If the sportsbook is busy with action, it should be football season. Whether it’s the NFL or NCAA, football betting action is fast and furious during the season. For the newbie sports bettor, it could seem a bit confusing, but football bets really drop to two types-straight bets and parlay bets.

Football Betting – Straight Bets

Here’s the workhorse for any winning football bettor. A straight bet simply means you’re betting using one football game. If you bet on multiple game on the same ticket, it is a parlay, and we’ll discuss that in a minute.

When you make a straight football bet, you will be betting on a side or total. Simply put, once you bet a side, you “pick a side” in the game. For instance, let’s say the New England Patriots are playing the Seattle Seahawks. If you’re going to bet a side, you’d bet on either the Patriots or the Seahawks.

Every game has a point total (except NCAA football, that is most games). This is the level of points scored between both teams. When you bet a total, you’re betting under or higher that total. For instance, let’s say the total is 47 and you take the over. To win, both teams must combine for 48 or more points (47 will be a push, which means you get your bet back).

Football Betting – Parlays

Okay, so you find out about straight bets, that is where you bet on just one single thing per ticket. When you want to bet on multiple thing, it’s a parlay. You can bet on 2 – 20 things (depends upon the sportsbook).

For instance, let’s say without a doubt on the Seahawks and on the total on your ticket. That would be a 2-team parlay (even though technically there’s only 1 team on it).

slot 777 put on the ticket, the more income you’ll win should they all hit. Naturally, the more items on the ticket, the harder it is to win.

With parlay bets it’s an all or nothing thing. If one pick fails, the ticket is dead. Some sportsbooks will run specials so you can get close, but that’s very rare.

If you get into making football bets via parlay tickets, you might have a look at “teasers,” which are parlay tickets with added points for you. For instance, rather than taking the Packers -10, you might get them at -3. Of course, the payouts are a less because the risk is minimized.

Football betting is a blast and there’s nothing much better than hitting the sportsbook with a big winning ticket. I hit straight football bets and parlays all season long. I look forward to the NFL and NCAA football seasons.