FAQ — Football Betting
What Is a Moneyline Bet in Football and Why Beginners Start Here
A moneyline bet is the simplest wager in football: pick the team that wins, full stop. No point spread, no margin of victory — just right team or wrong team.
How Does a Moneyline Bet Work in Football?
Every moneyline has two numbers, one for each side. Negative odds mark the favorite; positive odds mark the underdog. Say the Chiefs are -180 and the Raiders are +155. Bet $180 on Kansas City and you win $100 profit. Bet $100 on Las Vegas and you win $155 profit. The sportsbook's vig is baked into that gap between the two numbers.
That's it. No spread to cover, no "but they won by only three" heartbreak. The scoreboard just has to show your team on top when the clock hits zero.
What Do the Odds Actually Tell You?
American odds express implied probability. A -180 favorite is priced as though it wins roughly 64% of the time. A +155 underdog implies about a 39% chance. Those two probabilities add up past 100% — the difference is the house edge. For a deeper look at how this math works across all bet types, the American odds explained guide walks through every scenario.
Why Is the Moneyline the Best Starting Point for Beginners?
Because the decision tree has one branch. You watch football already; you have opinions on who wins games. The moneyline lets you act on that opinion without learning spread terminology first. Once you're comfortable here, you can layer in concepts like what a point spread is and how it changes a bet.
Heavy favorites are the one trap. Laying -350 on a team means risking $350 to clear $100 — one upset wipes out three wins. Underdogs on the moneyline can pay well, but they lose more often. Neither side is "better"; they're just different risk profiles.
Moneyline vs. Spread vs. Parlay: Quick Comparison
| Bet Type | What You're Deciding | Typical Odds | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | Who wins outright | Varies by matchup | Beginners, strong opinions on winner |
| Point Spread | Win by more (or lose by less) than a set margin | Commonly -110 both sides | Even matchups where both teams are close |
| Parlay | Multiple outcomes on one ticket | Compounded, higher payout | Higher risk, higher reward |
When Should You Use the Moneyline?
It works best when you think a team wins but aren't confident they'll cover a large spread. A good team favored by 10 might be -110 on the spread and -250 on the moneyline — the spread offers better value if you think they dominate, but the moneyline protects you if they win ugly. Tight divisional games where either team can win are another classic moneyline spot; the odds on both sides are closer to even money.
If you want to combine multiple moneyline picks, that becomes a parlay. Learn how football parlays compound odds and vig before going that route — the payout looks attractive until you see how fast the house edge stacks up.
How Do I Place a Moneyline Bet?
Open your licensed sportsbook app, navigate to the NFL or college football schedule, and tap the moneyline number next to your team. It drops into your bet slip. Enter your stake, confirm the payout shown, and submit. That's the whole process. If you haven't signed up yet, the beginner's guide to placing your first football bet online covers account creation, deposits, and what to expect at verification.
Only use sportsbooks licensed in your state — FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, and ESPN Bet operate across multiple legal states, but availability varies. Check whether online football betting is legal where you live before depositing. Most states require bettors to be 21+.
Must be 21+ (18+ at select facilities in some states). Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Do Moneyline Winnings Get Taxed?
Yes. All sports betting winnings are taxable as ordinary income under federal law. Sportsbooks issue a W-2G when a single payout hits $600 or more and is at least 300× the original wager, per IRS Publication 525. Keep records of every bet win and loss; losses can offset winnings if you itemize. See the full breakdown on the football betting taxes and W-2G rules page.