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An NFL Win Totals over/under bet is a bet on how many wins a specific NFL football team will have in the coming season. 

The goal of betting on NFL win totals is simple: predict whether an NFL team will finish the regular season with fewer or more victories than forecasted by the online sportsbook. 

See below for current win totals odds at the top NFL betting sites and a few expert insights for betting on NFL win totals. 

NFL Win Totals Odds

 

How NFL win totals work

Among futures bets, NFL win totals stand out as a popular option. Win totals are over/under wagers on the number of wins a team is expected to earn during the regular season. Your task is deciding whether the team can exceed or fall below that prediction.

For example:

  • Seattle Seahawks Over 9.5
  • Seattle Seahawks Under 9.5

Here, the oddsmakers predict the Seahawks’ regular-season wins at 9.5. To make a winning bet, you must determine if the team will secure more than 9.5 wins (10 or more) or fewer (9 or fewer).

NFL win total odds are usually released soon after the Super Bowl, sparking off-season discussions among oddsmakers and experts as win totals lines are set in sportsbooks nationwide.

Everyone will have predictions, but sports bettors can convert those into real money if they do their homework, find the best odds, and make the right pick.

3 essential tips for betting on NFL win totals

Tips and tricks are abundant when trying to improve your NFL betting performance. We believe every bettor should consider three aspects when wagering on a team's win total. 

While these tips can help guide your bets, we recommend developing your strategy. Be willing to experiment to determine what betting strategy best fits your style and preferences. 

  • Historical performance: Always examine how a team performed the year before and even deeper into their previous seasons. How has the team done in past regular seasons? What were its wins and losses? Is the team a consistent playoff contender? Does it struggle at a certain point in the season? Consider factors such as returning players, retirements, and coaching changes.
  • Offseason moves: What changes has a team made during the offseason? Did it pick up new talent through the NFL Draft of free agency? Did it lose key players on offense or defense? How do these changes influence the team's outlook for the upcoming season? 
  • Preseason performance: This is a critical time to evaluate how a team's new talent looks, how they will impact the overall performance of the team, and how the team's overall depth and strength look before the start of the regular season. This information can help you in making your win totals betting decisions. 

Remember that the odds will continue to change as new information becomes available, so you need to assess how much of a risk you're willing to take. 

You can also keep your eyes open for NFL sportsbook promos or odds boosts targeting NFL Win Totals odds.

When is the best time to bet on NFL win totals?

The decision of when to place your bets on NFL regular-season win totals comes down to risk versus reward and how comfortable you are making wagers without all the potential data available. 

Betting early means you will be placing your wager before all of the team news and information from the offseason and preseason come to light. The benefit is you will have the best possible odds when making your wager, meaning your risk is high, but so is the potential for a nice return on your bet. 

Waiting for more information means you'll likely see the odds shift while you're doing your research. The more information you gather, the more of an informed decision you make when placing your bet.

You'll have a clearer picture of what the team is capable of, but the odds will have shifted to be less favorable. If your bet is successful, you'll still see a return on your wager, but it won't be as significant as it might have been if you placed your bet earlier. 

It all comes down to how much risk you will take for the potential reward. When placing early bets, you'll predominantly rely on the team's performance from the last season.

While this comes with inherent risks, it also presents a chance to seize favorable odds. Conversely, if you choose to bet later, you'll have a broader spectrum of data at your disposal; however, remember that sportsbooks will also be privy to this updated info and may have tweaked the odds accordingly.

Who sets NFL win totals?

Online sportsbooks utilize skilled professionals, known as oddsmakers, to meticulously craft odds and lines for NFL win totals and other futures bets.

These oddsmakers conduct comprehensive research, analyzing historical data, current team form, player injuries, transfers, and even off-field events to determine the most probable outcomes. This then translates into odds that reflect these predictions.

As a bettor, the onus is on you to assess these odds and make educated decisions. It's your task to determine whether a particular team has the potential to surpass or fall short of the win predictions set by the oddsmaker.

Staying abreast of the latest updates, team news, and other relevant factors can significantly enhance your ability to gauge the probable outcomes.

The mechanics of odds can initially seem complex but are fairly straightforward when broken down. In betting, odds are denoted by figures prefixed with either a negative (-) or positive (+) symbol. The negative symbol indicates the amount a bettor would need to wager to yield a profit of $100.

For instance, if the odds are -150, you would need to stake $150 to gain a profit of $100. In contrast, a positive symbol showcases the potential return on a $100 bet. For example, at odds of +200, a successful $100 bet would net you a profit of $200. 

Your final payout culminates your initial bet amount and the odds when you solidify your wager. This emphasizes the importance of timing and strategy in betting, as odds can fluctuate based on various factors.

More NFL futures odds

NFL regular-season win totals aren't the only way to enjoy NFL futures betting. Online sportsbooks allow you to place bets on a variety of NFL futures markets, including: 

Beyond the NFL team-focused futures, the NFL Draft selections (especially the first overall pick) garner significant betting interest.

By staying updated with the newest NFL developments and patterns, you can enhance your decision-making and boost your chances of a favorable return with legal and regulated online sportsbooks.

Given the variety of NFL futures accessible on top sports betting apps, the avenues for betting on NFL odds are limitless.

Related pages: NFL prop bets

Is the NFL the only sport you can bet on win totals? 

While not every sport might display season win totals, major North American sports leagues like the NFL, MLB, NBA, NCAA football and basketball, and NHL offer abundant opportunities for futures betting.

The NFL, often regarded as the pinnacle of North American sports, sees a flurry of betting activity, with the best sports betting sites featuring futures options, including regular season win totals. In contrast, NCAA football and basketball might not have futures for every team, but the most popular teams usually have them available.

For those passionate about MLB, season win totals are typically unveiled early, given the sport's relatively consistent outcomes and greater confidence from oddsmakers. Conversely, NBA lines for season win totals tend to emerge later, following the conclusion of free agency and the NBA Draft.

The NHL's approach to futures betting diverges slightly. Here, you wager on the total regular-season points accumulated by teams rather than wins and losses. It's crucial to note that the NHL often sees overtime losses, so factoring in this aspect is vital when placing bets.

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Author(s)
Sam Eggleston Photo

Sam Eggleston has worked in digital media since 2007 and has been involved in sports writing and journalism since 2000. He has worked for multiple daily newspapers and online publications, including Vox Media’s SB Nation and Issue Media Group.