The NFL, short for National Football League, is a category of American soccer competition for men in the United States. The league consisted of 32 participating teams and was founded in 1920, then went through two mergers with other leagues such as AAFC and AFC. The NFL takes place from September 5 every year and ends on the first Sunday of February for the following year. In the field of American football betting, there are many different forms and odds. One of them is NFL futures betting, a type of bet that many players are interested in. What are NFL future bets? What does it mean to bet on the future? Let’s explore this in detail with an expert from bestsoccertips.com in the next section.
What are NFL Future Bets?
Another excellent way to bet on the NFL is through futures markets and playoff game predictions. NFL Futures markets, as their name suggests, are long-lasting, with the entire season or remaining portion of the season still unfolding depending on when you place your bets. While straight bets or weekly NFL spread betting end after a day, NFL Futures allow you to bet on outcomes extending throughout the season.
The most common types of NFL futures bets are team-based or player-based. Team-based NFL futures will include predicting outright winners such as Super Bowl champions, Divisional NFL winners, and Conference NFL winners, or even over/under total wins for a team in the season. Player-based NFL futures contracts involve betting on a player’s season performance, through leading statistics such as passing yards, rushing yards, or receptions, or to win awards in NFL titles like MVP, Offensive Rookie of the Year, or Comeback Player of the Year, to name a few.
Ahead of the NFL 2023/24 season, we will preview all the top futures markets while closely monitoring the NFL weekly to highlight the best NFL futures bets as the season unfolds and the playoff picture begins to take shape.
When can you NFL future bets?
Most bettors place NFL futures bets before the regular season begins, but that’s certainly not mandatory. In fact, most futures markets remain open on NFL betting websites throughout the season, with sportsbooks constantly adjusting odds based on player and/or team performance, serious injuries, trades, and betting liability.
An example of the latter case: If a sportsbook takes a significant amount of action on a specific team or player, it will lower the odds, making betting on that team or player less attractive. Conversely, if sports betting receives minimal action on a team or player, it will increase the odds in hopes of attracting betting action.
Sometimes these odds changes occur weekly, sometimes daily, and sometimes just hours apart. The goal when betting NFL futures contracts is to lock in the highest possible odds to maximize value. Unfortunately, easier said than done.
How to bet NFL futures
Betting on NFL futures contracts can be done through online sportsbooks or traditional bookmakers. Below are the basic steps to place bets on NFL futures contracts:
- Choose a reputable sportsbook: Make sure to select a trustworthy and reliable sportsbook to place your bets. Popular sportsbooks include Bet365, William Hill, and FanDuel.
- Register an account: If you don’t already have an account, you’ll need to sign up for one at your chosen sportsbook. The registration process is usually straightforward and requires you to provide basic information such as name, email address, and payment details.
- Deposit funds into your account: After registering, you’ll need to deposit funds into your betting account using one of the payment methods accepted by the sportsbook.
- Choose the type of bet: Learn about the various types of bets on NFL futures contracts. Some common types of bets include betting on the Super Bowl champion, betting on awards such as MVP or Coach of the Year, betting on the number of wins for a team in the season, and betting on the points scored by a player in the season.
- Place your bet: Once you’ve decided on the type of bet you want to place, simply select it and place your bet on the sportsbook’s website or mobile app.
- Track the results: After placing your bet, you can track the results of your bet on the sportsbook’s website or mobile app. You can also follow the games on television or through other media outlets.
Other NFL Awards Futures
The Most Valuable Player award is not the only individual honor bestowed at the end of the NFL season, and it’s not the only award you can bet on with future contracts in the NFL. Below is a list of other annual awards that you can place bets on at legal betting sites.
- NFL Offensive Player of the Year: Typically awarded to a non-quarterback who had the best offensive season.
- NFL Defensive Player of the Year: In recent years, the DPOY award has been given to the most outstanding defensive player in the NFL. Only one non-linebacker has won the award since 2014, which was in 2019 when Stephon Gilmore earned this honor.
- NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: This award tends to go to offensive players all over the field. Four running backs, three wide receivers, and three quarterbacks have won this award in the past decade.
- NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year: This special award has been given to most defensive positions over the past 15 years, but recently it has been favored by fast edge rushers.
- NFL Comeback Player of the Year: This award is often given to a player who has overcome a serious injury. It’s usually one of the more difficult individual awards to predict early in the season.
Things to look out for when betting NFL futures
There are several factors to consider when betting on NFL Futures. We’ll break down this explanation into two parts, one focusing on players and the other on teams.
Player Futures
If you’re leaning towards a player’s stats, consider their team context. Does this player have more opportunities this year due to injury or free agency departures?
A prime example of this is Nick Chubb in Cleveland. With Kareem Hunt no longer on the team, leaving Jerome Ford unproven as the primary backup, we might see Chubb with a heavier workload, making his rushing yards look enticing.
Another thing to consider is whether the player is on an upward trajectory. The most significant growth we often see is in a player’s second year, while others who have crossed the age of 30 tend to decline.
An example of a rising player could be Garrett Wilson, who had an impressive rookie season. We might see him surpassing last year’s total yards, making the Over a potentially good betting proposition. On the other hand, a player like Derrick Henry might start to decline.
You should also consider the most critical factor in football: the offensive line. If a team undergoes significant downgrades in that position, it’s bad news for all offensive players.
A prime example of this is in Tampa Bay, a team that just replaced Tom Brady with Baker Mayfield. That’s terrible news for Mike Evans, who might struggle to get open due to the disrupted offensive line play.
Finally, injury concern is a significant issue. Remember, you won’t get your money back if your player misses the season in Week 5. The bet stands as soon as they play a game.
You don’t want to risk a lot of money on a player who’s nursing an injury. For example, betting on D’Andre Swift’s rushing yards could be a risky move.
Team Futures
When looking for a team to target, the first thing to focus on is their offensive line. Teams upgraded in this position are in a good position to improve over last year’s overall.
A prime example of this is the New York Jets, who just added Aaron Rodgers. However, remember that the odds will reflect changes in this context, which leads us to the next point.
Try to find an undervalued team. Perhaps the market doesn’t rate their prospects as high as you predict. This is where you try to capitalize on an advantage.
You might like a team because they’ve upgraded their coaching staff, but this hasn’t been reflected in their odds. A prime example of this is the Houston Texans, who switched from Love Smith to DeMeco Ryans, who helped the 49ers have a formidable defense.
Other factors to consider relate to the rest of the team along with any significant injuries. You want to target teams that have improved and aren’t facing any key player injuries as the season approaches.
It’s a bonus to check their schedule, as teams with an easy path will have a favorable start, setting the tone for the rest of the year. The key thing to remember is when betting on a team to win their division or overshadow their total wins.
Conclude
Above is all the information about NFL Future Bets that we have compiled, analyzed and shared for you. For some, this type of betting may be new. However, take the time to read and consult, and experience. We believe you won’t regret trying. NFL Futures Betting is available at many online football bookmakers. Take a look and choose your bets, good luck.
See also: The most detailed NBA futures bets guide for newbies
