs. weaknesses, and how well they performed in last year’s regular season. Even though the schedule changed every year, there are very good possibilities that a team will play against the same rival they did one or two years ago. Make it a point to figure out the schedule of each team, along with who they play against. It will help greatly as the season moves on.

 

Betting on the Regular Season

To better prepare bettors so that they can make an informed wager, there are several ways of doing this. Most importantly is the money factor, and then comes reading the teams and individual athletes, and finally, learning how to make your own decision.

 

Money Tip

There are many ways of handling a bankroll, but the essential point that needs to be made during the NFL regular season is the fact that there are so many games being played. Each team will play 16 matches during this time, which is why the regular season usually lasts 17 weeks. Bettors need to learn to control their impulses, even if they get a tip about how a team is going to win, they should stick to the rule of maintaining a constant betting amount. This will do two things for the bettor; the first is to limit losses, as it helps maintain a better average of wins over losses, and secondly it allows for better money management. Without money, the bettor wouldn’t be able to place any kind of wager, so always keep the finances in strict order.

 

Reading the Statistics

There are two main types of stats when talking about the regular season of the NFL, individual and team stats.

Team Stats

Looking at the overall performance of a team is very important, especially when trying to figure out their playing style. The two main playing styles are Offensive and Defensive. Most teams will be better at offense or defence, depending on their line-up. This will help the bettor place more appropriate bets when teams play, as they will know if the team with a stronger offense will beat a team with weaker offense; vice-versa as well.

There are also teams that mainly focus on Passing or Running, and some teams do well in both regards. Taking the playing style, and comparing it against the team’s offensive tactics will be a great help as well. A team with strong running defence will probably be able to stop a team that bases most of its scoring on running plays. It can work with many different variations, which is why team stats are important to know.

Individual Stats

Just like team stats are good at comparing team match ups, looking at the individual player’s stats is also important. Looking at how one team’s defensive players will match up against the other team’s offensive line up. It is the key players, like the Quarterback, Running backs, and Wide receivers that will determine how well the offense will do, and there are also key players for the defensive line as well. Taking a look at each of their skills and talent, as well as playing history will help a bettor get a closer look at how the team will perform against their opponents.

 

Make your own Decision

There are many bettors that simply bet on teams that have been getting hype from the media and other sources, although these teams may be good, it is always better to make your own decision; it is your money after all. Bettors should follow two general guidelines, shop around and personal research.

As mentioned above, doing your own research and analysing the team’s stats is a vital part of making your own decision. There are experts out there that do this sort of thing for a living, and it is ok to use that information, but always be sceptical and do your own research. It will make betting more exciting, as well as have better odds of winning. Many bettors do not take the time to shop around. They simply go to the first sportsbook they find and use that. Shopping around will help the bettor find the best odds, and opportunities of getting a bigger pay-out.