NFL Futures Betting Strategy and Tips
Betting on NFL futures can provide solid value for football fans who enjoy following the league. NFL futures odds can change dramatically throughout the season, which bettors can leverage for success. Typically, NFL futures bets revolve around historical trends, team performance, and other events like trades and injuries.
Read on to discover our tips and strategies to start your betting journey. We’ll show you the basics of NFL futures picks, ranging from Super Bowl futures to NFL awards betting. Both new and experienced bettors can raise the odds of winning futures bets by learning strategies and tips.
Types of NFL Futures
You can choose from various NFL futures that focus on predicting how teams and players will perform throughout the season. Try your hand at predicting who will win the Super Bowl, over/unders for the total number of regular season wins, and more.
For other types of football bets, check out our NFL betting guide.
Super Bowl Winner
Super Bowl futures are a popular annual wager, especially for fans betting on their own team. By learning about the NFL championship’s rich history, you can gain valuable insight into the best team to bet on. Bovada is a great place to place a Super Bowl futures bet.
Expert Tip: The favorites to win the Super Bowl often change throughout the season, with odds changing after each week of the regular season. Keep track of the latest developments in the NFL to improve your odds of winning and the payout for a winning Super Bowl bet.
AFC / NFC Conference Championship
The NFL has two different conferences that split teams into the AFC and NFC, with the winner of each conference earning a spot in the Super Bowl. Predict the winner of the AFC or NFC conference championship to win this type of futures bet. Place a conference championship futures bet at Everygame.
Expert Tip: Betting on a team to win the AFC or NFC conference can be a lower-risk, high-value alternative to picking a team to win the Super Bowl. Track the odds for conference winner futures throughout the season to maximize your bet.
Division Winner
The AFC and NFC consist of four divisions, the north, south, east, and west, each hosting four teams. Pick the winner of an NFL division to win this type of futures wager. You can bet on NFL division winner futures at BetNow.
Expert Tip: Some divisions in the NFL experience strong trends because of the dominance of one team, such as Tom Brady and the Patriots reign over the AFC East. Keep an eye out for teams poised to dominate their division, and place your wager before the season starts.
NFL Player Awards
After the regular season ends, there’s a vote to determine NFL player awards, such as the Most Valuable Player and the Offensive Rookie of the Year. The NFL Honors list includes seven different player awards futures to bet on. BetOnline is a good site to place bets on NFL player awards.
Expert Tip: The odds for NFL player awards can swing drastically from week to week. Favorites in each category can drop out of the awards race in the blink of an eye. Track player performance trends during the run-up to the NFL playoffs for potential underdog winners to emerge.
Team to Make Playoffs
A simple yes or no proposition, one of the more popular bets to make for NFL futures is whether a team makes the postseason. Only 14 of 32 teams make the NFL playoffs each year, so the majority of the franchises will miss out. You can wager on NFL playoffs futures at BetAnySports.
Expert Tip: When betting on NFL playoff futures, check out an analysis of the NFL strength of schedule for each team. Franchises with easier schedules are more likely to earn a playoff spot than a similar team with a more difficult schedule.
Regular Season Player Stats
The NFL produces plenty of statistics, just like other major sports leagues in North America. Popular futures for NFL regular season stats include predicting the leaders for total rushing yards, receiving yards, and passing yards. Bet on NFL regular season futures at WagerWeb.
Expert Tip: Don’t forget to analyze a player’s team before picking them to lead the league in a statistical category. A superstar quarterback without good receivers is less likely to lead the league in passing yards than a rival quarterback with great receivers.
NFL Player Futures Explained
NFL player futures include bets on which player will earn prestigious honors, such as the best offensive and defensive player.
NFL Most Valuable Player
NFL MVP futures predict the player who will win the award as determined by eligible voters. Since quarterbacks tend to be the most valuable members of winning football teams, the odds heavily favor them to win the award.
Offensive Player of the Year
The NFL Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY) award tends to go to the most outstanding offensive player who isn’t a quarterback. Unlike the NFL MVP, wide receivers and running backs have a realistic chance of winning this honor.
Defensive Player of the Year
The Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) futures predict the standout defensive player who will earn this award. Often, players who shine at pass rushing and racking up sacks have the strongest odds of winning, such as edge rushers and defensive linemen.
Comeback Player of the Year
Comeback Player of the Year futures involve a prediction for the player who overcomes significant adversity to have an outstanding season. Quarterbacks that return from injuries or perform well after years of mediocrity tend to win this award.
Coach of the Year
While technically not a player futures bet, predicting the NFL Coach of the Year is still a very popular wager to make for football fans. Keep an eye out for teams that outperform expectations to improve the odds of winning your wager.
Offensive / Defensive Rookie of the Year
The NFL rookie of the year award is split into an offensive and defensive category. This NFL honor is awarded to the most outstanding player on either side of the football in their first year in the league.
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NFL Futures Betting Tips and Strategies
Learning about NFL futures betting strategies can help you get some extra value from your bets. Doing a bit of extra research doesn’t take much time and can positively impact your wagers.
Consider the Timing of Futures Bets
The timing of your futures bet can have a big impact on your payout for winning. Betting on an underdog early in the season can maximize profits. Meanwhile, waiting for a favorite to have a rough couple of weeks can also increase winnings.
Look at Previous NFL Award Winners
Previous results don’t guarantee future results. Still, looking at the past winners of NFL awards can reveal the type of player that tends to earn an individual player award. Star QBs tend to win MVP and Offensive Rookie of the Year, so betting on a receiver or a running back for those awards will often be a risky proposition.
Try to Find Value in the Underdogs
Betting on underdogs offers a greater payout, especially when there’s a strong favorite for a specific category of NFL futures. Sometimes, the betting public places a large volume of bets on a weak favorite, increasing the value of betting on a viable underdog.
Hedge your Futures Bets
NFL futures tend to pay well, which opens the option of hedging your bets. Hedging involves placing multiple bets to increase the odds of turning a profit but also increases the cost of placing the bet.
Perform Statistical Analysis
The NFL and various football analysis sites produce stats you can use to make smarter betting decisions. For example, checking out the pass-blocking and run-blocking grades of offensive linemen can show you that a quarterback will receive the support they need to win an MVP futures bet or lead the league in passing yards.
Responsible Gambling
We encourage all players to gamble responsibly. Remember that online betting is a form of entertainment, not a source of income. Set loss limits and time limits. Budget your bankroll ahead of time to avoid losing more than you can afford to. Keeping these tips in mind will help you have fun and remain a responsible gambler.
If you are over-preoccupied with thoughts about gambling or exceed your budget regularly, you might benefit from some help. Consider the resources below if you recognize the warning signs and symptoms in yourself or a loved one:
- National Council on Problem Gambling: (202) 547-9204 or NCPGambling.org
- AGA Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct (as supported by the NBA)
- Gamble Responsibly America App (downloadable)
- Gambler’s Anonymous: gamblersanonymous.org/ga/
- Responsible Gambling Council: https://responsiblegambling.org/
Key Takeaways for NFL Futures Betting
NFL futures bets can go a long way in lifting your odds of winning the wager while increasing the payout on your futures bets. Our betting strategies can help NFL betting fans of all types, from beginners to those with more football wagering experience. People new to NFL futures can begin with a few simple wagers, such as picking a Super Bowl winner or whether their favorite team will make the playoffs.
After getting to know the ins and outs of betting on NFL futures, you can check out more complex strategies. Hedging your bets and finding great value for underdogs can increase your winnings and boost your bankroll.
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